by Peter Kleinhans, for the Red Mile
Cisco Hall continued his impressive two-year-old season by capturing the $80,000 Final of the Lexington Breeders’ Classic for trotting colts in handy style. The heavy favorite in the field of eight, Cisco Hall took command with a powerful brush up the backstretch for Ron Pierce, and was never threatened from there, scoring easily in 1:57.2. The son of Conway Hall is owned by Christina Takter, John Fielding, Kenny Ross, and Nancy Johannson, and is trained by Jimmy Takter.
The early leader, Garth Vader, had either won or made break in every one of his starts prior to this event, but it appeared that the pattern would change this time. After conceding the lead to Cisco Hall’s strong move, Garth Vader followed the winner all the way home ffor D.R. Ackerman and looked to be a safe second. But just before the wire, the trotting force no longer stayed with Garth Vader, who switched briefly into a pace, and then into an all-out gallop. Nevertheless, the son of Garland Lobell had enough of a margin on the third-place finisher, Cane A Hora, to hold down the place, and after a look at the videotapes, the judges let the results stand.
Friday night also saw two eliminations of the Kentucky Sires Stakes, and there were minor upsets in each. In the first division, T J’s Conway, who has been nearly unbeatable when he has minded his manners, caught pacesetting Sand Vic off the turn and drew away impressively for Mark O’Mara in 1:55.3. T J’s Conway is owned and trained by Kentucky native Jack Gray, Jr.. This was only the twelfth lifetime start for the son of Conway Hall, whose earnings are still under the $20,000 mark. But if his current form holds up, Conway Hall figures to be one the prime contenders in next Friday’s final against far more accomplished campaigners. Sand Vic (Don Irvine, Jr.) used his usual early speed to control the mile but was simply unable to match strides with the winner in the stretch. Follow Me Tofrance, a Pine Chip colt, took down show honors for trainer-driver Charlie Norris.
In the other elimination, the Our Stromboli Farms’ Con Man needed no larceny to notch his second victory of the season in a lifetime-best 1:55.2. Another son of prolific Kentucky stallion Conway Hall, Con Man came first over for John Patterson, Jr. against the race favorite Lantern’s Law and. despite being out a long way, ground down that colt enroute to his fourth victory in twelve lifetime starts. Bob Stewart trains Con Man, who has now won two in a row here at The Red Mile. Lantern’s Law held the second spot for Yannick Gingras, with Must Be Winner and Fred Finn, Jr. finishing third.