by KYSS

Lexington, KY — The Red Mile played host to the $1.4 million Kentucky Sires Stakes (KYSS) Super Night on Sunday (Aug. 21), and seven different stallions were represented in the winner’s circle in the eight $175,000 finals for 2- and 3-year-olds of both gaits and sexes.

Nigel Soult photo

Barryscourt becomes a dual sire-stakes victor at The Red Mile for conditioner and co-owner Bobby Brower.

There were two repeat winners from a year ago as 3-year-olds Barryscourt and Lakeisha Hall were able to successfully defend their titles. Both were sent off the as the betting favorite in their respective races. Barryscourt won the KYSS final for male trotters with a 1:56.2 effort, while Lakeisha Hall captured the KYSS final for filly pacers in 1:54.2.

Barryscourt got away third with driver Josh Sutton, who waited until the final turn to tip the son of Northern Kid to the outside. Barryscourt took control from leader Con Air Hall turning for home and drew clear to a two-length victory over his rival. Fetchit was third for John Cummings Jr.

Bred by Peninsula Farm, Barryscourt is owned by trainer Bobby Brower in partnership with Mystical Marker Farms, Victory Hill Farm and Benjamin Graber. The win was Barryscourt’s third in a row in four starts this year, bringing his seasonal earnings to $103,004.

Dave Palone was parked early with Lakeisha Hall before finding a spot on the rail as Ronnie Wrenn Jr. protected the lead with Bellatricks, but was able to angle his way off the pylons in the last turn to rally to a 1:54.2 victory, edging past the leader nearing the wire. Tawni Hall was third for Trace Tetrick.

Bred by Walnut Hall Ltd., the winning daughter of Third Straight is trained by Ron Burke for owners Burke Racing Stable and Weaver Bruscemi LLC. A winner of four in a row, Lakeisha Hall now has seasonal earnings of $124,925.

In the KYSS final for 3-year-old male pacers, the public’s second selection Cracker Cam and driver Tetrick edged favorite Best To Hurst and Tyler Smith by a head in 1:52.4. Finishing third was Thirdstraight Shot (Chris Page).

Cracker Cam led at every call as he was able to hold off the late rally by Best To Hurst. A gelded son of Cambest, Cracker Cam was bred by Russell Peavyhouse and owned by Peavyhouse Stables. Bill Cottongim trains Cracker Cam, who posted a career-best effort in the KYSS final. The win was his second in 10 starts this year, pushing his seasonal earnings to $102,620.

Driver Wrenn, celebrating his 30th birthday, directed Cash In My Genes to a 1:57.4 victory in the KYSS final for sophomore filly trotters. Wrenn got away fourth with Cash In My Genes but moved his charge to the front before half and never looked back, scoring by two lengths as the 2-5 favorite over 71-1 longshot Dazzling Rose and Jimmy Stiltner II. Cash In My Genes’ stablemate, Golden Genes Cash, was third for Mickey Pryor.

A homebred of The Broken Brokers, Cash In My Genes is a daughter of Groton Hall trained by Lee Newcomer. The win was her fourth of the year in 11 starts, increasing her seasonal earnings to $100,800.

In the 2-year-old finals, Sheas Victory sprung a 40-1 shocker in the race for filly trotters. Taking full advantage of a break at the start by 1-9 favorite Mystic Stella, who had easily won the opening two legs of the KYSS, Sheas Victory got up at the wire for driver Pryor to win by a head over the Smith-driven Cassandra As by a head in 2:01.2, with Almondy As third for driver Page.

Sheas Victory had finished fourth to Mystic Stella in the opening two legs, was able to post a career-best effort on Sunday. Bred by Diane Dotson, owned by Candra Foley and trained by Russell Newman, Sheas Victory is a daughter of Bet I Strike-Celebrity Lulu.

There was also a big surprise in the final for 2-year-old male trotters as overwhelming favorite He’s On A Mission and driver Charlie Conrad had to settle for second behind the 10-1 Starlight As and driver Smith in 2:02. Stanford was third for the reinsman Cummings.

One week after finishing 34-1/4 lengths behind He’s On A Mission in leg two, Starlight As broke his maiden in his third career attempt. A son of Allstar Hall-Delight As, Starlight As is owned by breeder ACL Stuteri Ab in partnership with Kjell Johansson. Anette Lorentzon is the trainer.

In The Dark and driver Tetrick won the KYSS final for freshman filly pacers in 1:55.1. The daughter of Cambest-Diamond Dejavu bested runner-up Al-mar-got A Fever and driver Page by one length, with Peekaboo Love and Kayne Kauffman third.

Jack Gray Jr. trains the winning daughter of Cambest for owner Jim Avritt. Bred by Steve Stewart and Rick Rader, In The Dark is now a four-time winner in 2016, with earnings of $101,150.

V Power moved from third to first in the stretch to win the KYSS final for first-year male pacers in 1:55.4. Al Eferstein drove V Power, who bested Mt. Sterling Mafia and Cummings by 2-1/4 lengths. Kirsch was third for Tom Jackson.

V Power is a homebred son of Prince Chablis-Tm’s Go Go Scooter for trainer Donna Gilson-Eferstein. The win was the fifth of the year in eight starts for V Power, increasing his earnings to $104,930.