from Red Mile and Kentucky Sire Stakes
Lexington KY — The Red Mile hosted the first leg of the Kentucky Sires Stakes for 2-year-old pacers with two divisions of both colts and fillies racing for a purse of $30,000 and Hall of Fame trainer Jimmy Takter came to play on Saturday (Aug. 19).
The first colt division was the evening’s fourth race and Grand Teton lived up to his advance billing by steamrolling the field in the stretch for the Takter – Brett Miller combo to win going away in 1:52.4.
Away mid-pack, Miller followed up third-over with the 1-9 favorite as You Said It took the field into the final bend where Trajectory loomed up to challenge as they passed the three-quarters in 1:25.4. When shown racetrack, Grand Teton found a faster gear and was by the field in a blink. Gone Again (Tyler Smith) rallied for second and Whos Better (Don Harmon) was a good third.
The winner is a Diamond Creek homebred by first crop sire A Rocknroll Dance from their prolific producer Western Montana, making him a half sibling to the dual Dan Patch Award winner and world champion Pure Country.
Fillies came up next in the fifth and Santa Rosa converted a ground saving trip by Brett Miller (his third consecutive win), closing up the inside for the win in 1:52.4. Post time favorite Let’s Fall In Love set the fractions with token pressure from the parked out Angelou past a :56 half and 1:25.1 three panels before giving way to the closing wave. Fine Art (Tyler Smith) followed in second and Tipp City Hugh Beatty) rallied for third. Santa Rosa is a Brittany Farms homebred on both sides by Western Ideal from Art’s Vintage and was winning for the first time in her fourth try. She is also a product of the Takter barn.
Miller made it four and Takter three consecutive wins with heavy favorite Decoy lasting over the furious late rally of Key Advisor (Joe Bongiorno) in 1:52.4. Miller settled Decoy in fourth early as Key Advisor left to the top from post seven then brushed the colt up to take over as they passed the half in :55.4. A 29.4 third quarter breather under token pressure was just what Decoy needed as he opened up three quick lengths off the turn and held safe to the wire. Tiffany Marie (Dan Shetler) was third. The winner is a son of top sire Somebeachsomewhere and was a $110,000 Lexington Selected Yearling Sale purchase by Brixton Medical, RAW Equine and Joe Sbrocco.
Band Stand was a 1:51.4 winner in the final of the evening’s stakes for driver Joe Bongiorno who was making his first foray to the Bluegrass. Bongiorno pulled the filly first-over against Dance Blue who took over going to the half in an attempt to complete the KYSS sweep for the Takter/Miller duo. Band Stand gradually ground that rival into submission through a testing 1:23.2 three-quarters. Moving to a clear lead in the stretch Band Stand held safe right to the wire for the speedy record. Shakewhatmamagaveu (Tharps) was second just holding off the close of Pure Paradise and Tyler Smith. The winner is trained by Tony Alagna for owner Brad Grant who gave $40,000 for the A Rocknroll Dance filly in Lexington last fall.
Live racing resumes at The Red Mile on Sunday at 7 p.m. with the Kentucky Sires Stakes for 3-year-olds.