Special Way makes “another great memory” in $354,000 Bluegrass Stakes

LEXINGTON, KY— Ake Svanstedt pupil Special Way (Walner) defended her Kentucky Championship crown on the high stage to decimate her competition in the third of three harness racing divisions for the $354,000 Norman Woolworth Memorial Bluegrass Stakes, for freshman trotting fillies, on Friday afternoon (Sept. 30) at The Red Mile.

Sent the 1-2 favorite, Svanstedt secured the point with Special Way from the pylon post to a :28.3 first quarter with Una Madonna tracking closely in second. Past a :57 half, Special Way continued unphased and unchallenged as Warrawee Yes sprung a three-wide bid to land first over on the rim around the final turn but stalled going to three-quarters in 1:25.

Walner Payton circumvented that cover coming off the corner and gave pursuit to Special Way into the stretch as she strode to a 2-1/4-length victory in 1:52. Secret Volo closed for third and Royal Filly finished fourth.

“It’s thrilling for us to have fillies like this, but particularly to share it with George [Segal] and Al [Libfeld] – the three of us love the sport and are heavily involved in it, but to be here in Lexington and enjoy the experience… it’s hard to describe,” said Marvin Katz, co-owner and breeder of Special Way. “It’s great to develop a line like that, which we have over a period of years, and it’s very rewarding.”

George Segal, of Brittany Farms, then said “This is another [great memory]. Maybe the best trotting filly I’ve ever owned.”

SPECIAL WAY REPLAY

Special Way is a homebred for Brittany Farms, Katz and Libfeld. She won her fifth race in a row and of her career from seven starts and has now earned $384,975. She paid $3 to win.

Railee Something (International Moni) scored a 16-1 upset in the opening division of the Norman Woolworth Memorial.

Driver David Miller floated Railee Something to the front toward a :29.1 first quarter but soon sat the pocket behind odds-on choice Fashion Annie up the backstretch. That pair coasted to a :57.3 half as the tempo continued to quicken into the turn. Heart On Fire attempted to gain first over into the final turn but floundered through three-quarters in 1:26 before making a hasty retreat in the stretch.

Meanwhile, Fashion Annie had one main threat on her back and soon at her side when the fresh legs of Railee Something drew to equal terms in the sixteenth pole. The tempo-setter gave into the pressure, and Railee Something strode home a length winner in 1:53.2. Emira Mil It finished third and Kayleigh S closed for fourth.

“We thought she deserved the shot,” owner-breeder Ron Mersky said after the race of trying Railee Something, runner-up in the Kentucky Commonwealth final, on the Grand Circuit. “[Trainer] Chris [Ryder] has done a wonderful job with her. We actually have her eligible for the Breeders Crown and next week’s race, but one at a time. We’ll assess it after this one.”

RAILEE SOMETHING REPLAY

Railee Something has won six times in 11 starts and earned $196,306. She returned $34.60 to win.

Mambacita (Tactical Landing) rebounded in her Norman Woolworth Memorial division off a fourth-place finish in the Kentucky Championship final with a 1:53.2 win.

Life Itself led to the quarter in :28.4 but yielded command to Mambacita as driver Dave Miller circled from the pocket to the point up the backside. She continued to roll through a :57.2 half and to three-quarters in 1:26 with Life Itself in tow and waiting to pounce. Though once Life Itself took her shot at the leader, Mambacita responded to urging and scooted away to a three-length victory. Pure Hope S gave chase off a pylon trip in third and Pride N Joy closed for fourth.

“She really has been a model of consistency throughout the year,” trainer Tony Alagna said after the race. “She started early [in the] New Jersey Sires [Stakes], and our plan was always to bring her down here. She went good through the Sires Stakes, got a little bit of a break, qualified her back, went to the [Kentucky Championship] final and then today she was probably as good as she’s been all year. I told Dave it looked like she’s back to her old self.”

Winning her third race from eight starts, Mambacita has now pocketed $276,312 for owners Alagna Racing LLC, Crawford Farms Racing and Pryde Stables Inc. She paid $5.04 to win.

MAMBACITA REPLAY

Each division of the Norman Woolworth Memorial Bluegrass Stakes was sponsored in partnership by Arden Homestead Stable, E.T. Gerry and Peter Gerry, Margareta Wallenius-Kleberg, Stoner Manor Inc., Menhammer Stuteri Ab, Jorgen Jahre Jr., LST Stables, Lawrence DeVan and William DeVan.

Racing resumes at The Red Mile on Saturday (Oct. 1) with a 13-race card highlighted by eight Bluegrass Stakes:

• Sophomore pacing colts and geldings in two divisions of the $178,000 Captaintreacherous Bluegrass Stakes
• Sophomore trotting colts and geldings in two divisions of the $237,000 Greenshoe Bluegrass Stakes
• Sophomore pacing fillies in a single dash of the $150,000 Papi Rob Hanover Bluegrass Stakes
• Sophomore trotting fillies in three divisions of the $242,300 Bar Hopping Bluegrass Stakes

First race post time is 1:00 pm (EDT).

For complete race results, click here.

by Ray Cotolo, for The Red Mile