by Kimberly Rinker, USTA Web Newsroom Correspondent

Lexington, KY — Four Bluegrass divisions for 2-year-old trotting fillies went postward Thursday night (Sept. 25) at The Red Mile after nearly a two-hour delay due to a transformer located near the first turn that went haywire just after the first race.

In the $84,250 second Norman S. Woolworth division, a field of seven went postward over the red clay, and as expected, 8-5 favorite Jolene Jolene won, and won in a big way — equaling Mission Brief’s world record for a 2-year-old trotting filly of 1:52.1. David Miller steered the daughter of Muscle Hill-Celebrity Speedie-Malabar Man for owner Bill Donovan and trainer Jonas Czernyson.

Nigel Soult photo

Jolene Jolene equaled the world record for a 2-year-old trotting filly on a mile track with a 1:52.1 score in her $84,250 Bluegrass Stakes division on Thursday at The Red Mile.

Scented Roses (Ake Svanstedt) sprinted off the wings, leading the field through the first turn before yielding to Classical Annie (John Campbell) who tripped the timer at the quarter in :28.2. Miller then tipped Jolene Jolene to the outside and brought her up sharply, gaining control at the :56.3 half, and steadily drawing away from her six competitors. She was a full four lengths on top at the 1:24 three-quarter marker and increased that lead through the stretch. Gold Cora finished second for Tim Tetrick, while Sweet Thing with Ron Pierce rallied for third.

Jolene Jolene now has four wins in eight starts, with two seconds and a third and $207,527 in career earnings. She previously won a $27,600 Peaceful Way elimination and $78,081 Champlain Stakes division — both at Mohawk — and a $28,571 Tompkins-Geers race at Tioga Downs in mid-August. Bred by the Valley High Stable, Jolene Jolene was an $87,000 yearling at the 2013 Standarbred Horse Sale at Harrisburg.

Wild Honey, the 1-9 favorite, absolutely jogged in the $83,250 first division of the Norman S. Woolworth Memorial in 1:55.2 for driver Yannick Gingras and trainer Jimmy Takter.

The daughter of Cantab Hall-U Wanna Lindy-SJ’s Photo took the lead easily, leading the field through the first turn and past the opening split in :29.2. After mid-race fractions of :59.3 and 1:28.4, Wild Honey sprinted away from her four rivals to win by three lengths. Onda Di Mare (Tim Tetrick) was second, with Love Me Madly (John Campbell) third.

Wild Honey, purchased for $35,000 at the 2013 Lexington Selected Yearling Sale, is owned by Christina Takter, John Fielding, Herb Liverman, and Jim Fielding. The triumph was the PA Sire Stakes champion’s seventh consecutive victory in eight lifetime starts and pushed her career earnings to $312,656. Her only non-win came in her debut when she finished second by a head to Gatka Hanover.

Wild Honey had set a world record for freshman filly trotters on a half-mile oval when she trotted in 1:55.2 at Delaware on Sept. 17, winning the second $32,323 division of the Standardbred Stakes.

Lilu Hanover captured the $84,250 third Woolworth division in a career best 1:54.2 via a clever drive from Scott Zeron.

Leaving the gate quickly, Zeron steered the filly to the first quarter in a pedestrian :29, before yielding to rival Annaliina (Charlie Norris) just before the :57.2 half. Following in the pocket, Lilu Hanover stayed steady as Armatrading (Randal Jerrell) moved first up to the 1:27.1 three-quarter marker. Down the stretch, however, the two leaders fanned out, allowing Zeron’s rested filly to come between them to win by 1-1/2 lengths. Annaliina held on for second, while Concentration (Brian Sears) got up for third.

The daughter of Andover Hall-Lady Luck Hanover-Donerail gave trainer Jimmy Takter his second Bluegrass winner of the night. Owned by Marvin Katz and Al Libfeld, Lilu Hanover now has three wins, one second and one third in ten lifetime starts, with $77,551 in career earnings. Her other triumphs came in a $10,000 Kindergarten division on Sept. 18 when she was clocked in 1:55.3, and on Aug. 20 when she won a $20,000 PA Stallion Series Stake in 1:55.2.

A $130,000 yearling purchase at the 2013 Standardbred Horse Sale at Harrisburg, Lilu Hanover is full sister to Luckycharm Hanover 1:52.2 ($430,056) and a half-sister to Shermans Creek (by Cantab Hall) 3,1:58.4f ($34,545).

Bee The Queen lived up to her name, winning the $84,250 fourth and final Woolworth division royally in a career best 1:54.1 for driver Brian Sears. After sitting back behind the pacesetting Crunchess Finale (Dan Rawlings) and Allerage Star (Corey Callahan) through opening splits of :27.3 and :55.2, Sears rushed the daughter of Donato Hanover-Bee Line-Self Possessed to the front and held a comfortable lead through the 1:24.3 three-quarters. From there Bee The Queen drew off handily for Sears, while the battle for second saw Wiclet Hanover (Ake Svanstedt) prevail over Kirsi Hanover (Matt Kakaley).

Bee The Queen came into the Woolworth fresh off three consecutive wins in the Kindergarten Series, one at Tioga Downs and two at The Red Mile. A $40,000 purchase at the 2013 Lexington Selected Yearling Sale, Bee The Queen is owned by Al Ross and pushed her career earnings to $63,392 with the win, her fifth in nine lifetime starts. She is a full sister to Line Item 4,1:56f ($47,140).