Kentucky-bred Series comes to a head

Oak Grove, KY — On Tuesday (July 19) 4-year-old Kentucky-bred trotters and pacers will compete in four $150,000 harness racing finals at Oak Grove Racing, Gaming & Hotel. After four series legs have been conducted, Blue Diamond Eyes (Captaintreacherous -Aria Hanover), Kildare King (Trixton-Exclusivity), Goldie’s Legacy (Always A Virgin) and Beltassima (Trixton-Beltane Hanover) have emerged to take control of their divisions. All are favored to continue that form in their respective finals.

Blue Diamond Eyes will attempt to capture her fifth consecutive race, all in this series, in the first $150,000 final for 4-year-old pacing mares. The mare will have the services of Yannick Gingras and is assigned post position four in the field of five. Trained by Ron Burke, Blue Diamond Eyes is the 4-5 favorite in the first race on the card and paced a track-record 1:49.1 in the first leg.

Owned by Thomas and Scott Dillon, the mare has banked $1.25 million with a record of 39-15-7-5. Blue Diamond Eyes is a Kentucky and Pennsylvania champion.

In the second race and second final, Kildare King is the 6-5 favorite on the morning line in the contest for male trotters. He will begin his mile from post position five in the field of five with Gingras at the controls for trainer Chris Beaver.

The gelding seeks his fourth consecutive victory over this oval and has won the last three legs after finishing second in the first.

Kildare King races as a homebred for Robert Goodman. He sports a record of 32-9-4-3 and has amassed $187,725 in purse money

Kentucky champion Goldie’s Legacy is the even-money morning line favorite in the third race which is the final for male pacers. Gingras will be in the bike when the pair leave from post position two in the field of five.

He was sixth in the second leg of this series but won the first, third and fourth legs. Trained by Jeff Cullipher, Goldie’s Legacy is owned by his trainer and Pollack Racing.

The gelding has earned $464,910 and has a record of 47-16-4-2.

New Jersey champion Beltassima is the 4-5 favorite in the fourth race and last series final of the day. The mare seeks to remain perfect this season. She is trained by Tony Alagna and will be drive by Andrew McCarthy for owner Crawford Farms.

Beltassima has dominated her division at Oak Grove this season and possesses a record of 25-11-4-2. She has $422,947 in the bank.

To review entries for the full card please click here.

Racing at Oak Grove is conducted on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday with a post time of 3 p.m. CST. For more information on Kentucky’s Standardbred programs and updated point standings for sire stakes and other series events, please click here.

by Kimberly French, for Kentucky Harness Association