by Ray Cotolo, for The Red Mile

Lexington, KY — Overdraft Volo brushed past Fine Tuned Lady, who was sent off the 1-5 favorite, to pull off a 23-1 upset in the final of five divisions for the $298,000 Bluegrass Stake for 2-year-old trotting fillies on Friday (Sept. 30) at The Red Mile.

Overdraft Volo springs the upset in Grand Circuit action at The Red Mile.

Feed Your Head took the lead from Fine Tuned Lady through a :28.4 opening quarter-mile before losing it to her heading to the half-mile. Timed in :57.2, Fine Tuned Lady remained in control into the far turn, as Overdraft Volo moved first-over from fifth and charged towards the lead. She moved into second after a 1:27.4 third quarter. Fine Tuned Lady clung to command at the top of the stretch, but Overdraft Volo soon edged past and drew away to a two length victory, with Fine Tuned Lady finishing second and Feed Your Head third in 1:55.2.

Returning $49.20 to win, Overdraft Volo, by Yankee Glide out of the Tagliabue mare Bank Of Newport, won her second start from seven attempts this year, earning $47,097 for owners Pinske Stables and Kentuckiana Racing Stable. She’s trained by Julie Miller and driven by Andy Miller.

Sweeping to the top after the half, Princess Aurora held control as she trotted a 1:54.3 mile to win her Bluegrass division as the 3-5 favorite. Temple Ruins took the lead from Evelyn after a :29 opening quarter, prompting Evelyn to pull from the pocket and take the lead. Princess Aurora stalked the two from third, eventually edging first-over and rushing to the lead off a :57.2 half. Chezatter, sitting fifth for most of the mile, moved first-over around the far turn. She moved into third while Princess Aurora passed three-quarters in 1:27.2. Princess Aurora extended her lead through the stretch, finishing in front of Chezatter and Evelyn.

Marvin Katz and Al Libfeld own the filly by Cantab Hall out of the Muscles Yankee mare Vulcanize. Winning her third start in eight this season, she has earned $75,276. Trained by Jimmy Takter and driven by Yannick Gingras, she paid $3.40 to win.

“She’s out of a really top mare,” Marvin Katz said. “[Vulcanize] was a tough mare for us to get in foal, and she was the first filly we had from her, and we weren’t going to lose the opportunity of that pedigree, so we were going to keep her. She trained down with Jimmy’s, and that’s tough company training down with Jimmy’s horses. She wasn’t at the front end of the class, but he liked her, and it seems that she’s really getting better. Yannick seemed really pleased with her tonight, and Jimmy has been raving about her the last little while as well.”

“It was a bit of a rocky start,” Gingras said. “Every time I drove her, some days she’d be running out a bit and some days she’d be running in. Her gait has always been good; her issues were maybe in her mind a little bit. It was all about getting her to be one-hundred percent, and she definitely is right now.”

Princess Aurora collects her third victory from eight lifetime starts at The Red Mile.

Onda Su stalked dueling leaders before circling to the lead and coasting to a 1:55.4 victory over Myammie Drama and French Press. Future Secured led through a :28.4 first quarter-mile. Grandma’s Moni, the 6-5 favorite, was positioned fifth into the backstretch before pulling first-over at the three-eighths pole. Matching strides with Future Secured off a :57.2 half mile, Grandma’s Moni was left parked into the far turn. She began to falter as Onda Su edged outside from fourth and rushed three wide passed three-quarters in 1:25.2. Onda Su powered by Future Secured in the stretch. French Press, sitting fourth for most of the mile, fanned towards the center of the track to take second, and was soon overtaken by Myammie Drama, flying from last and cutting into Onda Su’s lead in the stretch. Onda Su, under a hand drive, was two lengths clear of Myammie Drama at the line.

Winning her third race in nine starts this season, Onda Su, by Muscle Massive out of the Andover Hall mare Upfront Ob’s Janet, has now compiled $55,981 in earnings for owners Frederick and Shirley Schwartz and Onda Racing Stable LLC. Trained by Jim Campbell and driven by Corey Callahan, she paid $11.20.

“She has run on me a couple of times and she ran on Dave (Miller) in some qualifiers,” Corey Callahan said. “You kind of just have to hold onto her. Jim (Campbell) made sure to find me in the paddock and give me some good coaching pointers, and everything worked out.”

That’s All Moni outsprinted Hillarmbro through the stretch to narrowly win her Bluegrass division in 1:54.4. Sianna Hanover moved to the lead off a :28.1 quarter-mile, with Hillarmbro sitting second and That’s All Moni third. After a :57 half, That’s All Moni initiated a first-over bid, carrying Cool Cates on her back. That’s All Moni soon met strides with Sianna Hanover at three-quarters in 1:26.3 Taking the lead midway through the stretch, That’s All Moni was soon challenged by Hillarmbro, who slid up the pylons and attempted to take the lead. That’s All Moni kept her nose in front, winning over Hillarmbro and Cool Cates.

Paying $3.60 to win, Thats All Moni, by Cantab Hall out of the Pine Chip mare Mom’s Millionaire, won her fourth race in eight starts this season, compiling $203,123 in earnings for owners Brittany Farms, Marvin Katz, and Al Libfeld. Trained by Jimmy Takter, Tim Tetrick was in the bike.

“You’ve got to be a little careful or she gets away by herself sometimes,” Tim Tetrick said. “She starts to wander, ears up, and she was really coming hard at the top of the lane; she almost wanted to over-trot herself and I had to gather her up.”

Nigel Soult photos

Thats All Moni broke the $200,000 barrier with her fourth career victory from eight trips to the post.

Treviso drafted behind pacesetter and 1-5 favorite Broadway Idole and swung out of the pocket to take the lead and draw off to a two length victory in 1:54.1. Southwind Avanti led through a :28.1 quarter-mile before losing the lead to Broadway Idole after a :57.2 half-mile. Southwind Avanti soon pulled first over, but stalled in her attempt to overtake Broadway Idole at three-quarters in 1:26. Faltering,Southwind Avanti made room for Treviso to pull out of the pocket. She was on equal terms with Broadway Idole midway through the stretch and eventually surpassed her. Effie Trinket closed to finish third.

Owned by Klis Brothers Stable and Carrie Norris, and trained and driven by Charlie Norris, Treviso, by Muscle Massive out of the Taurus Dream mare Valbonela, won her fourth race in eight tries this year, earning $112,694. She paid $10.80.

“A couple starts back Yannick (Gingras) and I got hooked up in the first turn and kind of jostled her a bit,” Charlie Norris said. “And then last week, for the (Pennsylvania Sires Stakes) final, I had no idea (why she broke). I just turned to the gate and she just started hopping up and down. Other than that, she has just been perfect all year. I was happy to see Brett (Miller) come; I didn’t want to be behind Marcus (Johansson). She’ll come back next week for the International (Stallion Stake) and if she races good again next week we’ll go to the Breeders Crown.”

Live racing resumes Saturday (Oct. 1) at The Red Mile with four divisions of the $294,000 Bluegrass Stake for 2-year-old pacing fillies and five divisions of the $330,000 Bluegrass Stake for 2-year-old pacing colts and geldings. First race post is 7:00 p.m.