John Berry: Random thoughts about Kentucky Futurity Day

Kentucky Futurity Day at The Red Mile was something else.

A handle of $1.2 million was their second-best day in their long history and the harness racing was exceptional with lead changes throughout the afternoon…and more lead changes…and still more lead changes.

The brilliant addition of several guaranteed pools guaranteed that the Send It In Army would be out in full force with breakage reduced to a penny, instead of the traditional dime (or, in some instances, a nickel) adding a few more dollars in the pockets of the BDHC (Broken Down Horse Club) members.

Every single one of the guaranteed pools was surpassed and the guaranteed Pick-4 guaranteed pool, which was increased for $20,000 to $40,000, brought in over $80,000 in new money making the pool with the $8,963 carryover well over $91,000!

Another plus in the “better for the bettor” department was the new angle in the show pools greatly evidenced in race 13 and, to a lesser extent in races one, two and eight.

In past years, we’ve seen huge show pools with $2.10 payouts across the board, even if the second and third place finishers were 50 to 1 or higher.

The new way benefitting the bettors evidently took the money NOT bet on the heavy favorite and divided it among the second and third place finishers.

The result meant a $34.92 show price (instead of $2.10) for the horse finishing second and $16.10 for the horse in the third spot.

Anything that benefits the bettor is positive as they are the only ones supporting the pari-mutuel industry in any way that’s not considered a crutch from other sources.

Now, on to the races…

The first race proved, again, that the only sure thing in racing is that there is NO sure thing as Eternal Lee (Southwind Frank), who likes to be in the thick of things from the get-go, zipped off the wings, glided over to the opener in :28 and, although maybe tiring a smidgen in the final stages, had enough of a lead to hold on and pay $67.58 to win—18 cents of that a gift with the penny breakage!  Andy McCarthy was in the bike keying a $260,65 exacta (for a buck!) With the 17 cents to a dollar favorite, M-M’s Dream, next in a still decent performance.

Winning trainer—Chris Ryder     Owner—Murray Ferguson, Jr.

Race two had the nearly incomparable Grave Hill (Always B Miki) winning in 1:49.3 for her sixth straight win. Doug McNair was in her sulky, completing her last half mile in :53.1. Not much else need be said but both Kobe’s Gigi and Valor Dohaeris giving brave performances in their own right, the latter closing in an awesome :25.4. You know that things are getting really tough these days when Boudoir Hanover cut the mustard, came home in :26.4, and a trio got by in deep stretch.

Winning trainer—Virgil Morgan, Jr.    Owner—Tom Hill

Race three—The “Ake” trot disguised as the Allerage Farms Open Trot, was won by Alrajah One IT (Maharajah Manu) for Dexter as he exploded with a :26.1 final panel completing a last half in :54.1 to score in 1:50.2. He’s two-for-three this year and just a “nk” away from being perfect this semester. Lifetime, the seven-year-old is 18-for-40 with bounty of $1,835,722—$655,945 in North America in just six lifetime starts. Ake Svanstedt swept the top three spots—the other two being Southwind Tyrion and Rattle My Cage.

Winning trainer—Ake Svanstedt.    Owner—Scuderia My Horse, Inc.

Race four was won by the one-to-two chalk Bythemissal (Downbytheseaside) in 1:47.4 for Yannick Gingras. In achieving eight win of the year in 12 starts, the four-year-old gelding is now 22-for-29 lifetime with career earnings of $1,695,466. That’s very amazing considering he only had one start at two—a winning one in 1:55—winning only $3,000. The win pay was, as mentioned 1:2 plus two extra cents from the new breakage! Taurasi has to be mentioned here as he was raging with pace flying home in :25.3 to finish just a length away. Taurasi paced his last half in :52.2, yes, :52.2. Surprised at so many geldings in there—five.

Winning trainer—Ron Burke.

Owner—Burke Racing, Eric Good, Rich Lombardo Racing, Weaver Bruscemi

The fifth race was, quite possibly, the best viewing race of the day as there were at least eight lead changes in the action packed 1:51.1 mile. When things were all sorted out, Speaking Volumes (Artspeak) rallied from around 11 lengths out of it early on and rallied home in :27.2 to score at odds of 80 to 1. Young Geremy Bobbitt handled the lines with the odds very surprising since the three-year-old had won three of his last four, admittedly, against softer company but showing ability to roar home un as fast as :26.4. Shakeanera, Yankee B Something, Ideal Feeling, Lookatmyrapsheet (twice), Mike’s Z Tam, Cultured and, finally, Speaking Volumes. Geremy, by the way, beat the likes of Dexter, David Miller, Tony Hall, Yannick, Andrew McCarthy, Brian Sears, Andy Miller and Scotty Z. What a moment for him!.

