from the Kentucky Sires Stakes

Lexington, KY — The second leg of Kentucky Sires Stakes for 2-year-olds of both gaits is set for this weekend at The Red Mile. All divisions will race for $30,000, with the trotters in action on Saturday (Aug. 25) and the pacers on the track Sunday (Aug. 26). Post time both nights is 7 p.m.

On Saturday, two 10-horse fields of colts go postward in a pair of divisions. Peter Haughton Memorial winner Don’t Let’em, who broke stride in the first KYSS leg last week while racing out of a hole for Yannick Gingras, has drawn the outside post 10 in the first split (race one) with trainer Jimmy Takter in the sulky behind the son of Muscle Hill.

Also in that division is first leg winner Forecast, with the son of Cantab Hall starting from post six for driver Mike Wilder and trainer John Butenschoen.

Takter was the driver behind Super Schissel for last week’s surprise 41-1 win while taking advantage of Don’t Let’em’s miscue, and that son of Uncle Peter starts from post seven in the second colt division (race four). Also in that race is Greenshoe, the New Jersey Sires Stakes champ who is making his first start since going off-stride as the odds-on favorite in the Peter Haughton Memorial on Aug. 4 at The Meadowlands. Greenshoe starts from post nine with Wilder driving for trainer Marcus Melander.

Dexter Dunn, the New Zealand driving star who recently arrived to compete for at least several weeks in North America, will be at The Red Mile over the weekend, and on Saturday he will drive Amador in the first colt division and Reign Of Honor, who was second behind Super Schissel last weekend, in the second split.

Three divisions of fillies will again go postward but only two first leg winners have returned. Taylor Swiftly, who overcame post nine to win her division, starts from post seven in the first division (race two) with driver Dave Palone, while French Cafe, who cruised to a 5-1/4 length win in her heat, starts from post five for driver Andy Miller in the middle division (race three).

On Sunday, there are two divisions for the fillies and three divisions for the colts, with the third split (race five) landing first leg winners Blood Money and Captain Trevor, who line up side by side in posts two and three, respectively. Can’t Beach That, who won the third division last weekend, drew into the second split (race three), with his foes including Hurrikane Emperor, the New Jersey Sires Stakes champ who came roaring from ninth in the last turn to miss by a neck of catching Can’t Beach That.

Also in the race is Bettor’s Wish, a winner last time out in an Ontario Sires Stakes Gold who will be driven by New Zealander Dunn.

Just 13 filly pacers were entered so a pair of short divisions will be contested. First leg champ Beautyonthebeach goes from post four in the second division (race four) as the likely odds-on choice, with the role of favorite in the first division (race one) likely going to Edge Of Eternity, a strong runner-up in the opening KYSS round.

The 3-year-olds will race their second KYSS leg on Thursday (Aug. 30), while the 2-year-olds will be back in action for their final preliminaries on Thursday (Sept. 6) and Saturday (Sept. 8). The 3-year-olds will wrap up their prelims on Sunday (Sept. 9).

The top-10 point-earners in each of the eight divisions will return for the $2 million KYSS championships on Sunday (Sept. 16), with a special afternoon post time of 3 p.m. The eight $250,000 finals will be the centerpiece of the new Fayette County Fair, which will take place that day from noon to 6 p.m.

The fair will include food trucks, local craft breweries, bourbon tastings and an arts and crafts market. Also, several musical acts will play on two stages (one inside and one outside), with rising country star and Lexington native Walker Montgomery among the performers. The racing program will be kicked off with a horse parade of various breeds and the Harness Horse Youth Foundation will offer a hands-on equine experience.