Four $100,000 finals of the early Sire Stakes series for two-year-old Kentucky-bred trotters and pacers were contested at Oak Grove Racing, Gaming & Hotel on Sunday, July 17.
Cant Stop Lou turned in a dominating performance 1:52.2 in the two-year-old male pace to be the only freshman to complete the sweep.
Cant Stop Lou and Yannick Gingras left from post position seven in a field of eight male two-year-old pacers. The son of Sweet Lou-Cant Stop Me Now was fifth early, paced into second by the half-mile marker and moved to the lead by the three-quarter pole. The gelding then poured it on in the stretch to maintain a perfect three-for-three record. Lindy The Brave (Dexter Dunn) was second and Lootable (John MacDonald) was third.
Bred by Diamond Creek Farm, Cant Stop Lou is owned by his trainer, Nancy Takter, and Jaf Racing, Rojan Stables, R A W Equine and Jeffrey Bell.
He paid $2.80 to win.
Calgary has now won her first two starts after taking the final for two-year-old filly pacers in 1:52.3 with Dunn holding the reins. Hungry For Love (Gingras) was second and Seaside Baby (Warren) was third.
Trained by Ryan Miller, Calgary is the second foal out of Sweetest Emotion, who earned $142,460 on the racetrack. The mare is also a half-sibling to the $1.7 million-earning son of Captaintreacherous, Captain Crunch.
Calgary races as a homebred for Diamond Creek Farm and has now earned $62,500.
The filly paid $2.80 to win.
Railee Something took advantage of early breaks by favourites Una Madonna (Brian Sears) and Wind Chime (Dunn) to score in the final for two-year-old filly trotters. Driven by Todd Warren, the daughter of International Moni-Railee Priti left from post position seven stopped the clock in 1:55.2 after taking command in the drive to the wire from Princess Caitlin (Gingras), who finished second. Boudicca (Tony Hall) was third.
Trained by Roger Cullipher, Railee Something improved her record to 5-2-1-1 and boosted her bank account to $67,306. The filly competes as a homebred for Robert Mersky.
She paid $26.20 to win.
Overkill Hall and Gingras led from gate-to-wire in 1:54.3 to collect the Sire Stakes trophy for two-year-old male trotters for trainer Dewayne Minor and owners Alan Leavitt and Hillcroft Farm. Whole Nother (Doug McNair) was second and Brodeur (Hall) was third.
Sired by International Moni, the second-leading sire of two-year-old trotters, Overkill Hall now has a record of 5-2-3-0 and has earned $66,375 in purse money.
Overkill Hall was bred by Alan Leavitt and is a half-sibling to Oney Hall, a son of Deweycheatumnhowe with career earnings totalling $471,254.
The colt paid $6.80 to win.
Las Alturas and Gingras won the lone $25,000 consolation for two-year-old trotting fillies in 1:57.1 for trainer Ron Burke. Yo Rebecca (Verlin Yoder was second and Chulada (Sears) was third.
The daughter of Tactical Landing-Bella Glos was bred by Black Horse Racing and is owned by her trainer, J&T Silva Stables, Knox Services and Joseph Di Scala Jr. Las Alturas is now 3-1-0-1 and has earned $16,750.
She paid $6.80 to win.
Early Sire Stakes action continues today when four $100,000 finals for Kentucky-bred sophomore trotters and pacers will be contested. On Tuesday (July 19), Oak Grove will host four $150,000 finals for the four-year-old series.
(With files from Kentucky Harness Association)