Oak Grove, KY — Defending champion Harrisburg Heist and his stablemate Captain Arturovico both nabbed wins in the third preliminary of Kentucky Sire Stakes (KYSS) action for trainer Ron Burke at Oak Grove Racing, Gaming & Hotel for 4-year-olds on Monday (June 15) as they now both eye a series sweep into the $150,000 finals next week.
Captain Arturovico (driven by Dexter Dunn) opened the afternoon’s KYSS action with a 1:50.4 win in the first division for pacing horses and geldings. Dunn settled the 3-5 favorite into third while Banderas (Yannick Gingras) fired for the top to a :27.1 first quarter and carried his speed to a :55 half. Banderas continued on the muscle up the backstretch as Captain Arturovico lifted off the pegs and advanced up the rim marching for three-quarters in 1:23.1. Captain Arturovico then slid to the lead in the stretch and held firmly for a one-length win over Falcon (Marcus Miller), who closed from off cover for second. Fusion (Todd McCarthy) rallied from a pocket trip for third and Banderas settled for fourth.
A gelding by Captaintreacherous-Tilikum, Captain Arturovico races for owners Burke Racing Stable LLC, Weaver Bruscemi LLC, Larry Karr and Phil Collura. He collected his third win of the season, all of which have come in this KYSS series, and his 15th win from 40 starts in his career, good for $440,809 in earnings. He paid $3.40 to win.
Harrisburg Heist (Ronnie Wrenn Jr.) later rattled his fifth win in a row and his third in this KYSS series with a 1:49.1 win in the other split for pacing males. Wrenn faced little resistance leaving off the car from post 3 with the 1-9 favorite to a :26.4 first quarter and cruised through middle fractions of :55 and 1:22.1 to seal the win under a snug hold by 2-3/4 lengths over pocket chaser Damn The Torpedoes (Tim Tetrick). Somelousomewhere (Dexter Dunn) followed in third and Bourbon County (Todd McCarthy) took fourth.
A gelding by Downbytheseaside-Cashaway, Harrisburg Heist competes for owners Burke Racing Stable LLC, Knox Services Inc., Phil Collura and Weaver Bruscemi LLC. He won his fifth race from six starts this season and his 18th race from 37 starts in his career, earning $725,202. He paid $2.22 to win.
Whiskey Wow (Dexter Dunn) regained his groove in the first KYSS division for trotting males with an aggressive 1:51.2 effort. Dunn pushed wide with his charge from mid-pack through a :27.2 first quarter and brushed by quarter-mover Gimpanzee Dancer (Andy McCarthy) to take the lead just before clocking a half in :54.4. Whiskey Wow continued to roll up the backside, clocking three-quarters in 1:22.4, and stayed strong through the lane as Gimpanzee Dancer attacked from the pocket trip to ultimately finish second, beaten three-quarters of a length. My Degenerate (Tyler Miller) gave chase behind the top pair for third and Royal Comet (Marvin Luna) followed in fourth.
Matthew Wilson trains Whiskey Wow, a gelding by Crazy Wow-Whimzical Britt, for owner Burlin Brower. He won his third race from seven starts this season and his 12th race from 25 starts in his career, earning $171,530. He paid $4.56 to win.
Vugoo (Yannick Gingras) went pillar-to-post in the other KYSS division for trotting males with a 1:52.1 effort. Gingras planted out of post 6 to the top past a :27.2 first quarter and kept his competition strung out through a :55.2 half. Vugoo coasted to three-quarters in 1:23.3 pursued by Te Quiero Lindy (Ronnie Wrenn Jr.) and strode for home with a comfortable lead to keep that rival at bay by 1-1/2 lengths. Boots N Beer (Joey Putnam) pushed first up to take third from Herecomesdajudge (Tyler Miller) in fourth.
Jonas Czernyson trains and co-owns Vugoo, a stallion by Googoo Gaagaa-Deja Vu Too, with Per Eriksson, Consus Racing Stable Inc., Dan Shetler and Merrill Murray. He paid $8.20 to win.
R Dutchess (Tim Tetrick) snagged a second win in this KYSS series with a pocket-popping win in 1:53. Tetrick secured a seat behind leader Lasting Dream (Daniel Dube) to a :27.1 first quarter as 6-5 favorite Winnpanzee (Yannick Gingras) rolled off stride in her leave attempt. Lasting Dream grabbed a breather to a :56 half but endured a blitz fro 51-1 shot Grand Reserve (Andy McCarthy) on the march to three-quarters in 1:24.4. The pair raced in lockstep through the turn while R Dutchess awaited clearance that opened spinning for home. Tetrick angled his charge to the center of the track and zipped by upon straightening for a length win over a game Lasting Dream. Grand Reserve settled for third and Voguish (Dexter Dunn) rallied from second over for fourth.
Tyler Butenschoen trains R Dutchess, a mare by Father Patrick-The Ice Dutchess, for lessees M and L of Delaware LLC and Armitage Farm. She won her ninth race from 32 starts in her career, earning $588,438, and paid $7.48 to win.
Three Times Bettor (Dexter Dunn) found her groove again following a defeat in leg two with a 1:49.4 rebound in the single KYSS dash for pacing mares. Dunn swooped from post seven to the lead through a :26.3 first quarter and held authority through a clip of :55 and 1:22.3 to cross the beam a length winner over pocket-sitter Champagne Room (Tim Tetrick). Unreasonable (Andy McCarthy) settled for third from a first-over push while Aintnothingucando (Yannick Gingras) hugged the pylons for fourth.
Brett Pelling trains Three Times Bettor, a mare by Bettor’s Delight-Three Times A Lady, for owner Thaddeus Wier. She won her fifth race from six starts this season and her 14th race from 23 starts in her career, earning $317,814. She paid $5.18 to win.
Live racing at Oak Grove resumes on Tuesday (June 15) with a 13-race card headlined by three Open events — a $33,000 Fillies and Mares Open Handicap Pace in Race 1, a $30,000 Open Handicap Trot in Race 6 and a $30,000 Open Handicap Pace in Race 10. First-race post time is 1:10 p.m. For more information, visit oakgrovegaming.com.