Oak Grove, KY — Jimdougie Armitage, a $750,000 Lexington Selected yearling, secured his spot in the eliminations to the 2027 $500,000 Oak Grove Trotting Derby by winning the $300,000 Pennsylvania Sire Stakes championship on Monday (Sept. 7) at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania.
Driven and trained by Åke Svanstedt, Jimdougie Armitage has won his last three starts for owners SRF Stable, Knutsson Trotting, Inc., Brochart Stable, Inc., and Svanstedt & Midnight Sun.
In the $300,000 Pennsylvania Sire Stakes championship for 2-year-old trotting fillies, Birr Castle, a Captain Corey filly out of the Donato Hanover mare Melania, also secured her “Win and You’re In” spot in the eliminations to the 2027 $300,000 Oak Grove Trotting Oaks. Driven by Scott Zeron and trained by Marcus Melander for owner Pheasant Hill Farm (Ed Lohmeyer), Birr Castle captured her championship in 1:53.4, equaling her own lifetime mark, while also setting a stakes record for 2-year-old trotting fillies.
The “Road to…” series was established to reward top 2-year-old trotting performances and enrich Oak Grove’s premier events. Designated Grand Circuit and Sire Stakes races serve as automatic qualifying events for the Derby and Oaks eliminations.
Road to the Oak Grove Trotting Derby (Colts)
| Date | Automatic Qualifying Race | 2026 Race Winner |
| Aug. 8 | New Jersey Sire Stakes Championship | Lifetime Dreamer |
| Aug. 29 | William Wellwood | Ocean Storm |
| Sept. 7 | Pennsylvania Sire Stakes Championship | Jimdougie Armitage |
| Sept. 12 | Ohio Sire Stakes Championship (Scarlet) | |
| Sept. 12 | New York Sire Stakes Championship | |
| Sept. 18 | Peter Haughton | |
| Sept. 20 | Kentucky Sire Stakes Championship Series | |
| Sept. 26 | Mohawk Million | |
| Oct. 9 | Indiana Sire Stakes Championship | |
| Oct. 9 | Ontario Sire Stakes Championship (Gold) | |
| Oct. 23 | Breeders Crown 2YO Trot | |
| Nov. 14 | Valley Victory |
Road to the Oak Grove Trotting Oaks (Fillies)
| Date | Automatic Qualifying Race | 2026 Race Winner |
| Aug. 8 | New Jersey Sire Stakes Championship | Wall of Fame |
| Aug. 29 | Peaceful Way | Athena’s Girl |
| Sept. 7 | Pennsylvania Sire Stakes Championship | Birr Castle |
| Sept. 12 | Ohio Sire Stakes Championship (Scarlet) | |
| Sept. 12 | New York Sire Stakes Championship | |
| Sept. 18 | Jim Doherty | |
| Sept. 20 | Kentucky Sire Stakes Championship Series | |
| Sept. 25 | Kentuckiana Stallion Management | |
| Oct. 9 | Indiana Sire Stakes Championship | |
| Oct. 9 | Ontario Sire Stakes Championship (Gold) | |
| Oct. 23 | Breeders Crown 2YO Filly Trot | |
| Nov. 14 | Goldsmith Maid |