KYSS action at The Red Mile

Eight $300,000 Kentucky Sire Stakes (KYSS) finals were contested on Sunday's Night of Champions at The Red Mile, the richest events of its kind in North America. From the first-event win by the 3-year-old filly trotter Dancing Filly to the victory in the finale by 2-year-old gelding pacer High Def Z Tam, the night provided several career bests as well as one major upset by 21-1 Palazzo Princess in the race for 3-year-old filly pacers.

 

Ron Pierce moved Dancing Filly to the lead from fourth just past the quarter and the daughter of Like A Prayer led the rest of the way to defeat favored B Nicki and Brad Hanners by 1 1/4 lengths. The second choice in the betting, Dancing Filly trotted her mile in 1:56.2 as she won for the fourth time in eight starts this year. Trained by Kevin Thomas and owned by Bulletproof Enterprises, Dancing Filly increased her career earnings to $399,440 with her lifetime-best effort.

 

Felicity Hall didn't disappoint as the 1-5 favorite in the KYSS final for 2-year-old filly trotters as the daughter of Like A Prayer notched her fourth straight win in as many starts with a 1:58.3 effort for driver Mike Lachance. Tala Lady and Andy Miller finished 2 3/4 lengths behind in second. The win was a career best for Felicity Hall, trained by Fred Grant and owned by Walnut Hall Ltd. She now has earnings of $185,426.

 

Jeff Smith trainees Victor's Future and Quantum Lightning finished one-two, respectively, in the KYSS final for 2-year-old colt trotters. Trace Tetrick was in the sulky behind Victor's Fuure, who got up in the final strides to edge stablemate Quantum Lightning and Brad Hanners by a head in a career-best 1:56.3. Terry and Cynthia Kinsley and James and Fred Everhart share owneship of the Valley Victor son Victor's Future, while the Kinsleys are sole owners of Quantum Lightning. The win was Victor's Future's fourth straight as he swept his KYSS legs, increasing his earnings to $173,140.

 

Sheer Desire continued his mastery of The Red Mile as he cruised to his fourth straight win this year over the clay oval as he captured the KYSS final for 3-year-old colt pacers with a 1:49.4 victory. Driven by Matt Kakaley, Sheer Desire rushed pat the leading Pierce-driven Carnivore in midstretch to go on to the 1 3/4-length victory. Sheer Desire, who shared the freshman world record of 1:49.3 with Somebeachsomewhere until lowered Saturday night by one-fifth by Sportswriter in the Metro final at Mohawk, is a gelded son of Real Desire.

 

Trained by Ron Burke and owned by Burke Racing, Randy Ringer, JJK Stables and Lawrence Karr, Sheer Desire won for the sixth time in 14 starts this year to increase his career earnings to $323,192. Trainer Burke said afterward that Sheer Desire's next start will come in a couple of weeks in the Little Brown Jug in Delaware, Ohio.

 

Dan Noble directed Up Front Prayer to a 1:56 win in the KYSS final for 3-year-old colt trotters, defeating Kibbutz Dream and Dan Shetler by 2 1/2 lengths. A gelded son of Like A Prayer, Up Front Prayer is trained by Jim Arledge Jr. for owner Ed Mullinax. The win was his fourth in 12 starts this year after going winless last year in six attempts at two, increasing his career earnings to $194,991. 

 

The 21-1 Palazzo Princess sprung the biggest surprise of the night when Aaron Merriman rallied the Paul Kennedy-trained daughter of Jate Lobell from eighth at the half and still eighth at the stretch to call to edge 20-1 Notjustaprettyface and John Campbell by a half lengths, with Shanghai Lil and Lachance third in the blanket finish. Rallying with a final quarter of :27.4, Palazzo Princess paced to a career mark of 1:51.3 with her sixth win in 14 starts this year. She increased her career earnings to $265,721 with her win for owner Paint Creek Farms of Michigan.

 

Although driver Andy Miller found himself locked in around the final turn in fourth with Ultimate Best in the KYSS final for 2-year-old filly pacers, he was able to find room and slingshot to the lead at the top of the stretch and go on to a three-length win over the Lachance-driven Best Boss in 1:52. The win was the first of her career in nine starts, which included two seconds and a third in prior KYSS action. Don Swick trains the winning daughter of Cambest for owners Robert Bende and Kimberly Swick. Her earnings ballooned to $169,200 with her maiden victory.

 

Lachance capped off the night with a 1:53.3 victory behind High Def Z Tam. The 2-5 favorite was all out to edge runner-up The Beach Boy and driver Miller by a neck. Trained by Richard Ringler and owned by Z Tam Racing and Patrick Lachance, the winning son of Real Desire posted his fourth straight win in five starts, increasing his earnings to $175,000.