Trotting colts and pacing fillies will race for nearly a half million dollars in purses in the Grand Circuit International Stallion Stakes on Friday at The Red Mile.
Outburst returns to the scene of his world record effort of last week in Friday's fourth race. The Explosive Matter gelding set the fastest mark of any male freshman trotter in the sport's history when he converted a perfect Ron Pierce drive into a narrow 1:53.1 win in the Bluegrass stakes. He faces a slightly less accomplished group of seven in this quest to double up for trainer Noel Daley who owns him in partnership with Adam Victor & Son Stable and Mira Bogucki. Pierce is listed to drive from post four.
Odds On Amethyst spins right back after a dominant four length 1:54.2 romp in the Bluegrass. He's a Muscle Hill first-cropper from the great Mystical Sunshine and he had the look of a contender last week. Tim Tetrick has the drive (and quite possibly the warm-up call) again for trainer Robin Schadt and Dana Parham's Odds On Racing in the third race.
The final division (Race 8) holds great promise, with a couple of lightly raced but royally bred colts.
E L Titan is a Muscle Hill from Courtney Lobell and he's been brought along carefully by trainer / driver Riina Rekila. Among his just three starts is an impressive second to division star Father Patrick (who sits this one out) in the Champlain stakes. Erkki Laakkonen bred and retains ownership of this top prospect.
Also in the field is Muscleprinctonian, Jules Siegel's homebred result of pairing his 2009 Hambletonian Oaks winning mare, Broadway Schooner with 2009 Hambo winner Muscle Hill. He looked great in his Meadowlands qualifiers and had a few lackluster starts in New Jersey Sire Stakes competition before trainer Jim Campbell gave the colt some time off. He qualified very nicely in 1:56.3 for John Campbell here last week.
The pacing fillies are carded in races five, six and ten with the best saved for last. Division leader Precocious Beauty hooks up with Uffizi Hanover, who won her Bluegrass division from an impossible spot last week.
Precocious Beauty (Art Major) has a five race winning streak including the season's top dollar race to this point, the She's A Great Lady and won her Bluegrass split in 1:51 last Friday. She sports a pair of 1:50.2 wins and over $400,000 on the year for breeder/owner Jim Avritt and trainer (father) Gregg McNair and driver (son) Doug McNair.
Uffizi Hanover had lost a few photos before breaking her maiden in the Bluegrass, coming from tenth and last at the three quarters call blasting home in 26.1 to win in 1:50.3 for Dave Miller. She is by first crop sire Well Said and is indicative of the late season bloom by his get. Jimmy Takter trains her for Al Libfeld, Marvin Katz and Sam Goldband.
Post time is 1:00 pm on Friday and through the meet's end on Sunday.
(The Red Mile)