The Kentucky Sires Stakes for three-year-old trotters and pacers will be raced on Thursday night (August 31) at the Red Mile.
Each of the divisions required a single $15,000 dash.
Kentucky-based owner/breeder ACL Stuteri, along with trainer Anette Lorentzon and driver Elliott Deaton, combined to win both the colt and filly divisions of Leg 1. Almondy AS handled the fillies in a new mark of 1:58.4, while Starlight AS – owned in part by Kjell Johansson – won the colt trot easily in 1:57.2 Both will return on Thursday en route to the $175,000 finals.
Hall of Famer Dave Palone will be in town for the evening and will drive the favourite in both pacing races.
In the colt and gelding division, V Power is the returning champ. He was a 1:53.3 winner with Palone aboard for the first time during Leg 1. He’ll start from outside Post 7 for his breeder/owner/trainer Donna Gilson-Eferstein.
In the filly division, Palone has picked up the favourite in Al Mar Got A Fever, who won the faster of the two Leg 1 divisions with a powerful 1:52.2 score. Al Mar Got A Fever is a high-speed filly that possesses a wicked move when called upon. She'll begin from Post 5 on Thursday for trainer Steve Carter and owners Chuck Grubbs, Neal Kresheck, Joe Whittaker and BRB Racing.
The point standings for the KYSS series thus far may be found on the Kentucky Racing Commission website. The top overall point earners will contest the $1.75 million finals on Sunday, September 17.
Thursday's Pick-4 (on Races 7-10) will open with a head-start of $4,055 in carryover cash on Thursday.
(With files from the Red Mile)