Higher And Higher sets season's mark in ISS

Higher And Higher scored a national season's best 1:51.2 victory in the first of three divisions of the $313,000 International Stallion Stake for 2-year-old filly pacers Wednesday afternoon at The Red Mile. Driven by Dave Palone, Higher And Higher routed her competition with a 10-length score as she lowered the previous 2009 standard for first-year filly pacers shared by Native Doll and Put On A Show by two-fifths of a second.

 

Palone settled in fourth with the 1-2 favored Higher And Higher as Ron Pierce sent One Last Kiss fast to the lead from post one. Shortly after the opening quarter was reached in :26.4 Palone sent Higher And Higher to the outside and to the lead. Higher And Higher led through fractions of :55.1 and 1:23.1 as she began to pull away from the field. Pacing a final quarter of :28.1, Higher And Higher coasted to the wire well in front of runner-up Ticket To Rock and driver John Campbell, with Artcam third for Tim Tetrick.

 

"I wanted to stretch her out today before the Breeders Crown," Palone said afterward. "I think she may be fresher than the other fillies; she's very versatile."

 

A daughter of Western Terror, Higher And Higher is out of the Cambest mare Pro Bowl Best, she a full sister to Pro Bono Best, the winner of the $661,800 Metro Pace in 2000. Higher And Higher is now two for two since moving into the barn of Tracy Brainard late last month, with Wednesday's win her fourth overall in six starts, along with a second-place finish in the $745,476 She's A Great Lady final last month at Mohawk. Her earnings now stand at $327,619 for breeder-owner Bulletproof Enterprises.

 

Put On A Show remained unbeaten in seven career starts with a 1:53 effort in the second ISS division. Driven by Jody Jamieson, Put On A Show rallied down the stretch to edge past the Mike Lachance-driven You See LA for the victory, with Skinny Dip and Campbell third.

 

Jamieson got away fifth at the start with Put On A Show, and sat in that spot through an opening quarter of :28.4 and half in :57. Jamieson sent his filly to the outside, eventually moving three wide around the final turn. Put On A Show did just that in the lane as she paced home in :27.3 for the win.

 

"When I saw the half in :57.2 I was a little concerned, but when you have horse like Put On A Show you have confidence," said Jamieson in the winner's circle.

 

Trained by Chris Ryder and owned by Richard Young and Craig Henderson, Put On A Show, whose biggest win of the year came in the She's A Great Lady final, increased her earnings to 573,629. A daughter of Rocknroll Hanover, Put On A Show is a half sister to recent Jugette winner Showherthemoney.

 

Tim Tetrick moved Casino Nights first-over around the final turn and the brown filly rolled on to a 1:52.3 victory in the third ISS division. Ultimate Best finished second for Andy Miller, with Siri Hanover and Pierce taking show honors.

 

The win was the fourth of the year in eight starts for the daughter of Western Ideal, and comes on the heels of a third-place finish in a Bluegrass division at The Red Mile where she had the lead in midstretch but had to settle for third. Tetrick said afterward the filly tried to pull herself up in the stretch last week, but trainer Noel Daley added earplugs this week to help her chances.

 

"She was easing up (in the stretch) and waiting for somebody. She was just taking care of herself," said Tetrick. "I think she could have gone more today."

 

Casino Night increased her earnings to $225,982 with her career-best effort on Wednesday for owner Terry Brooks' Vae LLC.