Thinking Out Loud, Bolt The Duer in KYSS splits

Thinking Out Loud, winner of the $1.5 million North America Cup, and Bolt The Duer, winner of the $500,000 Adios, have drawn into separate $15,000 divisions of the first leg of Kentucky Sire Stakes (KYSS) for 3-year-old colt pacers on Thursday night, Aug. 23, at The Red Mile. Also on the card are pairs of $15,000 KYSS divisions for 3-year-old filly pacers, 3-year-old colt trotters and 3-year-old filly trotters.

 

Both Thinking Out Loud and Bolt The Duer are sons of Ponder. Thinking Out Loud will start from post four in the first KYSS division for the sophomore colt pacers, scheduled as the 2nd race, with Randy Waples driving for trainer Bob McIntosh. Bolt The Duer will leave from post six in the second division, carded as the 5th race, for driver Mark MacDonald and trainer Pete Foley.

 

Thinking Out Loud has four wins in 10 starts this year, with earnings of $841,190 for Robert McIntosh Stables, CSX Stables and Al McIntosh Holdings Inc. His last win came on June 10 when he captured the North America Cup at Mohawk in a career-best 1:47.4. He finished fifth in the Adios final on July 28 in his last start coming into Thursday's KYSS contest. Thinking Out Loud tuned up for the race with a 14-length qualifying romp in 1:53.2 on Aug. 17 at Mohawk.

 

Bolt The Duer has not started since winning the Adios final at the Meadows in 1:47.4, the fastest mile ever on a five-eighths mile oval. Overall, he has an 8-3-3-0 slate in 2012 with earnings of $435,843 for the Como family's All Star Racing. Bolt The Duer is the reigning 2011 KYSS champion and is also a half brother to Shanghai Lil and Blue Claw, who won KYSS finals in 2008.

 

The 3 year olds will be back in KYSS action on Saturday, Sept. 1, with the $250,000 finals for 2 and 3 year olds going postward on Sunday, Sept. 9.