Chapter Seven filly wins $301,550 Kentucky Filly Futurity

LEXINGTON, Ky.— Driver Todd McCarthy (Chapter Seven) hustled R Melina forward, refused to relinquish the lead despite swift fractions and successfully bottomed the well on her harness racing peers to claim the $301,550 59^th Kentucky Filly Futurity – sponsored by Crawford Farms – in a 1:50.1 mile on Sunday (Oct. 6) at The Red Mile.

R Melina built speed off the wings and protected an outside lane in a five-filly skirmish through the first turn. Miss I La (driven by Joe Bongiorno) got to the lead but R Melina swooped forward and took over control after a :26.4 first quarter with Warrawee Michelle (Ake Svanstedt) tracking her move before getting caught uncovered on the rim.

Warrawee Michelle pressed forward up the backside while R Melina held her ground to the cones to keep her rival parked through a half clocked in :53.2, at which point Warrawee Michelle hit the ropes and began a retreat.

Buy A Round (Andy McCarthy) swung three wide from third over with Date Night Hanover (Dexter Dunn) catching her tow to get around her tiring cover while R Melina stayed on the muscle through the final turn. By three-quarters in 1:22, R Melina engaged with Buy A Round into the stretch and turned away her rival with ease.

Date Night Hanover also levelled off from her parked mile, leaving Miss I La the closest but non-threatening pursuer in second. R Melina stayed straight and strong through the heat of battle to clench gold in a lifetime-best 1:50.1, finishing three lengths better than Miss I La.

R MELINA REPLAY

Sambuca Hanover (David Miller) emerged from a ground-saving trip for third and Buy A Round faded to fourth.

“Today came down to draw,” Todd McCarthy said after the race.

“I thought we had a good post, and if I could get her out of there and keep her handy enough early… I kind of didn’t have a gameplan going into it, I just knew that’s what I wanted to do. When it shook out, I had a look down the back there and there was a bit of a line behind Ake [Svanstedt], and I figured at that point it was best to hold up and take our chances on [the] front. It’s a credit to Johnny [Butenschoen] – he’s just had this filly spot on all season. We had a couple of unlucky posts with her, but today everything worked out.

“We got to the front in the Hambo Oaks, in the Elegantimage and we got roughed up. She didn’t really get roughed up getting there today,” trainer John Butenschoen said. “She got some fast fractions, but Toddy kept her alive and she’s just a tough gritty little thing. I mean, she just tries.”

A filly by Chapter Seven, R Melina won her eighth race from 14 starts this season and her 15^th from 26 starts in her career, good for $1,012,612 for owners M&L of Delaware LLC and Alabama Harness Associates LLC. She paid $12 to win.

In the $25,000 Kentucky Filly Futurity Consolation, Spy Coast (Yannick Gingras) circled to the lead after the quarter and rolled home a 3-1/4-length winner as the 9/5 favorite to clock a 1:50.3 mile. Ron Burke trains the Walner filly for owners Burke Racing Stable, Weaver Bruscemi, Phillip Collura and Elizabeth Jones. She paid $5.96 to win.

For complete race results, click here: US Trotting Results

by Ray Cotolo, for The Red Mile