by Gabe Prewitt, publicity director, The Red Mile

Lexington, KY — It took over five minutes for the judges to examine the tightest of photographs and declare Diana Hall, 3-year-old daughter of Like A Prayer-Delphini, the winner of Sunday night’s (September 14) $225,200 Moni Maker final for sophomore trotting fillies at The Red Mile.

Nigel Soult photo

Diana Hall split horses as she won the $225,200 Moni Maker Final at The Red Mile.

Driver Ron Pierce rushed Diana Hall out off the gate and settled the filly in behind last week’s elimination winner and 5-2 second choice, Stage Show and driver Dave Palone, as the field straightened out up the backstretch. Those two would race that way until meeting a challenge from the 1-2 favorite, Lantern Kronos and driver Jimmy Takter, as they were midway around the final turn.

Lantern Kronos, who earned a bye into the final based on being the wealthiest filly entered, was stride for stride with Stage Show as the field turned for home, and Diana Hall patiently waited for racing room, only a length back in third.

As the two favorites were slugging it out down the lane, Pierce saw his opening as Lantern Kronos began to drift out a bit, and put Diana Hall to the drive as she tried to split horses. Those three were the participants of a scintillating stretch drive, and it appeared as if Diana Hall and Stage Show had put away Lantern Kronos in deep stretch, but the Takter trainee had an almost perfectly timed late surge just a few strides before the wire.

The photo revealed that Diana Hall hit the wire first by the slimmest of margins over Lantern Kronos, with Stage Show only a head back in third. Diana Hall returned $16.20 in scoring the upset.

The stretch drive will be remembered as one of the most thrilling in recent history at The Red Mile.

Diana Hall is trained by Francisco Del Cid for Mario Mazza.

The Red Mile will be back in action with an 18-race card on Monday night. There will be 12 divisions contested of the John Simpson Memorial Stakes for freshman trotters and pacers. First race post is at 6:30 p.m.