Oak Grove, KY — The Trixton mare Yanaba pounced, sat and struck from the pocket to land a repeat win in Kentucky Sires Stakes action with a track-record 1:52 mile in the $50,000 third preliminary for 4-year-old trotting mares on a rescheduled card Tuesday afternoon (May 9) at Oak Grove Racing, Gaming & Hotel.

Driver John MacDonald motored Yanaba for the front and cleared command past a :27.1 first quarter before yielding control to odds-on favorite Eternal Lee (driven by Andy McCarthy). Eternal Lee clocked a :54.4 half and then grabbed a breather to three-quarters in 1:24 as Pioneer As (Tony Hall) marched first-over towards the final turn. Eternal Lee plugged along on the lead into the lane while MacDonald tried to feed racetrack to Yanaba. Once she had clearance, the Jack Rice trainee burst through to defeat Eternal Lee by 1-1/4 lengths. Pioneer As settled for third and Adore Me (Andy Miller) finished fourth.

Yanaba and driver John MacDonald won the third Kentucky Sires Stakes preliminary for 4-year-old trotting mares in track record fashion. Mark Herron photo.

Yanaba competes for owners Ann-Mari Daley, Jared Daley and Oleg Ivutin. She won her sixth race from 25 tries, has earned $200,475 and paid $10.42 to win. Her 1:52 mile lowers the previous track record for aged trotting mares of 1:53, set by Beltassima in July 2022.

In the $50,000 male trot, Keg Stand (Dave Palone) became the only other repeat winner when he won the third preliminary in 1:52.4.

The Nancy Takter-trained son of Bar Hopping was parked through a :27.2 first quarter and crossed to the cones towards a :55.4 half before then backing the tempo to three-quarters in 1:25. He sealed Longshot in the pocket with Just For Trix (Andy Miller) marching first-over into the final turn and staying level with the leader off the corner. Longshot shook loose but deep in the stretch, coming after Keg Stand too late and a half length shy of victory with Just For Trix third and Iwon’t Backdown As (Tony Hall) fourth.

Keg Stand collected his eighth win from 26 starts and has now earned $417,166 for owners Black Horse Racing, Christina Takter and John Fielding. He paid $3.86 to win.

A pair of Tony Alagna pupils achieved retribution in the $50,000 divisions on the pace. In the mares’ dash, Boudoir Hanover (Todd McCarthy, 1:52 winning mile; $3.28 to win) made amends at odds of 3-5 to go mostly coast-to-coast and win by a nose over a fast-charging Ainthesamewithoutu (Tony Hall). The victory was the 10th from 29 starts for the daughter of Captaintreacherous, who races for Riverview Racing LLC, Alagna Racing LLC, Caviart Farms and D. Plouffe and S. Head. Her stablemate I Did It Myway (Andy McCarthy, 1:49.2; $3.02) popped the pocket and just reached over pacesetter All Or Nothing (Dave Palone) to win in the male pace. The son of Captaintreacherous won his 14th race from 31 starts and added to an account now worth $930,903 for owners Country Club Acres Inc., Joe Sbrocco, Don Latore and Alagna and Fodera Racing.

The Tuesday undercard featured a $24,000 Open Pace won in near pillar-to-post fashion by Isitlikeitlooks (1:51.2; $10.40). The 7-year-old gelding by Tellitlikeitis grabbed the top past a :26.4 first quarter and kept his competition at his whim and all behind him through middle splits of :55.2 and 1:23.4. First-over True Blue Lindy (Todd McCarthy) flattened late to finish second, beaten three-quarters of a length, with American Dreamer (Devon Tharps) third off a pocket trip. Joe Putnam trains the 42-time winner from 141 starts who competes for owners J P Racing LLC and driver Joey Putnam.

Live racing at Oak Grove resumes Sunday (May 14) for a return to the regular Sunday-Monday rotation. Horsepeople are advised that this week only the draw schedule has shifted at Oak Grove. The entry box for both Sunday’s and Monday’s (May 15) cards will close Wednesday (May 10) at 1 p.m. (CDT).

First-race post time at Oak Grove is 3 p.m. CDT (4 p.m. EDT).