by Ken Weingartner, Harness Racing Communications

Ken Weingartner

Freehold, NJ — Kentucky native Randy Jerrell is enjoying his best season as a driver and wouldn’t mind adding to the fun with a win behind Armatrading in Thursday’s International Stallion Stakes for 2-year-old female trotters at The Red Mile in Lexington.

Armatrading, trained by Ken Oscarsson, has won two of eight starts this season, including the Kentucky Sire Stakes championship for 2-year-old female trotters. Last week, she finished fourth in a division of the Bluegrass Stakes at The Red Mile.

On Thursday, Armatrading competes in the first of four International Stallion Stakes divisions. She will start from post five in an eight-filly field that includes recent Keystone Classic division winner Kelsey’s Keepsake and Bluegrass Stakes division runner-up Wiclet Hanover.

Although Armatrading is winless in three starts since her sire stakes triumph, with sixth- and third-place finishes in the Kindergarten Series in addition to the Bluegrass, Jerrell likes what he’s seen from the filly.

Nigel Soult photo

Armatrading won the Kentucky Sire Stakes championship in 2:00 over a sloppy track at The Red Mile on Aug. 31.

“She’s been improving every week,” Jerrell said. “In the Kindergarten the first week, I couldn’t get out with her. She was wanting out around that turn terrible bad and we couldn’t get a clear shot until after we straightened up. She trotted home good that night, but we didn’t get a check.

“In the next leg of the Kindergarten, she raced real good and trotted faster, and last week she trotted even faster. When I pulled her, it felt like she was going to trot right up beside the leader. Then they took off and sprinted home. But I thought she raced well and Kenny was pleased with her.”

Armatrading won the sire stakes championship in 2:00 over a sloppy track at The Red Mile on Aug. 31. In her three losses since then, she’s been timed in 1:57.1, 1:56 and 1:55.1.

Jerrell expects the International Stallion Stakes to be her last start of the year because she failed to earn enough points for the Kindergarten Series final.

Bred and owned by Mario Zuanetti’s Atlantic Trot Inc., Amatrading is a daughter of stallion Groton Hall out of the mare Silver Thatch. She is a half-sister to 2012 Kindergarten Series champion Banco Solo.

“She’s nice to drive,” Jerrell said. “She gets a little fussy in the post parade when you get ready to turn her (to the starting gate). She gets to shaking her head, but once she gets to rolling, she’s nice. You don’t ever have to worry about her. I think she’s got a lot of potential.”

A win with Armatrading would be the biggest open stakes victory of Jerrell’s career. In addition to winning this year’s sire stakes with Armatrading, he won a Kentucky Sire Stakes title with Ohmybelle in 2012.

This season, the 52-year-old Jerrell has won 56 races and a career-best $329,200 in purses. No one has won more races so far at The Red Mile this year, and he was the top driver at Bluegrass Downs for the second consecutive year. He also was a top driver on the county fair circuit.

Kentucky Sire Stakes championship night was the highlight of the season so far. In addition to winning with Armatrading, Jerrell trained 2-year-old filly pacing winner Cielle and drove third-place finisher Mama’s Home in the same division. He also drove 3-year-old colt trotter runner-up Scacco Matto for Oscarsson and 2-year-old colt trotter fourth-place finisher Joburg for trainer Bob Stewart.

“Good owners, good horses (are the key),” said Jerrell, who also has 32 wins and $217,468 as a trainer this year. “I’m very blessed.”

The second International Stallion Stakes division features world champion stakes-winner Mission Brief, who will look to rebound from going off stride in the Peaceful Way Stakes on Sept. 13 at Mohawk. Bluegrass division winner Bee The Queen and Kentuckiana Stallion Management Stakes winner Livininthefastlane lead the third division while Bluegrass winner Lilu Hanover and New York Sire Stakes championship runner-up Nunkeri are in the fourth.