Kentucky Sire Stakes champions crowned at Red Mile
September 16, 2018,from the Kentucky Sire Stakes
Lexington, KY — The combination of the $2 million Kentucky Sires Stakes (KYSS) Super day and the inaugural Fayette County Fair brought out a large crowd to Red Mile on Sunday afternoon (Sept. 16). While several music acts performed on two stages, including rising star and Lexington native Walker Montgomery, eight $250,000 KYSS finals highlighted the 10-race card that also included a pair of $50,000 consolation events.
The revamped KYSS program was in full evidence on Sunday as seven different stallions were represented in the winner’s circle, with the only two-time winning sire being Yankee Glide, who was just retired from active stud duty at the age of 24 by the Lexington-based Kentuckiana Farms.
The first KYSS final was for 2-year-old male trotters and it appeared odds-on favorite Don’t Let’em, who earlier this year won the Peter Haughton Memorial at Meadowlands, was on his way to victory as the field of 10 came out of the last turn. But Don’t Let’em suddenly went on a break, which paved the way for the two-hole sitting Forecast to take advantage and score a 1:53.4 victory. Shake N Bake (Tim Tetrick finished a length behind in second and just ahead of show finisher Reign Of Honor (Dexter Dunn).
Corey Callahan was in the sulky for trainer John Butenschoen behind Forecast, who won for the fifth time in nine starts while posting a career best. A $70,000 yearling purchase and owned by Bill Wiswell, Jean Goehlen and Eugene Schick, Forecast now has career earnings of $186,650. The son of Cantab Hall was bred by Diamond Creek Farm.
Callahan and Butenschoen teamed up for a second KYSS champion with the 3-year-old filly trotter Nixie Volo, who redeemed herself after making a break in last year’s final. Leaving from post eight, Nixie Volo was parked the entire mile but was still able to hold onto the lead she finally secured in deep stretch to win in a career-best 1:51.1. Pat Matters (Jimmy Takter) was a head back in second, with Live Laugh Love (David Miller) third.
A daughter of Yankee Glide, Nixie Volo was a $22,000 yearling purchase and now owned by Kentuckiana Racing Stable, VIP Internet Stable, 83 Racing and the University of Kentucky football team’s offensive coordinator Eddie Gran. With her fourth win of the year Nixie Volo boosted her seasonal earnings to $215,486 and career total to $286,786. She was bred by Jorgen Jahre Jr.
Beautyonthebeach swept her way through the trio of 2-year-old filly pace preliminaries and had no problems in the final as she cruised to a 1:51 victory. Doug McNair was in the sulky as Beautyonthebeach quarter-pole moved to the front where she led the rest of the way to win by two lengths over Margret Hill (Miller) with Summer Charm (Matt Kakaley) third.
Trained by Gregg McNair, Beautyonthebeach is a Jim Avritt Sr.-homebred daughter of Somebeachsomewhere out of the standout mare Precocious Beauty. The was her fifth in eight starts and equaled her career mark set in the second KYSS leg. Her earnings now stand at $181,343.
Whispering Oaks sprung a 16-1 upset in the KYSS final for 2-year-old filly trotters. Driven by Yannick Gingras, Whispering Oaks left fast from post eight, but after taking the lead soon yielded to heavy favorite Taylor Swiftly. That odds-on choice held the lead turning for home but in deep stretch gave way to Whispering Oaks, who crossed the wire in 1:54. Ma Was Right (Dunn) was able to get up for second late, just ahead of Taylor Swiftly (Scott Zeron).
A daughter of Father Patrick, Whispering Oaks was a $100,000 yearling purchase of Brixton Medical, Herb Liverman and RAW Equine. Trained by Jimmy Takter, the win was Whispering Oaks’ third of the year and came after three consecutive second-place finishes in the KYSS prelims. Her career-best effort increased her earnings to $124,574. Whispering Oaks was bred by Al Libfeld, Marvin Katz and Sam Goldband.
