from the USTA Communications Department

Lexington, KY — The Sunday (Oct. 7) card at The Red Mile featured a pair of Allerage Farms events for older pacers.

USTA/Mark Hall photo

Bettor Sweet won the Allerage Farms event for older pacers in 1:48.1 over Aracache Hanover.

The $155,000 race for open pacers saw John Cancelliere’s Bettor Sweet ($10.40) hold off Aracache Hanover at the wire in a time of 1:48.1. David Miller was in the bike for trainer Tom Cancelliere as the 7-year-old Bettor’s Delight-Sweet Future gelding posted his initial win in 15 season’s starts, lifting his 2012 bankroll to $287,399 and his lifetime earnings to $2,503,503.

Golden Receiver and Tim Tetrick cut the fractions in this mile, hitting the quarter in :26.4, the half in :54 and the three-quarters in 1:22. Bettor Sweet got away third at the quarter, came first over in third at the half-mile marker and was second on the outside of Golden Receiver on the final turn.

Bettor Sweet brushed to the lead in the stretch and then held off a fast closing Aracache Hanover at the wire by about a half-length. Foiled Again also closed well to finish third. Golden Receiver faded to seventh.

“We love him,” said owner John Cancelliere. “He’s one of those rare ones that comes along once in a lifetime. We’ll never have another one like him. He can make you cry. He’s just that special. He takes after my brother and I. He’s nuts. He’ll kick. He’ll shake his head at you and try to bite you and I promised him after this race if he won I would let him bite me.

“When he’s done racing I have my own private farm and he’ll go there with some of the other ones I own that we’ve retired. The Campbells have done a great job with the retirement foundation but they don’t need any more horses. He’ll live his life out with us.”

USTA/Mark Hall photo

Drop The Ball came from last to post her sixth win of the season in 1:49.2 in the mares division of the Allerage Farms for older pacers.

In the $70,000 mares pace, Let It Ride Stables, Dana Parham and Robert Cooper Stables’ Drop The Ball came from last at the three-quarters to first at the wire as she posted her sixth season’s win in a time of 1:49.2. Yannick Gingras was in the bike for trainer Ross Croghan as the 4-year-old Western Terror-Mattcheck Girl mare improved her 2012 earnings to $340,000.

Anndrovette and Tim Tetrick left from the rail and took the field of five through rated fractions of :28, :55.3 and 1:23.3. Drop The Ball sat fourth through the first half-mile, then was shuffled back to fifth when Rocklamation began a first-over move from fifth.

Drop The Ball followed that cover, shook loose in the lane and closed out a fast final quarter by hitting the wire in 1:49.2. Rocklamation (Jim Morrill, Jr.) was second and Anndrovette checked in third.

“It was strategy,” said Gingras of his trip. “In the Milton (in her last start) she should have never gotten beat (a sixth place finish after leading for much of the mile). I really believe I have the best filly and she’s got a big, big half in her. I used it too early in the Milton. That one was on me.”

— Kimberly French also contributed to this report