by Paul Ramlow, USTA Internet News Manager

Lexington, KY — The second day of Grand Circuit racing at The Red Mile featured four divisions of the $340,000 Bluegrass Stakes for 2-year-old colt and gelding trotters.

In the $84,250 opening division on the Friday night (September 30) card, Scary Good rallied in the stretch to nip Power Play and Nagini in a lifetime best clocking of 1:56.4.

Brian Sears was in the bike as the Cantab Hall-Yankee Topaz colt won for just the second time in six lifetime starts, lifting his 2011 earnings to $73,325. Trained by Frank Antonacci, the winner is owned by Lindy Racing Stable, Robert Rudolph, Murray Brown and Gary Hoffman.

Delano and Ray Schnittker set fractions of :29.1, :58.4 and 1:28.3 in this mile, but gave way to the closers in the stretch. Power Play, who came first over for David Miller, took over the lead down the stretch, but Scary Good came up on the outside and just nipped Power Play at the wire. Nagini (Ron Pierce) enjoyed the pocket trip thoughout the mile and held on for third, while Delano faded to fifth.

“This guy has just been good all along,” said Antonacci. “He’s never been worse than third. I’ve kind of been racing him off the pace — he loves to close and he showed that tonight.”

Possess The Will scored in 1:55.1 for driver Tim Tetrick.

The $85,250 second division saw Fashion Farms’ Possess The Will take over the lead heading to the three-quarter pole and then went on to a comfortable victory in a time of 1:55.1. Tim Tetrick was in the bike for trainer Jim Campbell as the son of Donato Hanover-Aurora Hall equaled his lifetime mark in posting his third win in seven lifetime starts. Possess The Will has now banked $135,414.

Big Chocolate and David Miller left from the outside post eight and were parked to the lead past an opening quarter in :29, before clearing to take command at the :57.4 half-mile marker.

Possess The Will, who sat fourth for the first half-mile, brushed to the lead heading to the final turn and was on top at the 1:26.1 three-quarter pole. From there it was all Possess The Will as he kept Big Chocolate at bay to post the victory. Gym Tan Laundry came on to finish third for Brian Sears.

“Timmy and I talked about the race before,” said trainer Jim Campbell. “He was sick in his last start up in Canada, so he hasn’t had a real race since the race at Chester (a PA Sire Stake on August 26). We didn’t want to be real rough on him.

“Timmy said he felt good so he pulled him and he made a really nice brush. We couldn’t be more happier with him than we are tonight.”

In the $85,250 third division, From Above rallied down the stretch to post his third victory in four lifetime starts in lowering his mark to 1:57. The son of Donato Hanover-Marita’s Victory was driven to victory by Chris Loney. Greg Peck trains the colt and co-owns along with Jeff Snyder, Patricia Bolte and Guida Racing Stable. From Above paid $18.60 in taking his career bankroll to $45,175.

Pekoe Fashion and Dave Palone set the early pace in this race, taking the field to the opening quarter in :28.4 and the half-mile marker in :58.1. But then Pekoe Fashion made an unexpected break and fell out of contention.

Catman Dude (Brian Sears) inherited the lead and was challenged by Go Tapaigh at the 1:28.3 three-quarter pole. Those two continued their duel down the lane, only to see Go Tapaigh also make a break.

That opened the door for From Above to head to the front and post the victory in 1:57. Appomattox (Tim Tetrick) rallied to finish second, while Catman Dude picked up the show dough.

“He got to be a different horse here, there’s no doubt about it,” said Greg Peck, referring to a pair of wins earlier this month for From Above at The Red Mile. “He seemed to really take to the track because it looked like he really needed the hobbles (which he wore in his first lifetime start) and then the night he made a break behind the gate I took them off and the next morning he was great and he’s been great ever since. I still have a few adjustments to make because he’s a little bit green.”

Nigel Soult photos

Magic Tonight upset American Gangster in a time of 1:55.1.

The $85,250 final division saw Magic Tonight upset the overwhelming favorite American Gangster in a time of 1:55.1. Owned by Adam Victor & Son Stable, trained by Noel Daley and driven by Ron Pierce, the son of Andover Hall-Miss Possessed won for the second time in four lifetime starts, hiking his bankroll to $55,925.

Pilgrims Power and Mike Lachance were the early leaders in this division, taking the field to the quarter in :27.4 and the half in :56.4, with Magic Tonight enjoying the pocket trip and American Gangster (Brian Sears) sitting third.

Heading to the 1:27.1 three-quarter pole, Magic Tonight popped out of the pocket and took over the lead, then opened up several legnths on the field in hitting the finish line in a personal best mile of 1:55.1. American Gangster came on to finish second and Fusion Man (David Miller) was third.

“He always brings his horses around slow as babies,” said driver Ron Pierce of trainer Noel Daley. “I don’t think there is anybody in the business that can bring a racehorse back from this year to next better. It seems they always get better when Noel brings them back.”