by Gabe Prewitt, publicity director, The Red Mile

Lexington, KY — Thursday night (August 21) was the last chance for Kentucky-sired 2-year-olds to earn points and punch their tickets into the $2.4 million night of champions coming up on Sunday, August 31, at The Red Mile.

There were plenty of great races on the 18-race stakes filled card, and the $50,000 third leg of the KYSS for freshman filly pacers provided perhaps the most thrilling stretch drive of the entire 2008 meet.

Nigel Soult photo

Co Ed Desire held off Shanghai Lil by a head in a time of 1:53.1.

The race started out with everyone getting away in post position alignment until Mike Lachance moved Co Ed Desire, the 3-5 favorite and undefeated Real Desire-Yankee Co-Star filly, to the top as the field of eight straightened out up the backstretch.

Lachance cleared just before the half was reached in :55.3 and began to feel the presence of main rival Shanghai Lil as they circled the final turn. Shanghai Lil is a daughter of Jenna’s Beach Boy-Wonderbolt who is trained by Pete Foley, and reinsman Peter Wrenn had the filly grinding out a first-over trip to pull dead even with the leader at the head of the lane.

The two fillies were deadlocked for nearly the entire quarter-mile stretch drive, and in the end it was Co Ed Desire benefiting from the inside trip to put a head in front on the wire in 1:53.1. The filly improved her record to a perfect five-for-five for the Fred Grant barn, and owner Scott Woogen.

Co Ed Desire has used virtually the same tactics in all of her career starts, making her way to the front end before the half-mile marker and sprinting to victory. The two fillies will no doubt be two of the heavy favorites when they meet up with eight other rivals in the $300,000 final on Sunday, August 31.

Both Mike Lachance and Ron Pierce recorded five victories on the card.

For complete KYSS results click here.

The final legs of the KYSS for 3-year-olds will be raced this upcoming Sunday, August 24, with a first post at 6:30 p.m. for the 16-race card.