Oak Grove, KY — All four Kentucky Sire Stakes spring series champions are poised to defend their titles as the second series of the year for 4-year-olds kicks off on a blockbuster Memorial Day Monday (May 26) card at Oak Grove Racing, Gaming & Hotel.
Bath Bomb, who capped a sweep in the spring series for pacing mares with a 1:49.4 championship win over Asweetbeachhere on May 11, has drawn the pole in the lone $50,000 first-round preliminary event for her division, carded as the second race on a 13-race program. Andy McCarthy retains the drive on the Lather Up-Sangaal mare, who has been installed as the 6-5 morning line favorite, for trainer Per Engblom. Asweetbeachhere, who was a narrow second to Bath Bomb in all three spring series races, is the 9-5 second choice with Todd McCarthy aboard for trainer Andrew Harris from post four in the six-mare field.
Also coming off a spring series sweep is Women Layer, who overcame post eight to post a 1:49.2 win over stablemate Lou Hill on May 11 in the male pace. A 15-time winner, the Sweet Lou-Loreenas Ruffian gelding will again be driven by Todd McCarthy for trainer Virgil Morgan Jr., and he will start from post four in the 10-horse field (race nine) as the 7-5 early favorite. Better Is Nice is the 7-2 second choice after a preliminary win and a third-place finish in the final, and retains Andy McCarthy from the pole for trainer Tony Alagna.
In the $50,000 mare trot (race four), Woman Of Passion is the 7-5 early choice over nine rivals following her 5-1/4 length, 1:53.4 win in the May 11 spring series final. Todd McCarthy will once again drive the Carter Pinske-trained daughter of Walner-Womans Will from the pole. Other top contenders include Black Velvet AS (Tony Hall, post six, 9-2) and Spy Coast (Yannick Gingras, post five, 5-1), who finished second and third, respectively, in the spring series final.
Sixteen male trotters entered for the first round of the series, requiring two eight-horse divisions, carded as races six and 10.
Defending champion Ways N Means is the 2-1 morning line favorite in the latter division, starting from post five with Andy McCarthy driving the Muscle Mass-Mariongotchocolate gelding for trainer Paula Wellwood. He will once again do battle with Bargain, who finished third in the spring final after recording a win and a second-place finish in preliminary action. Devon Tharps has been named to drive the Chapter Seven-Batoutahill gelding, who debuts for the Morgan stable, from the pole.
The card also features a $33,000 Open Trot, featuring newly minted millionaire Railee Something seeking her third consecutive win in the field of seven and Andy McCarthy taking over the lines for trainer Roger Cullipher.
First post is 1:25 p.m. (CDT). For free past performance pages and insight from track handicapper Ray Cotolo, visit the Oak Grove website.