Nigel Soult photos
Eurobond lowered his lifetime mark by two seconds when he defeated Hambletonian elimination winner Tactical Landing.
While the remnants of Hurricane Florence slowly made their way into the Bluegrass on Sunday, it was Hurrikane Emperor who captured the KYSS final for 2-year-old male trotters. Already the winner of the New Jersey Sires Stakes final, Hurrikane Emperor became a two-state champion with a 1:49.3 victory for driver Daniel Dube and trainer Joh McDermott Jr.
Hurrikane Emperor led at every call to best the pocket-sitting Blood Money (Gingras) by a head, with favorite Captain Trevor (Andy McCarthy) third.
A son of Hurrikane Kingcole, Hurrikane Emperor was bred and is owned by Jonathan Klee Racing, Kuhen Racing, Pegasis Investment Group and Lind Racing Stable. The win was his sixth in eight starts, bringing her earnings to $214,400.
The $250,000 KYSS final for 3-year-old filly pacers went to favorite Dance Blue and driver Andy McCarthy in 1:51.1. Defending divisional champ Band Stand (Doug McNair), who went off at odds of 68-1 on the toteboard, finished a neck behind in second, with Cabowabocuttie (Zeron) third.
Winless last year at two, Dance Blue won for the sixth time in 12 starts this year, bringing her career earnings to $241,880. A $50,000 yearling purchase from breeders Steve Stewart and Julie and Charles “Cotton” Nash, the daughter of Rock N Roll Heaven is owned by Katz, Goldband and Goran Anderberg
Eurobond outgamed Tactical Landing in the stretch to capture the KYSS final for 3-year-old male trotters. With Wolfgang (Gingras) on the lead and Tactical Landing and trainer-driver Takter first-over, driver David Miller waited patiently along the inside. In deep stretch Miller found room with Eurobond and he was able to urge his charge to the wire a head in front of Tactical Landing in 1:51.3. Classichap (Callahan) rallied for third as Wolfang tired to fourth.
A son of French stallion Love You, Eurobond is owned by breeder Lindy Farms of Conn. In partnership with Robert Rudolph. The win was just his second in a dozen starts this year and lowered his previous mark by more than two seconds. Domenico Cecere trains Eurobond, who increased his earnings to $152,900.
The rich program was capped off by a 1:48.1 victory by American History in the KYSS final for 3-year-old male pacers. Driven by Gingras for trainer Tony Alagna, American History used a final quarter of :26.1 to get past leader Thinkbig Dreambig (Jordan Stratton) in deep stretch to win by one length. Grant Teton (McCarthy) was third.
A son of American Ideal, American History was a $150,000 yearling purchase and now owned by breeder Brittany Farms, Marvin Katz and American History Racing. The win was the seventh of the year for American History, who earlier this year posted a 1:47 victory at the Meadowlands. The effort boosted American History’s earnings to $472,285.
Two $50,000 KYSS consolations opened up the card. The 2-year-old filly trot consolation went to Mother Teresa in 1:55.2 for driver Zeron and trainer Cecere. The daughter of Father Patrick is a homebred of KR Breeding. The consolation for freshman male pacers went to Waterway, who won in 1:50.1 for driver Brett Miller and trainer Alagna. The daughter of Captaintreacherous was bred by Brittany Farms and is owned by Alagna & Begley Stable, Santo Barbera, David Silverman and Joseph Barbera.
Three KYSS consolations were held on Saturday night. Supergirl Riley (Muscle Mass) won the 3-year-old filly trot in 1:54.3 for driver Marcus Miller, trainer Erv Miller and owners Paymaq Racing, George Golemes and Harvey Eisman; Amico Mio Bi (Donato Hanover) won the 2-year-old male trot in 1:55.4 for trainer-driver Brian Connor, who shares ownership with Janice Connor, Arden Homestead Stable and Caroline Gerry; and Cruise (Sweet Lou) won the 2-year-old male pace in 1:52.4 for driver Christian Lind, trainer Brian Brown and owner Emerald Highlands Farm.