Roaring To Go yielded for the pocket as Idyllic Beach, sent off the 1-9 favourite, commandeered control into the far turn, sitting before pulling outside into the stretch and pacing to a 1:50.4 victory in the first of four divisions for the $294,000 Bluegrass for two-year-old pacing fillies on Saturday, October 1 at The Red Mile.
Sprinting to the top heading into the first turn, Roaring To Go led through a :27.2 opening quarter, with Miss Jones sitting second and Idyllic Beach in third. Midway through the backstretch, Idyllic Beach moved first over and sprung to the lead through a :55.3 half. Jayes A Lady tipped off the pylons around the far turn, but could not reach Idyllic Beach’s wheel through a 1:24.1 third quarter.
Roaring To Go began to tip off the rail into the stretch. Slightly rough in stride, driver Brett Miller held a firm grip of her as she coasted by Idyllic Beach to win in a lifetime-best performance.
Winning her fifth race in 11 starts this year, Roaring To Go, by Art Major from the Western Ideal mare Lioness Hanover, has now earned $209,886 for owner Frank Chick. The Kevin Lare trainee returned $14.00 to win.
“Luck of the draw really wasn’t in my favour; I was hoping to miss her [Idyllic Beach],” Kevin Lare said. “She had been racing in New York Sire Stakes and she is not a half-mile track specialist at all. I knew the big track would really help her.
“I keep swearing she needs a little bit more hopple,” Lare said of Roaring To Go’s gait issues. “It’s hard to tell when you’re basing off quarters in :26-and-a-piece on a half and :25-and-a-piece on the mile tracks. We’re just trying to get through the year and we’ll play with it more next year.”
Taking the lead belatedly around the first turn, Loreenas Ruffian held off all challengers as she progressed to a 1:52 win in her Bluegrass division over a track downgraded to 'good.'
Ella Christina cleared the lead before the first turn, forcing Loreenas Ruffian, having started from post one, to pull to the outside and take the lead before the quarter. Passing the quarter in :29.1, Loreenas Ruffian maintained control as Jennys Terror, pulling outside from third, rushed first over heading to the half before losing stride after a :56.3 half-mile. She remained in front through a 1:24.4 third quarter, holding command as Someomensomewhere took second and Ella Christina raced in third.
Sent off the 2-1 second choice, Loreenas Ruffian, by McArdle out of the Ruffstuff Baker mare Shes A Ruff One, paid $6.60 to win. She won her fourth race in nine starts this year, pushing her earnings to $92,667 for trainer/driver Charlie Norris, who also co-owns along with partners Leonard Buckner and Rebecca Ewing.
Awash flew down the center of a sloppy track to win the third division of Bluegrass in 1:53.3 at 3-2.
Lady Juno led through a :29.1 opening quarter, losing the lead to Happy Hannah midway down the backstretch. Emily R Hanover, sitting restlessly in third, edged first over after a :57.2. Around the far turn, Thats The Ticket grabbed her cover as well as Awash, who was positioned third over through a 1:26 third quarter.
Emily R Hanover stalled through the stretch while Happy Hannah held onto command. That’s The Ticket moved three-wide and Awash began a rush towards the center track, soon surpassing Thats The Ticket heading to the wire. Thats The Ticket finished second, while Happy Hannah, the 4-5 favourite, finished third.
Winning her second race in nine starts this year, Awash, by Somebeachsomewhere out of the Jeremes Jet mare Apogee Hanover, has earned $128,503 for owner Bradley Grant. Trained by Tony Alagna and driven by Scott Zeron, she paid $5.00.
Fanning three-wide into the stretch off a second-over trip, World Apart stormed down the center of the track to win the final Bluegrass division in 1:53.4 over Caviart Ally and Sky Fulla Star.
Caviart Ally left for the lead into the first turn, settling for second as Sky Fulla Star pulled alongside to brush to the top heading to the quarter, timed in :28.4. Sky Fulla Star led briefly down the backstretch since Kiss Kiss, pulling first over from fourth, swept to the lead before the half, taking control in :57.
Gallic Sea moved first over into the final turn, providing cover to World Apart heading to three-quarters. Kiss Kiss held control narrowly at three-quarters in 1:26 as Gallic Sea took a short lead. Caviart Ally and Sky Fulla Star found room at the rail to pace into contention while World Apart swung off cover to take the lead. Caviart Ally attempted to sprint by her at the inside, but ended up finishing second.
World Apart, by Art Major out of the Rocknroll Hanover mare Polar Opposition, won her fourth race in nine starts this year, pushing her earnings to $100,272 this year for owners South Mountain Stables, Bay’s Stable, Little E LLC, and Radio Racing Stable. Trained by Linda Toscano and driven by Tim Tetrick, she paid $8.00 to win.
Rock The Boat Rocks The Board
Rock The Boat sprung out of the pocket to pull off an 18-1 upset in one of the five divisions of the $330,000 Bluegrass for two-year-old pacing colts and geldings on Saturday, October 1 at The Red Mile.
