Oak Grove, KY — The Sweet Lou gelding Women Layer kept his unbeaten record this season intact with another down-the-road performance in the lone $50,000 Kentucky Sire Stakes (KYSS) third-preliminary dash for 4-year-old pacing horses and geldings on Monday afternoon (June 16) at Oak Grove Racing, Gaming & Hotel.
Leaving from post five, driver Todd McCarthy let Women Layer gather momentum off the wings of the gate and then barreled forward to grab the lead through a :26 first quarter. Once in front, the Virgil Morgan Jr. trainee strode effortlessly through the remainder, clocking a :54.3 half and 1:22.1 three-quarters in progress to a 1:49.2 victory under wraps by 3-1/4 lengths. Lou Hill (driven by Dexter Dunn) gave chase from a pocket ride in second with Copperfield (Marcus Miller) following suit in third, another four lengths behind, with Better Is Nice (Andy McCarthy) levelling off from a first-over push in fourth.
Women Layer, undefeated from six starts this season and an 18-time winner from 27 starts, competes for owners Let It Ride Stables Inc., Douglas Overhiser, Jeff Fought Racing and Larry Wills. He’s now banked $561,079 in his career and returned $2.12 to win.
Bath Bomb (Andy McCarthy) put away her peers in the single $50,000 KYSS split for 4-year-old pacing mares with a 1:50.2 effort. McCarthy ventured forward through a :26.1 first quarter on the rim to seize the lead from Fearless Bettor (Brett MacDonald) coming for a :54.2 half. Bath Bomb then settled on the point and sped towards three-quarters in 1:21.4 to successfully bottom the well on her competition as she spun for home to an in-hand win by 2-1/2 lengths. Fearless Bettor clawed at the inside for second from Peace Talks (Dexter Dunn), who marched first up to the final turn but settled for third. Asweetbeachhere (Todd McCarthy), forced back from loads of early speed to her inside, rallied from a second-over trip for fourth.
A daughter of Lather Up trained by Per Engblom, Bath Bomb has now won six times from seven starts this season and nine times from 22 starts in her career, good for $275,360 for owner Morrison Racing Stables. She paid $3.18 to win.
Woman Of Passion (Todd McCarthy) strolled in the single $50,000 division of KYSS for 4-year-old trotting mares with a 1:52.4 effort. McCarthy circled the 1-9 chalk to the top after a :26.2 first quarter carved by Spy Coast (Yannick Gingras) and coasted through middle fractions of :55.4 and 1:24.2. She then staved a first-over challenge from Justasiam As (Marvin Luna) to the final turn and sailed to the beam a 1-1/4-length winner. Pizzelle (Andy McCarthy) kicked from a second-over trip for second with Justasiam As settling for third and Spy Coast fading to fourth.
Carter Pinske trains Woman Of Passion, a homebred daughter of Walner, for owner Al Libfeld. She won her fifth race from six starts this season and her 16th from 30 starts in her career, amassing $489,499 in the process. She paid $2.28 to win.
Ways N Means (Andy McCarthy) ground first over in the first of two $50,000 KYSS divisions for 4-year-old trotting horses and geldings, stopping the clock in 1:53.3. McCarthy bided his time from third while Ordained (Yannick Gingras) circled from the pocket to grab the lead from Bargain (Dexter Dunn) past a :27.1 first quarter. After cutting a :55.4 half, Ordained maintained his momentum up the backstretch while McCarthy gathered speed and charged forward with Ways N Means on the march to three-quarters in 1:24.3. Ways N Means slid to the front and widened his advantage through the last quarter, crossing the finish 2-1/2 lengths to the good under minimal encouragement. Mister Dad (Todd McCarthy) followed suit from second over for second while Ordained held third and Hung Over (Marvin Luna) closed from a long journey in fourth.
Paula Wellwood trains Ways N Means, a gelding by Muscle Mass, for owners Dreamville Stable and Harbor Racing Stable LLC. The gelding won his eighth race from 31 starts and has now banked $282,828. He paid $5.48 to win.
Pennteller Hanover (Brett MacDonald) capitalized on an inside draw to work to the fore and last on the lead with a 1:53.3 effort in the other $50,000 KYSS division for 4-year-old trotting horses and geldings. MacDonald circled to the helm past a :27.2 first quarter to pocket International Law (Marcus Miller) passing the stands for the first time. Pennteller Hanover cut modest middle fractions of :56.3 and 1:25 while left mostly alone on the point, though Convoy Hall (Todd McCarthy) mounted a furious charge along the rim from last and reached the leader’s wheel coming for the final turn. Convoy Hall continued pressing Pennteller Hanover all through the stretch, but the Luc Blais trainee held to the finish to post a half-length victory with International Law chasing at the pylons in third. Tom’s Muscle (Ernie Hendry) finished fourth.
A gelding by Chapter Seven competing for owner Determination, Pennteller Hanover won his sixth race from 15 starts and has now earned $87,122. He paid $5.26 to win.
The Monday undercard also featured a pair of $36,000 Open Handicap events. High Flyin’ Filly (Yannick Gingras; $29.68 to win) fired down the road to record a 1:50.2 victory in the Fillies and Mares Open Handicap Pace while Muskateer Hanover (Tony Hall; $8.48) skid up a seam at the pylons to collar pacesetter Saulsbrook Victor in the Open Handicap Pace. Ron Burke trains High Flyin’ Filly, who scored back-to-back top-class victories, for owners Burke Racing Stable LLC and Weaver Bruscemi LLC while Wayne Oke conditions Muskateer Hanover for owners Mulligan Stables and Calcutta Stable LLC.
Racing continues at Oak Grove on Tuesday (June 17) with a 13-race card headlined by a $36,000 Open Trot in Race 8. First-race post time at Oak Grove is 1:25 p.m. For free past performances and more information on Oak Grove, visit oakgrovegaming.com.