from Red Mile
Lexington, KY — The Kentucky Sires Stakes for 2-year-old trotters return for leg three, the last of the preliminary races, with 24 fillies and 19 colts set to go on Thursday evening (Sept. 7) at Red Mile.
Ladies first, they split evenly into three eight filly divisions and are carded as races 2, 3 and 4.
Lily Stride skipped leg one, dominated her rivals in the second leg and returns to start from the rail as the 6-5 morning line choice in the middle division on Thursday. The gifted daughter of Muscle Hill from Sterling Volo cost her Australian owners Emilio and Maria Rosati the hefty sum of $220,000 at the Lexington Selected Yearling Sale last fall and has already shown a considerable return on investment.
A winner thrice in five tries to go along with a second in her elimination race, then third in the final of the prestigious Jim Doherty Memorial, Lily Stride has earned back nearly $90,000 thus far. She set a personal speed record of 1:55.2 in her effortless KYSS leg two score. Mark Harder trains and Jeff Gregory is back in town for the drive on Thursday.
The colts split into a pair of divisions and the seventh race came up loaded. No fewer than four previous KYSS leg winners along with impressive Indiana invader All On Black all drew into that split.
Hat Trick Habit and Wolfgang (Jimmy Takter) are among the very best of this lot and have drawn into the same division every time with the upcoming third leg serving as their personal rubber match.
Hat Trick Habit sat a tight pocket to Wolfgang for Dave Palone and edged past that stubborn rival on the wire after a stretch-long fight for the 1:55.2 win on behalf of owner Fred Monteleone and trainer Frank Antonacci.
Wolfgang has the fastest time of the series thus far via his 1:54.2 opening leg victory for driver/trainer Jimmy Takter. He’s fast and consistent and will be in play again on Thursday for owners Brixton Medical, Goran Falk, Hatfield Stable and Fair Island Farm.
Both Cordoba Hall and Haveitalltogether also have a KYSS win on their resume and will contest the issue in that seventh race as well.
The rookie pacers race the last leg of their KYSS prelims on Saturday as they jockey for a spot on the gate in the $250,000 finals for each on Sept. 17.
The current point standings may be viewed on the KYSS website.
Post time on Thursday is 7 p.m.