Two-year-olds reach final battle at Oak Grove

Oak Grove, KY — On Sunday (July 17) Oak Grove Racing, Gaming & Hotel will host four $100,000 harness racing finals to complete the facility’s early sire stakes series for 2-year-old Kentucky-bred trotters and pacers. Wind Chime and Cant Stop Lou place their perfect records on the line in their respective trotting and pacing divisions.

Wind Chime, Una Madonna clash in filly trot

Wind Chime (Father Patrick) is the 6-5 favorite on the morning line and will have Dexter Dunn in the bike. The filly will leave from post position six in the field of eight filly trotters.

She is a half-sibling to Windy Corner (Yankee Glide, $207,576), Evening Stroll (Cantab Hall, $147,467) and Fast As The Wind (Cantab Hall, $690,524). Fast As The Wind is ranked third in Ken Warkentin’s Road to the Hambletonian poll. He was second in last year’s Breeders Crown final, recently captured the $193, 270 Goodtimes Stake and will leave from post five in the first of two divisions of the $125,000 Stanley Dancer Memorial on Saturday (July 16) at The Meadowlands.

Fast As The Wind is also trained by Tony Alagna.

Una Madonna (Tactical Landing), who is another recent addition to Alagna’s barn after an ownership change, will provide Wind Chime with some competition. Previously trained by Jason Robinson and Dominic Gladu, Una Madonna won her debut at Woodbine Mohawk Park on June 17 and captured her second start in the first leg of this series in 1:55.1 on June 26. The filly was scratched from the second leg on July 3.

Now owned by the Una Madonna Stable, the filly will begin trotting from post position three. Una Madonna will have Brian Sears holding the lines and is 2-1 on the morning line.

After a sixth-place finish in a $47,975 division of the Tompkins-Geers Stake at The Meadowlands on June 17, Hungry For Love (Stay Hungry) has reeled off two consecutive victories in the first two legs of the sire stakes series at Oak Grove in 1:54.2 and 1:53.2. The filly out of Lover Of Art hails from the Ron Burke barn and will have the services of Yannick Gingras.

Hungry For Love will begin pacing from post position eight in the field of eight. The filly is owned by Thomas and Scott Dillon and is a half sibling to Rock Me Baby (Rock N Roll Heaven, $394,523), Art Scene (American Ideal, $530,431) and Summer Charm (Bettor’s Delight, $422,238).

Hungry For Love is 5-2 on the morning line.

At 9-5 on the morning line, Calgary (Downbytheseaside-Sweetest Emotion) is receiving some support after winning the second sire stakes leg in her debut on July 3. The filly paced a :26.3 last quarter mile and hit the wire in 1:54.

Trained by Ryan Miller, Calgary will leave from post position three and will be driven by Dexter Dunn, Andrew McCarthy or Todd McCarthy.

Calgary competes as a homebred for Diamond Creek Racing. She is the second foal out of her dam who is a half-sibling to champion Captain Crunch (Captaintreacherous, $1.56 million).

Espresso (Chapter Seven – Biscotti), Yo Lucky Moni (International Moni-Unbelindyble), Whole Nother (Nuncio-Undersong) battle in colt and gelding trot

Julie and Andy Miller train and drive the 2-1 morning line choice Espresso in the third $100,000 sire stakes final for colt and gelding trotters. He scored in the first $25,000 sire stakes leg in 1:57.4 on June 26 after a second and a first in qualifying races at Gaitway Farm on June 6 and June 13.

Espresso was scratched in the second sire stakes leg on July 3 but defeated Yo Lucky Moni and Over And Back who are also in this field of field of eight.

Espresso and A. Miller will leave from post position three. The gelding is owned by Andy Miller Stable, Louis Willinger, Mortgage Boys Stable and L. Berg.

Yo Lucky Moni and owner/trainer/driver Verlin Yoder will begin trotting from post position eight and are 3-1 on the morning line. He has a record of 3-1-1-1 and enters this event off the first victory of his career in the second sire stakes leg on July 3.

Yo Lucky Moni was timed in 1:55.1 and was the second wagering choice.

Whole Nother is 9-2 on the morning line for driver Doug McNair and trainer Gregg McNair. He won his first sire stakes leg in 1:58.4 on June 26 and was second to Over And Back by a head in the second leg on July 3.

Owned by his trainer and Dean Lockhart, Whole Nother will leave from post position seven.

Cant Stop Lou (Sweet Lou-Can’t Stop Me Now) seeks to remain undefeated in colt and gelding pace final

Cant Stop Lou won his first sire stakes leg on June 26 in his career debut in 1:54.1 despite making a break in the stretch run. He returned with another adventurous trip in the second leg on July 3 and still visited the winner’s circle after a :27.4 final quarter mile.

Owned by Nancy Takter, Jaf Racing, Rojan Stables, R A W Equine and Jeffrey Bell, Cant Stop Lou is trained by Takter. He was bred by Diamond Creek Farm and is a full sibling to Fortify ($452,215).

Cant Stop Lou will leave from post position seven in the field of eight and will be steered by Gingras.

The McNairs will be represented in this contest by Day Trader (Stay Hungry-Day To Ponder). The gelding seeks the first victory of his career in his third start. He enters this race off losses to Cant Stop Lou in the first and second legs. Day Trader was second in the first leg and fifth in the second after breaking at the start.

Owned by Ian Fleming, the gelding will leave from post position eight and is 7-2 on the morning line.

Oak Grove will also host four $100,000 finals for 3-year-old trotters and pacers on July 18.

On July 19, 4-year-old Kentucky-breds will return to action with four $150,000 finals carded for trotters and pacers in the newly implemented series for that age group.

To review point standings for each series 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 the Kentucky Harness Association