by Ken Weingartner, Harness Racing Communications

Ken Weingartner

Freehold, NJ — Brett Miller has suffered few anxious moments this season with undefeated 2-year-old male trotter Billy Flynn, but the minutes prior to the Pennsylvania Sire Stakes championship were difficult to endure.

Billy Flynn, in the midst of enjoying himself as the field warmed up for the race, accidentally took off his right front shoe. Miller tried to locate the shoe, but muddy track conditions that night made it impossible. So Miller brought Billy Flynn back to the paddock, where the blacksmith put on a random shoe moments before racing for $260,000.

Curtis Salonick photo

Billy Flynn won the PA Sire Stakes final by 2-3/4 lengths in a career-best 1:55.2.

“I was sick to my stomach,” said Miller, who is able to laugh now as he retells the story. “It felt like it took an hour. For him to go through all that and then go out and annihilate the field, it was pretty amazing.”

Billy Flynn won the race, held Sept. 6 at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs, by 2-3/4 lengths in a career-best 1:55.2. He rallied from fourth place after three-quarters with a three-wide move around the final turn.

“He races great on the front, but I think he’s better from off the pace,” Miller said. “When he’s following horses and has a target to go after, he’s unreal.”

Billy Flynn puts his 8-for-8 record on the line Friday in the third of five International Stallion Stakes divisions at The Red Mile in Lexington. Billy Flynn will start from post six with Miller at the lines for trainer Staffan Lind.

Last week, in his first start since the sire stakes championship, Billy Flynn won a division of the Bluegrass Stakes by a half-length over Muscle Diamond in 1:55.4.

Nigel Soult photo

Billy Flynn edged Muscle Diamond by a half-length in their Bluegrass division at The Red Mile.

“I thought he raced great,” Miller said. “He felt as good as he’s felt all year. He was a little wound up, a little more grabby than usual, but I think being at Lexington he was just feeling good.”

Billy Flynn is a son of stallion Cantab Hall out of Zeta Jones and was named after the smooth-talking lawyer in the musical “Chicago,” which co-starred Catherine Zeta-Jones in the film version. Owned by Bender Sweden Inc., the colt was purchased as a yearling for $120,000 at the 2013 Lexington Selected Sale and is a full brother to Mr Chicago, who was a winner in both the U.S. and Europe.

“Staffan has done some kind of job training him, manners-wise,” said Miller, who has driven Billy Flynn in all eight of his races, earning $312,057 in purses. “I know a lot of that, too, is the horse himself, but Staffan has done a great job with him.

“He’s like an older horse because you can do anything you want with him in a race. He’s so handy. His manners are so good. And he gives 110 percent. When a horse is near him, he tries so hard to fight that horse off. So far, he has (fought them off).”

Billy Flynn’s International Stallion Stakes division includes stakes-winner Pinkman and New York Sire Stakes champion Crazy Wow. Also part of the field is Canepa Hanover, a $300,000 yearling purchase who is a half-brother to 2006 Horse of the Year Glidemaster.

“I’m realistic,” Miller said. “I know there are some colts out there that he could have a tough time with. I love the colt, he’s the best 2-year-old trotting colt I’ve ever sat behind, but he hasn’t faced everybody. I’m sure he’s going to get beat one day.

“It’s just been a fun ride so far, that’s for sure.”

Stakes-winner French Laundry and New York Sire Stakes championship runner-up Wings Of Royalty are among the trotters in the first division of the International Stallion Stakes. Shoot The Thrill, who won a division of the Arden Downs, is in the second split.

Uncle Lasse, a full brother to standout 3-year-old female trotter Shake It Cerry and a Bluegrass division winner last week, is in the fourth division. The fifth division finds Peter Haughton Memorial champion Centurion ATM and Bluegrass division winner The Bank, plus Whom Shall I Fear, a full brother to star 3-year-old male trotter Father Patrick.

Friday’s card at The Red Mile also includes three divisions of International Stallion Stakes for 2-year-old female pacers.