Skywalker Sea sets Oak Grove track record in Kentucky Sire Stakes

OAK GROVE, Ky. — In just the second start of her harness racing career, Skywalker Sea (Downbytheseaside) paced the fastest mile ever for 2-year-old pacing fillies over the Oak Grove Racing, Gaming & Hotel oval in winning her division’s lone $40,000 dash of Kentucky Sire Stakes on a jam-packed Sunday (July 7) card.

Leaving from post 7, driver Yannick Gingras found a snug seat for Skywalker Sea in fourth to a :27 first quarter set by Hip Shot (driven by Scott Zeron). Gingras stayed put through a :57 half before lifting his charge into action up the backside with a first-over push after Hip Shot. Skywalker Sea seized the lead to three-quarters in 1:24.1 and strode in under a hand drive to register a 2-1/2-length win over Hip Shot in 1:52. Accede (Dexter Dunn) gave chase off a ground-saving trip in third and Karma (Andy Miller) finished fourth.

Skywalker Sea stayed unbeaten from two starts for owner Greg Luther Racing LLC and trainer Todd Luther. Her 1:52 effort lowered the previous mark for 2-year-old pacing fillies set by Calgary two years ago by three-fifths of a second. Skywalker Sea returned $2.78 for the win.

SKYWALKER SEA REPLAY

Just a single division of KYSS also went postward for the 3-year-old trotting colts and geldings and the 2-year-old pacing colts and geldings. The male sophomore trot opened the card and saw Mister Dad (Father Patrick, Dexter Dunn, 1:55 winning time; $7 to win) find a seam in the final yards off a pocket trip to grab a nose win over tempo-setting Lindy’s Coyotito (Andy Miller) and fast-closing Memorynimagination (Scott Zeron). Anette Lorentzon trains Mister Dad for owners Kentuckiana Racing Stable and Tulip Racing.

The lone KYSS split for male pacing freshmen wrapped the Sunday card and went to Lew Hauber (Sweet Lou, Dexter Dunn, 1:54; $9.56) off an enterprising pocket ride to punch up and get a neck win over hard-charging Got Bourbon (Todd McCarthy). Ron Burke trains the winning colt for owner-breeders Burke Racing Stable LLC, Weaver Bruscemi LLC and Jack Piatt II.

Freshman trotting fillies sparred in three $40,000 KYSS divisions on the Sunday card. Both Voguish (Gimpanzee, Yannick Gingras, 1:55.4; $4.36) and Yo Tillie (Tactical Landing, Verlin Yoder, 1:55.4; $8.62) tied for fastest miles of their division with different trips to boot. Voguish carved the mile as the even-money choice while Yo Tillie powered off a pocket ride to best odds-on choice Stacking Green (Yannick Gingras). Andrew Harris trains Voguish, who debuted a winner for owners William Pollock, Bruce Areman and Andrew Harris, while Verlin Yoder owns and trains Yo Tillie. The third KYSS split for 2-year-old trotting fillies went to Steve Carter trainee Divine Thing (Peter Wrenn, 1:56; $4.40) after she powered first over through the first quarter to the lead and held firm on the point to the finish.

Memento Mori (Chapter Seven, Scott Zeron, 1:56.2; $2.46) made amends for his runner-up debut and led from pillar to post to win in the faster of the two KYSS divisions for freshman trotting colts and geldings. Eric Pataln trains the gelding, who fended off a late surge from Bank On Me (Todd McCarthy) in the stretch, for owners Thestable Memento Mori and Hutchison Harness LLC. Shoe Shine Willie (Dexter Dunn, 1:57.4; $10.70) stayed flat and inherited an open lane on the turn for home to stay on the straight and narrow and win in the other division for trainer Bill Cottongim.

Arson (Captaintreacherous, Scott Zeron, 1:50.1; $6.58) converted a pocket trip to a win in the faster of the two KYSS splits for sophomore pacing males, downing tempo-setter Dancin Champion (Yannick Gingras) in the final strides to win. Eric Patalan trains the colt for owners Thestable Arson Group and Hutchison Harness. Copperfield (Marcus Miller, 1:51.2; $78.82) landed a huge upset as the longest shot on the board in the other division, collaring late-leader Swaggy Cal (Dexter Dunn) in the closing strides for the win.

Per Engblom pupil Bath Bomb (Lather Up, Yannick Gingras, 1:50.2; $3.94) circled to the lead past the quarter and motored down the road to record the faster mile of the two KYSS divisions for sophomore pacing fillies. The daughter of Lather Up, who competes for owner Morrison Racing Stables, easily waded the center-track rally from Defining Moment (Scott Zeron) to hold the win by 1-3/4 lengths. Viki Hill (Dexter Dunn, 1:52.3; $5.20) survived an uncovered bid through the first three-eighths of the mile in the other division to hold victory by a half-length over room-seeking Seeuontheotherside (Marvin Luna).

Black Velvet As (Archangel, Marvin Luna, 1:53.3; $9.36) took top honors from the three KYSS divisions for 3-year-old trotting fillies when she muscled first over to a 3-1/2-length win over pocket-sitter Local Honey (Todd McCarthy). Anette Lorentzon trains her for owner ACL Stuteri AB. Stella Volo (Dexter Dunn, 1:53.4; $5.16) and Woman Of Passion (Scott Zeron, 1:54; $2.20) later bested their rivals on the lead to win in the other divisions.

Live racing resumes at Oak Grove on Monday (July 8) with a 12-race card starting at 3 p.m. (CDT). Monday’s card will feature a carryover into the Early Pick 4, starting in Race 3, worth $849.96. Free program pages for every race day, courtesy of TrackMaster, are available on the Oak Grove Racing website.

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

From Oak Grove Racing