A total of 12 sophomore colts will compete in two six-horse eliminations for the $620,000 Kentucky Futurity on Sunday, Oct. 7 while 16 fillies dropped into two eight-horse eliminations for the $320,000 Kentucky Filly Futurity. These two events highlight a star-studded finale to The Red Mile's Grand Circuit meet.
Elimination one of the Kentucky gathers Crystal Fashion, who set a world record winning his Hambletonian elimination, against Tactical Landing, entering off a 1:51.1 lifetime-best performance when winning his division of the Bluegrass Stakes.
Crystal Fashion, a Jim Campbell-trained gelding by Cantab Hall, has won nine races from 13 starts this season, including the $253,000 Pennsylvania Sires Stakes championship and the 2018 Canadian Trotting Classic. Also finishing fourth in the $1,000,000 Hambletonian, the newly-minted millionaire will have Tim Tetrick in the bike from post two for owner Fashion Farms LLC.
Tactical Landing, third in the Hambletonian, starts from post six with trainer Jimmy Takter at the reins. The Muscle Hill colt has won five races from nine starts this season, including an elimination for the Hambletonian, and earned $313,600 for The Tactical Landing Stable.
Six Pack, the Ake Svanstedt-trained world champion by Muscle Mass, starts from post one in the second Futurity elimination. Owned by Ake Svanstedt inc., Little E LLC, Stall Kalmar Ff and Lars Berg, Six Pack -- as well as post-six starter Fiftydallarbill -- supplemented into the race for $63,700. Ake Svanstedt will drive the earner of nearly $900,000 as he makes his first start since winning an $86,750 division of New York Sires Stakes (NYSS) on Sept. 11.
Fiftydallarbill, trained by William Crone for owner John Barnard, finished third in the Canadian Trotting Classic two starts ago. A Breeders Crown winner at two, he’s collected 14 victories in 29 outings and approaches $700,000 in career earnings. Brett Miller gets the drive.
Mets Hall, also in the second elimination, starts from post three off a 1:51.2 victory in his Bluegrass split. Also second in the Canadian Trotting Classic and the Hambletonian, the Zweig champion has nine wins from 20 starts. Andy Miller will sit behind the Cantab Hall colt for trainer Julie Miller and owners Stroy Inc. and Andy Miller Stable Inc.
Supergirl Riley leads the first elimination for the Filly Futurity from post four with Marcus Miller driving. The Erv Miller-trained Muscle Mass filly enters on a three-race win streak, most recently taking her Bluegrass division in 1:52.2. A winner of nine races from 23 starts, she’s earned $375,763 for owners Paymaq Racing, George Golemes and Harvey Eisman.
Elimination two features a matchup between Atlanta, Plunge Blue Chip and Manchego. Atlanta, beating the boys in the Hambletonian, has since been toppled by Manchego (in the 2018 Casual Breeze) and by Phaetosive (in the 2018 Elegantimage). The Rick Zeron-trained Chapter Seven filly has won 10 races from 20 starts, earning more than $919,000 for owners Rick Zeron, Crawford Farms, Holland Racing Stable, Howard Taylor and Brad Grant. Scott Zeron will steer from post three.
Plunge Blue Chip, the fastest three-year-old trotter ever with a 1:49.4 win in the Del Miller Memorial, competes from post six with trainer Ake Svanstedt driving. A winner of 15 races from 21 starts, she enters off a seven-length victory in the $225,000 NYSS championship. She has amassed $889,791 in earnings for owners Ake Svanstedt, Blue Chip Bloodstock, Tomas Andersson and Rick Zeron Stables.
Accruing over $1.5 million on her card, Manchego enters off a three-length victory in the $172,000 Moni Maker at Hoosier Park. The Jimmy Takter-trained filly by Muscle Hill has won 19 times in 23 tries, including a 1:50 stakes-record performance in the $500,000 Hambletonian Oaks, and starts from post eight with Yannick Gingras driving for owners Black Horse Racing, John Fielding and Herb Liverman.
The top five finishers from each elimination of the filly futurity advance to the $224,000 final while the top five from each elimination for the futurity advance to the $434,000 final. The 53rd renewal of the Filly Futurity is sponsored by the Father Patrick Syndicate and Diamond Creek Farms while the 126th Kentucky Futurity is sponsored by Hunterton Farms, Stoner Manor Inc. and Menhammer Stuteri Ab.
Sophomore pacing colts compete on the program in two divisions of the $450,000 Crawford Farms Tattersalls Pace, sponsored by Al and Michelle Crawford.
Courtly Choice, off a 1:49.4 neck victory in the $436,560 Little Brown Jug final, contests millionaire Stay Hungry in the first division. The Blake MacIntosh-trained Art Major colt has 12 wins from 26 starts and is approaching the million-dollar mark in earnings. David Miller drives the Meadowlands Pace champ from post three for owners Hutt Racing Stable, Mac & Heim Stables, Daniel Plouffe and Touch Stone Farms.
A Breeders Crown winner at two, Stay Hungry starts from post five off a 1:48.2 win in his Bluegrass division. The Tony Alagna-trained Somebeachsomewhere colt has earned $1.2 million and won 12 races from 22 starts for owners Brad Grant and the Irwin Samelman Estate. Doug McNair will sit in the bike.
Adios winner and Jug runner-up Dorsoduro Hanover fronts the second Tattersalls split. The Ron Burke-trained Somebeachsomewhere gelding is nearing one-million dollars in earnings for owners Burke Racing Stable, Jerry and Theresa Silva, Purnel & Libby, Weaver Bruscemi and Wingfield Five. Matt Kakaley drives the winner of 10 races out of 29 starts from post four.
The $72,000 Libfeld & Katz Breeding Partnership Allerage Farms Mare Trot, sponsored by Marvin Katz and Al Libfeld, opens the closing-day card. Favoured in the field is Broadway Donna, fresh off a victory in the $107,000 Miss Versatility. The Jim Campbell-trained five-year-old mare by Donato Hanover has 22 wins from 43 starts and $1.4 million in earnings for owner Fashion Farms LLC. David Miller pilots from post four.
Winning 15 races from 20 starts this season, Jim King Jr. trainee Shartin N heads the $98,500 Fear The Dragon Allerage Farms Mares Pace, sponsored by Midland Acres. The Kiwi import, with 22 wins total from 33 starts and more than $850,000 on her card, has bested the pacing mare division this season including wins in the 2018 Roses Are Red, $197,400 Lady Liberty and $161,000 Artiscape Pace. Regular driver Tim Tetrick will be at the controls.
Caviart Ally, off a 1:51.2 victory in the 2018 Milton Stakes, races to Shartin N’s left flank in post four. The Noel Daley-trained Bettors Delight mare recently passed the million-dollar plateau for owner Caviart Farms and will have Andrew McCarthy driving.
Racing gets underway on closing day with first-race post time slated for 1:00 p.m. (EDT).
(with files from The Red Mile)