Winning trainer—Wayne Oke.    Owner—Little Papa, LLC

Race six was won by Prince Of Honor (Walner), out-gaming a stubborn Djimon in a photo in 1:52.1. Driven by Todd McCarthy, the even-money favorite (plus 16 cents)  rallied from mid-pack, squeaked by in deep stretch and held off Djimon as they fought to the wire. The latter was used pretty hard early, yielded for the garden spot and fought hard. Espresso kicked home fastest of all.

Winning Trainer—Carter Penske.     Owner—Pinske Stables, David Hoese

The seventh race was probably the most evenly matched race of the day by the tote-board and the filly Bravo Angel S (Readly Express) used her :27 final panel to roll by for an easy 2 1/4 length win for Tony Hall. Mid-pack in the early going, she was out and following live cover at the third station and, as the saying goes…ball game! Giving a strong hint in her last start kicking home in :26 flat, the lass won for the fourth time in 11 starts…and very handily. The favorite in the race was 3 to 1 with only one filly in double-figures on the board. The winner was fifth choice at 5 to 1 and paid $12.86 to win.

Winning trainer—Jonas Czernyson.   Owner—Census Racing Stable, Inc.

Race eight featured the grand filly Sylvia Hanover (Always B Miki). She did not disappoint.  Off at a dime to a dollar on the tote-board, she left alertly enough to find a spot in third, went first up into the final bend and used an auspicious :25.4 final quarter—which is pretty much normal for her these days—to score by a pair of lengths. She’s now 9-for-11 this year, 17-for-20 lifetime, with earnings of  $1,137,274. Her time this time was 1:49.4 with HER first half a shad over :57 meaning her last half was about :52.4. Kinda felt sorry for Always B Naught, who also closed in :25.4 to be third and I REALLY felt sorry for Charleston, who paced home in :25,4 and could only pass one filly in the lane to finish sixth. Yes, “times” are tough!

Winning trainer—Mark Steacy.   Owner—Hudson Standardbred Stable, Inc.

The ninth race was captured by the grand warhorse Workin Ona Mystery (Captaintreacherous), securing the win in an Open 1 event in 1:50.3. Now seven, Workin Ona Mystery now has 23 wins in 79 career starts, $1,184,222 in bounty and has a mark of 1:48.1 as one of his 12 sub-1:50 wins. Amazingly, he has won in under 1:50 in his year career, beginning at age two. Highlighting the mile was a :25.4 closing quarter for David Miller. Workin Ona Mystery zipped off the wings, yielded at the opening station, was shuffled a bit and fourth turning for home but showed his tenacity when it counted. Ironically, though he’s won five times this year, equaling his most wins in a year, which was as a two-year-old, he’s only banked $56,751 this semester, the lowest in his career. He paid $7.00 and two cents to win.

Winning trainer—Ron Burke.

Owner—Burke Racing, Stable., Milton Lehman, Alan Keith, Wingfield Brothers, LLC.

The Kentucky Filly Futurity—10 race—went to a deserving favorite, Mommamia Volo (Tactical Landing), who has really come into her own the past month or so. Off at 8 to 5 (and loose change) she gave a very strong hint in an early September KYSS event, missing by a neck after trotting a final panel in an amazing :25.2. In her next start, she trotted in 1:50 to win the $400,000 KYSS Final and followed that with the Bluegrass win in 1:51—25.4. Rarely on the bit leaving, she was relaxed more than a handful of lengths early on, caught some cover—not really live cover—circled around and her customary lethal sprint home got it done….handily for Todd McCarthy.

I did feel a bit sorry for Bond, who was flying once straightened away but could do no better than fifth after being closer to Frankie’s Bar and Grill than the leader early. Watch out for Bond!!! Mommamia Volo, incidentally, has banked $474,182 this year—$399,000 in the last THREE WEEKS!

Winning trainer—Carter Pinske     Owner—Kentuckiana Racing Stable, Jorgen Jahre, Jr.

The 11th race—The Tattersalls—went to Cannibal (Sweet Lou), who devoured his competition in the final stages of the mile.  Yannick Gingras handled the lines and used a :26.2 closer to strike the wire a neck over the fastest closing El Rey in 1:50 flat. Cannibal has that winning attitude with a 13-10-1-0 coming into the action and four wins in his last five starts—his only loss when he was chewed up and spit out in the SECOND heat of the Jug through a :53.3 half. Usually joining the fray from the get-go, he was fourth early on, pulled after the half and used a :53.4 final half to hold off El Rey, who has a :25.4 final panel under his girth to just miss the marbles. El Rey, by the way, is known for those ferocious final quarters and paced his final three-quarters around 1:20 and was dismissed at 27 to 1.

