by Ray Cotolo, for Red Mile

Lexington, KY — Manchego won her ninth start in a row, taking the fifth of five divisions of the $330,000 Norman Woolworth Memorial Bluegrass 2-year-old filly trot, sponsored by Arden Homestead Stable, E.T. Gerry & Peter Gerry, Margareta Wallenius, Kleberg, Stoner Manor Inc., Menhammer Stuteri Ab, Continental Stables, Jorgen Jahre Jr., and LST Stables, on Friday (Sept. 29) at Red Mile.

Sent off the 1-9 favorite, Manchego sat third through a :30.1 opening quarter before brushing to the top approaching the half, timed in :59.3. Pressured to three quarters by Ciao Dolce, who pulled first-over moving around the turn, Manchego soon drew away from the field off a 1:29.2 clip to win by seven lengths in 1:56.1 over Ciao Dolce and Southwind Angelica.

Manchego remains a perfect nine-for-nine in her career.

Amassing $534,948 in earnings, Manchego, by Muscle Hill from the Cantab Hall mare Secret Magic, competes for the interests of Black Horse Racing, John Fielding, and Herb Liverman. Trained by Jimmy Takter and driven by Yannick Gingras, she paid $2.10 to win.

Sevenbuyeleven moved first over around the final turn to take the first division of the Bluegrass in 1:55.1

Getting away third, Sevenbuyeleven sat off a :28.3 quarter set by White Cheetah, who yielded for the pocket as odds-on favorite Front Circle challenged for the front by the half in :58. Corey Callahan tipped Sevenbuyeleven wide moving into the turn, matching strides with Front Circle at three-quarters in 1:27.3 before taking the lead into the stretch, advancing 2-1/2 lengths clear of White Cheetah finishing second, with Front Circle back in third.

Nigel Soult photos

Seven Karat earns her second victory at Red Mile.

By Chapter Seven out of the Muscles Yankee mare Muscleini, Sevenbuyseven won her second race in seven starts, earning $59,267 for owner Kenneth Jacobs. Trained by Linda Toscano, she paid $12.80 to win in a lifetime-best effort.

Seven Karats remained on stride, reclaiming control approaching the wire to take the second Bluegrass division in 1:56.3.

Driver Scott Zeron positioned Seven Karats in the pocket behind pacesetter Nixie Volo, who put up fractions of :28.4 and :58.2 on an uncontested lead. Mooshka Stride, the 6-5 favorite, sat third as Dashanay moved first over, supplying cover to Sherrys Lady. Nixie Volo lost stride midway around the turn, with Dashanay soon going on a gallop, forcing Sherrys Lady three-wide around the turn. Seven Karats inherited the lead at three-quarters in 1:28.4 with Sherrys Lady alongside in second.

Sherrys Lady took a narrow advantage in the stretch as Seven Karats, rough-gaited, dropped back to the inside. Into the sixteenth pole, Seven Karats retook the lead, finishing a neck in front of Sherrys Lady, with Mooshka Stride chasing in third.

Owned by Kenneth Jacobs and trained by Linda Toscano, Seven Karats, by Chapter Seven from the Deweycheatumnhowe mare Blue Diamonds, won his second race in nine starts, earning $59,905. She paid $14.60 to win.

Top Expectations won the third division of the Bluegrass in a near wire-to-wire performance, winning in 1:56.1.

Unchallenged through fractions of :29.3 and :59.3, Top Expectations was soon challenged by Lily Stride, moving wide from third around the turn, taking a narrow lead at three-quarters in 1:28.2. Top Expectations emerged on top in the stretch, kicking clear to a 1-1/4 length victory with Lily Stride second, and Asa Ready To Glide, off a second-over trip, closing for third.

By Cantab Hall from the Kadabra mare Exceed Expectation, Top Expectations, paying $6.80 to win, won her third race in nine starts this season, collecting $201,378 for owner Daniel Plouffe. She is trained by Erv Miller and was driven by Marcus Miller.

Going off the 3-5 favorite, Seviyorum swept to a 4-1/2 length victory, taking her Bluegrass split in 1:56.2.

Sitting fourth as Wish I Was There parked to take the front through a :29.4 opening quarter, Seviyorum sat at the rail as Swing It Cathy contested for the front, leading at the half in 1:00.1. Andy Miller tipped the Julie Miller trainee first over entering the turn, rushing up to match strides with Swing It Cathy at three-quarters in 1:29.3 before sliding two lengths clear into the stretch and expanding her lead to the line. Swing It Cathy finished second, with Sarabi As, from second over, taking third.

Paying $3.20 to win, Seviyorum, by Donato Hanover from the Self Possessed mare Armbro Domino, won her third race in seven starts, earning $101,509 for owners Stroy Inc. and Andy Miller Stables Inc.

Grand Circuit racing at Red Mile continues Saturday (Sept. 30) with three divisions of the $262,700 Artspeak Bluegrass 2-year-old filly pace, presented by the Artspeak Syndicate and Hanover Shoe Farms, and four divisions of the $302,000 Western Ideal Bluegrass Stakes, sponsored by Hanover Shoe Farms and Brittany Farms.

First-race post for the Saturday program is 7 p.m. EDT.