by Nick Salvi for the Red Mile

Thursday’s program at The Red Mile features eight divisions of the International Stallion Stakes (INSS) for freshman pacing fillies and trotting colts for total purses in excess of $600,000.

The four $80,000 divisions of filly pacers include several winners of last week’s Bluegrass Stakes here in Lexington. Perhaps the most competitive division is carded as the ninth race.

In that division, Sweetheart winner Isabella Blue Chip faces another established star in Lady Mattgalane and a couple of good-looking fillies that are just launching their careers, Native Hanover and Little Miss Dragon.

Isabella Blue Chip (Bettor’s Delight), owned in partnership by trainer George Teague and the It’s Only Money Stable, has banked nearly $400,000 and lowered the world record for freshman pacing fillies in her last start at Delaware. Lady Mattgalane captured her division of the Eternal Camnation at Mohawk for Perretti Racing and the Horners on her way to over $140,000 thus far. Richard Norman trains the Artiscape lass.

Native Hanover (The Panderosa) and Little Miss Dragon (Dragon Again) both began their careers here at The Red Mile this fall and they have matured rapidly for trainer Noel Daley. Little Miss Dragon won her very first start in 1:53.4 and became a stakes winner by just getting up to nail Cabana Fever in her Bluegrass split. Native Hanover remains winless to date but her form indicates that won’t be the case much longer. These two share Adam Victor & Son as owner with Blue Chip Farms a partner on Native Hanover.

Four $78,000 divisions were necessary to accommodate the thirty-four trotting colts declared to the INSS. Division leader Donato Hanover returns off his powerful Bluegrass performance of last Thursday for trainer Steve Elliott. Facing a sloppy racetrack that had swallowed up several favorites already on the day, the striking Andover Hall colt overcame the bias with a three-move jaunt, leaving the competition six lengths in arrears.

A winner five times in six starts, Donato Hanover captured the rich Peter Haughton Memorial at The Meadowlands this summer in a stakes record time of 1:55 and has amassed over $400,000 for David Scharf, the Golden Touch Stable and Steve Arnold. If the weather cooperates on Thursday, we might see a little more history.

First post is 12:30 P.M.