Woman Of Passion slays Date Night Hanover in KYSS

Woman Of Passion (Walner-Womans Will, Todd McCarthy) terminated Date Night Hanover’s (Dexter Dunn) three race-winning streak in Lexington by subduing that rival in 1:50.1 in the $80,000 fourth leg of the Kentucky Sire Stakes Championship Series for 3-year-old pacing fillies.

Leaving from post position four in the field of seven, the filly entered the pocket spot immediately after the wings of the gate unfolded. Allegiant (Scott Zeron) went to the front and clicked off fractions of :28.1, :55.3 and 1:23.1. Date Night Hanover resided in fourth place for the first three splits of the mile.

As the fillies turned for home, Woman Of Passion strode past a tiring Allegiant to take control. Date Night Hanover came with her pace, but Woman Of Passion had plenty to give. The filly hit the wire with a :26.3 final panel, while Date Night Hanover’s :26.2 final quarter mile just came up a bit short.

Spy Coast (Gingras) was third at odds of 28-1.

WOMAN OF PASSION REPLAY

Conditioned by Carter Pinske, Woman Of Passion was bred by Marvin Katz and Al Libfeld. She is owned by Libfeld and is the fourth foal out of the prolific Womans Will, who amassed $602,991 on the racetrack.

Woman Of Passion only had a maiden victory in nine starts as a 2-year-old but has stepped it up in her second season of competition. Her 2024 record is 10-7-1-1 and she has earned $183,998.

The filly paid $25.32 to win at the windows.

Better Is Nice returns to the winner’s circle in Championship Series

Kentucky champion Better Is Nice (Bettor’s Delight-Thatsoveryverynice, Andrew McCarthy) withstood the late charge of favored Women Layer (T. McCarthy) to take the $80,000 fourth leg of the Kentucky Sire Stakes Championship Series for sophomore male pacers. Nuclear (Dunn) rounded out the trifecta.

In a contest that saw multiple lead changes and horses vying for the top spot, Better Is Nice commenced pacing from post position four and remained in that position after the starter car left the field of nine to their own devices.

Longshot Steely Knife (Gingras) shot to the lead and paced in :27 for the mile’s first fraction. Women Layer was the garden spot for the first quarter and until the half-mile pole, but Dancin Champion, who won the last leg of this series, and D. Miller had their own plans.

That duo carved out the second fraction of :54 prior to Better Is Nice pulling then rolling to the lead. Women Layer was shuffled into fourth as Better Is Nice paced a :27.1 third quarter mile and a :27.2 final panel to stop the clock in 1:48.3.

The time was new lifetime best for the colt.

BETTER IS NICE REPLAY

Better Is Nice upped his bankroll to $724,183 and had his picture taken after a fourth and second in the last two legs of this series.

Trained by Tony Alagna, who also co-bred and owns the colt, Better Is Nice has a slate of 23-10-4-4.

Better Is Nice is also owned by Pryde Stables and Birnam Wood Farms. Marvin Katz is co-breeder and the son of the talented Thatsoveryverynice exchanged hands for $30,000 at 2022 Lexington Selected Yearling Sale.

Better Is Nice paid $18.44 to win as the fourth choice.

Drawing Rights draws off in Commonwealth Series

First leg victor Drawing Rights (International Moni-Charity Hall, Dunn) equaled her lifetime mark of 1:52.3 in the $30,000 fourth leg of the Kentucky Commonwealth Series for 2-year-old trotting filles. The filly was the fourth choice in a field of nine. Favored House Of Music (A. McCarthy) was second and Stubborn Chee (D. Miller) was third.

Drawing Rights, who captured the first leg of this series, is now 11-4-2-1 and has earned $60,048 in purse money.

Murray Ferguson bred and owns the filly who is a half-sibling to Eternal Lee (Southwind Frank, $568,472).

Drawing Rights paid $15.22 to win.

DRAWING RIGHTS REPLAY

Andy Miller guided five winners on the 17-race card.

Racing continues at The Red Mile on Tuesday (Sept. 3) with a first post of 1 p.m.

To receive free program pages to handicap the track with the lowest takeout in the sport visit redmileky.com.

For complete race results, click here: US Trotting results.

by Kimberly French, for The Red Mile