KYSS gets underway at The Red Mile

Freshman trotters and pacers were in action Sunday night at the historic clay oval in Lexington, squaring off in ten $15,000 divisions of the Kentucky Sire Stakes trying to earn points toward a spot in tje $2.4-million Night of Champions on Sept. 6.

 

It took all the way until the 17th race, a $15,000 KYSS division for 2-year old filly pacers, for chaos to break loose on a card heavily dominated by favorites, as Best Boss (Roger Cullipher) surged by her rivals in time to post a three-quarter-length victory in 1.53.1. The Cambest-Head Of The House filly returned $202.60 for the win, capping off a $3,376.80 exacta. Cullipher also trains and owns the blossoming filly who has now recorded two wins in three lifetime starts. 

There were also three $15,000 KYSS divisions for 2-year old colt pacers. In the first split, In Treatment (Mike Lachance), a son of Jate Lobell-Angel Park, used a first-over move just past the half to take the lead and dug in gamely down the stretch to score a half-length victory in 1:54.1.

 

The second division was won by The Beach Boy, a son of Jenna’s Beach Boy-Spicy Dumpling, who slid up the pylons as part of a perfect steer from Luke McCarthy and got up in time for a half-length win in 1:54.2. The third 2-year old colt split went to High Def Z Tam (Mike Lachance), a son of Real Desire-Caribbean. Lachance had the 2-5 favorite perfectly positioned second-over around the final turn and tipped three deep at the head of the lane, using a :27.1 final quarter to score a 1 1/4-length win.

 

Another impressive performance came in one of two KYSS divisions for 2-year old filly trotters. Nannina went straight to the front for driver Andy Miller, extending her lead out to 10 lengths by the half, and never looking back before hitting the finish line 7 3/4 lengths the best in 1:59. The daughter of Valley Victor-Nannina Ambrosio is trained by Julie Miller for Freida Ivory and Teresa Mitchell of Delaware. The 4-5 favorite was making her first local start since making a break in her Marie Annabelle elimination at the Meadowlands.

 

The other $15,000 KYSS filly trot was taken by Like A Cherry Tree in 2:00.1 with Peter Wrenn in the bike. Wrenn had the daughter of Like A Prayer-Cherry Tree Sara rushing out early and yielded for the pocket spot where she would remain until the top of the stretch, when she bolted up the inside to get up and in time for a head victory.     

Victor’s Future (Trace Tetrick), a son of Valley Victor-Baby Bella, parlayed a perfect pocket trip into a one-length victory in 1:59.3 in the second division. The third and final split went to first-time starter Jeffie T (Doug Rideout), a son of Like A Prayer-G J’s Crown. Rideout moved the gelding to the lead at the midpoint of the backstretch and continued on for a 1 3/4-length win in 2:00.3.

 

KYSS action continues on Monday night at The Red Mile with seven divisions for 3-year old trotters and pacers on the 16-race card.  First post on Monday is at 6:30 p.m. (Red Mile)