Speedy two-year-old Shakai Hanover will debut Friday for her new connections after a deal was reached recently to sell the pacing filly.
The daughter of Well Said was victorious earlier this year against the best of her group in a division of the Eternal Camnation at Mohawk Racetrack. She banked more than $168,000 for previous owners Carl Jamieson, Vira Hope Johnson and Winnipeg Racing before being privately purchased by Florida's Let It Ride Stables and Dana Parham.
Shakai Hanover will make her first start for her new connections on Friday night as The Red Mile plays host to another powerful Grand Circuit card with eight divisions of the Bluegrass Stakes. She moves from Carl Jamieson's stable to Ross Croghan and will start from Post 1 in the eighth race with Jody Jamieson retaining the mount.
Her main competition comes from Bedroomconfessions, who has has had a dreamy season thus far for Stephanie & Myron Bell’s Riverview Racing and trainer/owner Tony Alagna. The American Ideal homebred has a pair of wins, five runner-ups and $187, 733 in eight starts with her last two defeats coming at the hands of division leader JK Shesalady, who is sitting this one out. Scott Zeron is her regular driver and is listed for Friday.
The field also includes a pair of high-dollar earners from the Ron Burke barn in Kays Dragon Lady and Bettor N Better. The pacing fillies will race for a total of $287, 600 in the Crawford Farms and are evenly matched throughout the divisions.
The Walnut Hall, LTD two-year-old colt trot required five races to accommodate the 41 entries, and freshman filly pacers split three ways in the Crawford Farms.
All of the top trotting colts have been entered for the $393,000 Walnut Hall with Peter Haughton Memorial winner Centurion ATM, undefeated PASS champ Billy Flynn, William Wellwood Memorial winner Habitat, KYSS final winner Cinnabar Hall, American National winner Iron and the NYSS champ Crazy Wow sprinkled throughout the card.
Friday’s 12-race program will get underway at 7 p.m.
(with files from The Red Mile)