Sent off as the 3-5 favourite, Miso Fast pulled in front the Rock The Boat to take the lead off a :29 opening quarter. After a :57.3 half, Oh K Man edged first over, carrying Tuxedo Bay on his back, in pursuit of Miso Fast entering the far turn. He moved up into third off a 1:25.4 third quarter before faltering.
Miso Fast held control until midway through the stretch, when Rock The Boat fanned off the pylons and charged down the center of the track. Mcthriller had room at the inside, and attempted to fly to the top, but Rock The Boat held him off to win in 1:53.3.
Owned by Let It Ride Stables Inc. and Dana Parham, trained by Ross Croghan, and driven by Andy Miller, Rock The Boat, by Rock N Roll Heaven out of the Badlands Hanover mare Tug River Princess, won his second race in five starts this season, pushing his earnings to $70,551. He paid $38.20 to win.
Huntsville won his third race in a row as he was victorious in his division of the Bluegrass in 1:53 over Boogie Shuffle and Ocean Colony.
Boogie Shuffle flew to the lead, setting a :28.4 first quarter while Bettors Western paced into second, Huntsville into third, and Ocean Colony into fourth. Midway through the backstretch, Huntsville tipped first over and cleared the lead before a :58 half.
Ocean Colony was flushed first over into the far turn by Point Somewherelse and progressed up to Huntsville’s wheel by three-quarters in 1:26.2. He drifted into the stretch as Huntsville extended his lead while Boogie Shuffle chased from the pocket, angling off the cones but failing to advance on Huntsville.
Earning $260,484 for owner/trainer Ray Schnittker along with partners Ted Gewertz, Charles Iannazzo and Steven Arnold, Huntsville, by Somebeachsomewhere out of the Western Hanover mare Wild West Show, won his fourth race in seven starts this season. He was driven by Tim Tetrick and paid $3.80.
Sweeping towards the top, R J P obtained the lead at the top of the stretch and advanced to a lifetime-best of 1:51.2, winning his division of the Bluegrass at 2-1.
Windsong Napoleon circled by Odds On Delray to take the lead through a :27.4 opening quarter, soon resigning to Papiamento as he brushed to the lead before the half, timed in :55.2. Papiamento led into the far turn as R J P began his first-over rush towards the top.
Matching strides with Papiamento through a 1:24 third quarter, R J P took the lead and drew clear as Odds On Delray angled off the pylons and towards the center of the track to take second, while John Dally, having followed R J Ps cover, closed to finish third.
Owned by Dave and John Prushnok, David J. Miller and Lawrence Means, trained by Erv Miller, and driven by Marcus Miller, R J P, by Somebeachsomewhere out of the Dragons Lair mare Vysoke Tatry, won his second of nine races this year, pushing his earnings to $91,280. He paid $6.80.
Blood Line won his division of the Bluegrass going wire-to-wire as the 6-5 favourite in 1:52.1.
Blood Line led Manattack, Normandy Beach, and Western Hill through fractions of :28.3 and :56.3 before he began to extend his lead. By three-quarters in 1:25.2, he was three lengths clear of Manattack pacing in second and Normandy Beach to his outside in third. Through the stretch, Blood Line gradually drew away as Normandy Beach took second and Western Hill grabbed third.
Winning his second race in eight starts this year, Blood Line, by Somebeachsomewhere out of the Western Ideal mare Blood Diamond, has earned $102,687 for owner Diamond Creek Racing. Trained by Jimmy Takter and driven by David Miller, he paid $4.40.
Downbytheseaside took the lead midway around the first turn and remained in front to pace a 1:52 mile in his division of the Bluegrass over Eddard Hanover and Macs Jackpot.
Leading through fractions of :27.1 and :55.1, Downbytheseaside was unchallenged. Lindythefourteenth was flushed first over from sixth, having advanced towards second at three-quarters in 1:24.1. He faltered and Downbytheseaside drew off at the top of the stretch. Macs Jackpot fanned off the pylons and towards the center of the track while Eddard Hanover sprinted up the pylons to claim second.
Sent off as the 1-5 favourite, Downbytheseaside, by Somebeachsomewhere out of the Allamerican Native mare Sprig Hanover, won his fifth race in nine starts this year, lifting his earnings to $206,956 for owners Country Club Acres Inc., Joe Sbrocco and Richard Lombardo. Trained by Brian Brown and driven by David Miller, he paid $2.60.
Live racing resumes at The Red Mile on Sunday, October 2 with three divisions of the $188,200 Bluegrass for trotting fillies, two divisions of the $163,500 Bluegrass for trotting colts, two divisions of the $147,000 Bluegrass for pacing fillies, and three divisions of the $173,900 Bluegrass for pacing colts. First race post is 1 p.m.
(With files from The Red Mile)