Ladies battle in $233,600 Bluegrass

LEXINGTON, KY — Harness racing trainer Nancy Takter’s pupil Altar took the top before the half and gradually stepped away from her rivals as she rolled under wraps to a 1:50.3 victory in the first of three divisions for the $223,600 Bar Hopping Bluegrass 3-Year-Old Filly Trot on Sunday (Oct. 3) at The Red Mile.

You Ato Dream cleared command past a :27.3 first quarter but soon yielded the lead as Altar advanced wide out of fourth for the lead before a :55.2 half. Once on the point, Altar cruised into the final turn towards three-quarters in 1:23.2 and opened four lengths on the field spinning for home, expanding that margin through the stretch to 7-3/4 lengths at the beam over You Ato Dream. Pub Crawl gave chase from third with May Karp finishing fourth.

Winning her fifth race from nine starts this season and her seventh from 15 overall, Altar has banked $206,873 for owner Diamond Creek Racing. Dexter Dunn piloted the Muscle Hill filly who paid $3.60 to win.

ALTAR REPLAY

Herculisa crossed to the front up the backside and held firm to the finish to take the second division of the Bar Hopping in 1:53.1.

Off the 3-5 favorite, Herculisa settled into fourth from the pylon post while Beautiful Game grabbed the lead from post 8 to a :28.1 first quarter. Avenir vacated pocket to the backside to take over the lead before Herculisa came rolling to the outside and became the new leader to a :56.2 half.

Anoka Hanover raced first over to the final turn and gained ground to reach Herculisa’s wheel to three-quarters in 1:25.2 with Contested Hanover in tow second over. Herculisa kicked for home and widened her lead to the finish to win by 3-1/4 lengths over Contested Hanover, who snagged second in the final strides from Anoka Hanover. Beautiful Game scooted up the pylons for fourth.

Trained by Virgil Morgan Jr. for owner Jesmeral Stable, Herculisa won her seventh race from 10 starts this season and her 12^th from 16 overall, earning $439,595. Brett Miller piloted the daughter of My MVP who paid $3.40 to win.

HERCULISA REPLAY

Amazone Duharas gave way to Eazy Pass late in the mile, but a final-yard loss in stride by Eazy Pass placed Amazone Duharas as the winner of the final Bar Hopping division.

Leaving from post 9, Amazone Duharas dashed for the front and landed at the pegs after a :28.1 first quarter with Darlene Hanover sitting second. Splash Blue Chip flushed first over from fifth up the backstretch, carrying Piper Hanover and Aunt Irene into contention approaching a :56.3 half. The first-over challenger continued to press Amazone Duharas into the final turn and by three-quarters in 1:25.2 before starting to falter and forcing the backfield wide.

Fillies scattered the course through the straightaway attempting to make gains on the leaders. Amazone Duharas still held sway despite drifting off the cones coming into the final eighth, but a path formed for Eazy Pass to weave through traffic and shoot toward the lead late.

She passed the beam a half-length in front of Amazone Duharas, but lost stride briefly before the end of the mile prompting her disqualification to second for a lapped-on break at the finish. Darlene Hanover took third while Aunt Irene rallied off cover for fourth. With the disqualification, the mile was timed in 1:53.3.

A homebred for Haras De L Estrie Inc., Amazone Duharas won her fourth race from 13 starts, earning $130,912. Denis Gueriel trains the daughter of Muscle Hill who had Yannick Gingras in the sulky and paid $7.80 to win.

AMAZONE DUHARAS REPLAY

Each division of the Bar Hopping Bluegrass 3-Year-Old Filly Trot was sponsored by the Bar Hopping Syndicate and Hanover Shoe Farm.

Racing resumes at The Red Mile on Friday (Oct. 8) with the International Stallion Stakes for freshmen trotting colts and freshmen pacing fillies on tap. First-race post time is 1 p.m. (EDT).

For full results, click here.

by Ray Cotolo, for the Red Mile