$390,000 Bluegrass Stakes held at Red Mile

LEXINGTON, KY— A wicked tempo set by Missy Trix laid the groundwork for 1-2 favorite Date Night to lunge into the collapsing pace and power through to finish a 1:50.4 mile in the second of five harness racing divisions for the $390,000 Norman Woolworth Bluegrass 2-Year-Old Filly Trot on Saturday (Oct. 2) at The Red Mile.

Missy Trix motored from the pylon post to an open lead with Pauline Hanover settling into second and Delilah Hanover into third approaching a :27 first quarter. Date Night raced fifth as the field strung out up the backstretch to a :54 half, where driver Andy Miller made his move with Bar Hopping filly.

Date Night procured cover from Delilah Hanover into the final turn as that pair aligned second and first, respectively, to three-quarters in 1:22.4. Delilah Hanover turned for home veering from the pylons before going into a gallop and leaving Date Night alone on the lead.

Through the stretch, the Julie Miller trainee showed no signs of tiring as she slid past the beam to miss the world record for a freshman trotting filly, set in 2014 over the red clay by Mission Brief, by a fifth of a second. Ebbies Lady gave chase in second, beaten 8-3/4 lengths, while Delilah Hanover settled for third and A Perfect Helen took fourth.

With the win, Date Night remains undefeated from six starts while collecting $104,200 for owner-breeders Marvin Katz and Sam Goldband. She paid $3 to win.

DATE NIGHT REPLAY

Jiggy Jog S strolled to victory in the first division of the Norman Woolworth, stopping the clock going away in 1:52.2.

Second-choice Mon Cheval bucked and reared behind the gate when breaking stride, leaving Je Suis Si Belle to grab the lead from Jiggy Jog S to the first turn. Past the quarter in :29, Je Suis Si Belle hustled up the backstretch with the field single file behind her to a :56.4 half, where Mon Cheval caught the field and ventured overland to recoup ground to the final turn.

Mon Cheval marched closer towards the top, but began to stall as Jiggy Jog S readied to pop pocket past three-quarters in 1:25.1. With racetrack ahead off the corner, Jiggy Jog S jetted by Je Suis Si Belle and passed the line under wraps 3-1/4 lengths in front. Wallabee gave chase from third while Mrs Taylor took fourth and Mon Cheval faltered to last of the six.

Off the 3-5 favorite, Jiggy Jog S returned $3.20 to win when collecting her second victory in her seventh start. The daughter of Walner, driven by Yannick Gingras for trainer Ake Svanstedt, has accrued $106,068 in earnings for owner Jorgen Sparredal Inc.

JIGGY JOG S REPLAY

Raised By Lindy rolled to the top off the final turn and strode under wraps to a 1:52.1 victory in the third division of the Norman Woolworth.

Driver Yannick Gingras floated Raised By Lindy to race fifth off the car while Baptism took the lead to a :27.3 first quarter with Danznqueen Hanover ranging uncovered for the front. Danznqueen Hanover assumed the lead into the backstretch before Baptism circled back to the front from the pocket to a :55.4 half as Raised By Lindy flushed cover from Adore Me to the far turn.

Adore Me advanced slightly uncovered to three-quarters in 1:24.4 but raced one-pace into the stretch as Gingras gave Raised By Lindy her cue. The Domenico Cecere-trained Walner filly stormed by Baptism in the straightaway and expanded her lead with each stride as Danznqueen Hanover overtook second from Baptism, beaten 6-3/4 lengths. Adore Me held fourth.

“I didn’t know the filly. I let Brian [Sears and Joviality S] go pretty easy there at Hoosier just hoping to be second at that point,” Gingras said after the race of his first drive behind Raised By Lindy, which came in the $200,000 Kentuckiana Stakes. “The filly didn’t have a good week last week – I knew that going in. But she was super. I really liked her and I put a scare to [Joviality S] and I knew today she’d be really good. She could’ve been on the front I think and won as well, but anytime you can get a nice second-over trip we’ll take it.”

A homebred for the Lindy Farms Of Connecticut, Raised By Lindy won her third race from seven starts, earning $103,618. She paid $4.20 to win.

RAISED BY LINDY REPLAY

Palermo Hanover pulled a 39-1 shock capitalizing off the break of 1-9 favorite Misswalner Fashion to take the fourth Norman Woolworth split in 1:55.

Misswalner Fashion secured an uncontested lead to a first quarter of :30.1, which proved tepid enough to lure Eternal Lee off the pegs from third and blitz for the lead. Her acceleration up the backside proved too strong for Misswalner Fashion, who lost stride before a :57.3.

Eternal Lee steadied the tempo to the final turn as Ryder In The Sky got underway overland out of fourth. By three-quarters in 1:27.1, Ryder In The Sky rushed close to the leader but gave way as the pair from the backfield began to lift over the top. Palermo Hanover came closing quickest of all and held off Pioneer As, the longest shot on the board at 64-1, to win by 1-1/4 lengths. Eternal Lee settled for third with Cash Machine Girl taking fourth.

Returning $81.40 to win, Palermo Hanover nabbed her first victory from eight starts, earning $68,008 for trainer Noel Daley and co-owners Lenny Zelin and The Gandolfo Stables. Dexter Dunn sat behind the daughter of Father Patrick.

PALERMO HANOVER REPLAY

Lilbitalexis bolted through traffic to win the final division of the Norman Woolworth drawing away in a 1:52.4 mile.

Taking the lead through a :29.1 first quarter, Lilbitalexis found herself shuffled past a :56 half as Behindblueyes grabbed the lead before Brickhouse Babe brushed to the top into the final turn. American Beauty was left uncovered in pursuit of Brickhouse Babe to three-quarters in 1:24.4 and faltered into the stretch with the backfield fanning across the track.

Room opened with Brickhouse Babe drifting and Behindblueyes to the pylons for Lilbitalexis to charge through and to the lead in midstretch. From there, the Walner filly coasted to a 5-3/4-length victory over Brickhouse Babe. Peyton Hanover closed for third along with Bold And Beautiful for fourth.

Trained by Richard “Nifty” Norman for owners Pinske Stables and David Hoese, Lilbitalexis won her sixth race from seven starts, earning $114,300. Dexter Dunn piloted the $2.40 winner.

LILBITALEXIS REPLAY