from the USTA Communications Department

Lexington, KY — Freshman trotting colt sensation Father Patrick ran his winning streak to seven with a 1:54 score in a $90,100 Bluegrass Stakes division on Friday night (Sept. 27) at The Red Mile.

Father Patrick posted his eighth win of the year with a 1:54 score in the Bluegrass Stakes on Friday.

Yannick Gingras was in the bike for trainer Jimmy Takter and the Father Patrick Stable as the son of Cantab Hall-Gala Dream ran his 2013 bank account to $481,557 with his eighth win overall in nine trips to the post. Father Patrick paid $2.10 across the board.

Starting from post position three in a field of seven, the 1-9 favorite got away second as Speak The Truth (Tim Tetrick) took the field to the opening quarter in :28.4.

But Gingras did not sit in the pocket for long, brushing Father Patrick to the lead on the backstretch and taking control of the race by the :58 half.

From there it was all Father Patrick as he took the field to the three-quarter pole in 1:27 and trotted a final quarter in :27 to hit the wire in 1:54. Lightning Force (John Campbell) rallied to finish second with Raise The Curtain (Sylvain Filion) third.

“I just wanted to take it easy; it’s been a long year already,” said Gingras. “I was trying to save something for the next couple of weeks and next year as well.

“He’s a very, very special horse. I haven’t turned him loose yet, you know what I mean. He can go so fast it’s scary.

“I didn’t take them (ear plugs) out tonight, either. I’m sitting on some more, I’m not sure exactly how much and I don’t want to find out.”

Trainer Jimmy Takter said Father Patrick will not race in Lexington next week. His next start will be in the Breeders Crown at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs. Eliminations (if necessary) will be held on Oct. 11, with the final on Oct. 19.

While Father Patrick continued to grab the headlines, he was not the only star in the Bluegrass Stakes on Friday.

The $90,100 third and final division for the freshman trotting males saw Outburst (Ron Pierce) nail Southwind Spirit (Yannick Gingras) at the wire in 1:53.1, the fastest race mile ever for a freshman trotting gelding on a mile track.

Nigel Soult photos

Outburst (#6) was a narrow winner in a world record time of 1:53.1.

Owned by Adam Victor & Son Stable, Mirva Bogucki, and trainer Noel Daley, the son of Explosive Matter-Exquisite Lady posted his fourth win in seven lifetime efforts, lifting his career earnings to $89,154.

Outburst ($16.20) sat a pocket trip behind Southwind Spirit, who put up fractions of :28.3, :57 and 1:25.3. Down the stretch, Outburst came off the rail and nailed the leader at the wire in a tight photo. Trixton (Jimmy Takter) was third.

“You couldn’t ask for a better trip,” said Pierce. “My colt was hanging on the right line a little bit and to get my nose past Yannick I had to just kind of turn his head loose a little bit.

“We got a little close there, but I thought I nailed him.”

The middle $90,100 division of the Bluegrass Stakes was captured by Odds On Amethyst with a wire-to-wire performance in a lifetime best 1:54.2.

Tim Tetrick was in the bike for trainer Robin Schadt and owner Odds On Racing as the son of Muscle Hill-Mystical Sunshine won for the second time in five lifetime starts. His share of the purse more than doubled his career earnings to $79,578.

Odds On Amethyst ($4.00) cut fractions of :28.2, :58 and 1:27, before cruising home in 1:54.2. Muscle Network (Jody Jamieson) was second and Shift Into Glide (David Miller) was third.

“Yeah, he was OK; you know he did everything right,” said Tetrick. “He’s got some ability; he’s a little head strong at times. But he let me do my thing with him and he relaxed.

“Father Patrick, he’s pretty special. This horse is not going to embarrass himself if he stays trotting. He’s made some mistakes but he’s on the right path right now. Today we didn’t pull the plugs and he had plenty left.

“Can he go with Father Patrick? We’ll have to see.”