Cannibal paid $5.44 to his faithful. The win pushed Cannibal’s earnings to $509,680 this semester. Combustion showed solid late pace as well while Jug winner Ken Hanover had a tough first over journey and finished fourth just a length away. In the “I feel sorry for” department, Redwood Hanover paced his last quarter in :25.2 and final 3/4s in about 1:20.2 and hardly passed anyone to finish seventh. Seven Colors cut the mustard but, turning for home, maybe the Jug took its toll.

Winning Trainer—Nancy Takter.   Owner—Diamond Creek Racing

The next race—the 12th—featured Twin B Joe Fresh (Roll With Joe) and this great filly, off at seven cents to a dollar in the betting, did not disappoint. The versatile sophomore lass went back to an “old” strategy by leaving this time and engaging in a war of sorts early on before securing the lead for Dexter after the soft opening quarter in :28.1. Once on top, she just glided along through fractions of :55.4 and 1:23.3 before her “normal” sub-26 final quarter—this one :25.4—further cementing her greatness. To be fair, Strong Poison was right there the whole journey and had a :25.4 finale under her girth as well but she still was three-parts-of-a-length back.

Beach Cowgirl, starting from the outside, wasn’t used much for the first three-quarters but gave a bit of a hint with strong pace late, as well. Twin B Joe Fresh is 9-for-13 this year, 17-for 23 lifetime with earnings of $1,281,678. She paid $2.14 to win but, looking it in a more positive light, the penny breakage increased the bettor’s profit from 5% to 7%—or $40 more on a $2,000 win bet!

Winning trainer—Chris Ryder.

Owner—Chris Ryder, Dexter Dunn, Peter Trebotica, Barry Soak

Race number 13 featured one of the greatest pacers who has ever looked through a bridle—Confederate (Sweet Lou). Two other horses had been named Confederate with the last one a 1981 colt who banked $39,592 in a career stretching 61 starts with a 2:00 mark at Yonkers back in 1985. Amazing that this version of Confederate has a mark almost 70 lengths faster and coming into this race with an eight-race winning streak and earnings well over $1 million. Still, anything can happen in racing…but not this day. Off at 16 cents to a dollar, Confederate didn’t have the easiest of journeys as he was sent pacing pretty much after settling early and then was hung out to dry like wet laundry through a pair of :26.4 quarters—half in :53.3.

After taking charge, he met a challenge around the final bend but yet another :26.4 quarter down the Red Mile lane put the issue never in doubt. For Once In my Life (speaking about the horse not me) off at odds of 99 on the board (113 in reality) was second with the new show rules allowing a $34.92 show price. Hungry Angel Boy was next and paid $16.10 to show. IN the “old” days, those pays would have been $2.10. Hooray for the bettor. I guess I should mention It’s My Show, who had a second over trip but flattened out turning for home. Confederate departed the winners circle with career earnings of $1,676,129 to go along with his mark of 1:46.1.

Winning trainer—Brett Pelling.   Owner—Diamond Creek Racing.

Race 14 provided tone-board fireworks as long shots Winwood Jack (Domethatagain), Blue Riggin Girl and Allaboutthematerial, all winners in their last start, finished one-two-three and all were double digits on the odds board. The winner, driven by Andy Miller, was second longest shot on the board at 31 to 1 and paid $65.52 after winning in Ohio last week at 7 to 1 odds. The mile was clocked in 1:53.1—an Open 4 event—and keyed a $2,553.55 trifecta payout for a dollar and a $2,750.28 pay for the 20 cent superfecta. The first and third finishers were trained by Trey Brinson, a longtime patron on the Kentucky circuit. The win was also a lifetime best time for Winwood Jack.

Winning trainer—Jim Brinson.   Owner—Gilbert Mitchell,Jr.

The 15th race..The BIG ONE—The Kentucky Futurity—-$450,000 for this 131st edition. Excuse me…I just caught the ending of this race and was wondering if it might be a replay of the Hambletonian! Tactical Approach (Tactical Landing), the early leader and then getting the “Meadowlands Shuffle” and finding himself back to sixth in the middle stages but cool, calm and collected until the guidance of Scottie Z…and finding a :27.2 kick home by squeezing through along the inside to stick a head in front on the wire over French Wine, who had a clear lead near the 16th pole.

Celebrity Bambino, starting from the rail after Crown was scratched, was also victim of the “shuffle” and found himself dead last halfway through with his own :27.2 kick home less than a length away on the wire. There were so many lead changes in this Futurity that it’s amazing that track announcer Gabe Prewitt could keep up with them all. The win pushed the winner’s scorecard to 8-1-4 in 16 starts, good for $977,489. With his $38G’s from last year, Tactical Approach has just over a million dollars on earnings to go along with a mark of 1:50.1. Not that it matters, he paid $3.44 to win.

Winning trainer—Nancy Takter.

Owner—Robert LeBlanc, John Fielding, Joe Sirocco & Jaf Racing

by John Berry, for Harnesslink