Trainer Annette Lorentzon scores grand slam

OAK GROVE, KY — Harness racing trainer Anette Lorentzon dominated the nine-race card at Oak Grove Racing, Gaming & Hotel on Monday (July 3) with four wins on the day, including a harness racing victory in the $35,000 Tom Shehan Memorial Open Trot by Pioneer As in 1:53.4.

In the feature, Pioneer As (Devious Man), driven by John MacDonald, floated away sixth while Stride The Hill (Kevin Wallis) secured the lead through a :26.4 first quarter. It’s A Herbie (Verlin Yoder) settled into third, but was soon forced to pull first up as Pioneer As loomed nearer along the rim to a :56.2 half.

It’s A Herbie laid aim on Stride The Hill up the backstretch and stayed alongside through three-quarters in 1:24.1. Stride The Hill held his ground at the inside turning for home while Pioneer As sprung three wide and gathered his momentum with Heath Bar (Matt Krueger) barreling down the center of the course. Pioneer As grabbed the lead in the last eighth and kept a half a length in front of fast-closing Heath Bar at the line with Stride The Hill third and Bluebird Deacon (Atlee Bender) fourth.

Pioneer As won her eighth race from 36 starts and has now earned $288,678 for owner-breeder ACL Stuteri AB. She paid $6.82 to win.

Lorentzon opened the day with a pair of wins to sweep the early daily double. Thewalloflove As (1:57.4 winning mile; $5.50 to win) and Lucifers Legend A (1:54; $2.40) went coast to coast in the first two races. And then to bookend the card, Lorentzon won in near coast-to-coast fashion with Wewillrockyou As (1:54.1; $8.60).

Conditioner Erv Miller, currently sitting atop the training leaderboard, also had a big day with three wins including a 1:55.1 win by Big Christian (Swan For All, $4.78) in the $22,500 Open 2 Trot. Big Christian, off the 6-5 favorite, grabbed the lead from post 7 through a :28.1 first quarter and repelled the first-over push of 7-5 DG’s Caviar (Joey Putnam) through middle fractions of :57.4 and 1:27 to win by a length. Anthony Lombardi owns the seven-time winner from 17 starts with now $75,502 in his coffers. Atlee Bender drove Big Christian to victory.

Miller’s hat trick on the day started with a win by Frankie Frankie (1:51.4; $7.20) and was completed with a win by She’s A Lady (1:54.2; $4.76).

Racing resumes at Oak Grove on Tuesday (July 4) with a stakes extravaganza. Eight $100,000 Kentucky Sire Stakes finals will go to post for each sex and gait of Standardbred on the 11-race card. The card also features a $2,002.98 carryover in the Super High 5 (in Race 5) and a $1,103.82 carryover in the Late Pick 5 (starting in Race 6). First-race post time at Oak Grove is 3 p.m CDT (4 p.m. EDT).

For complete race results, click here.

From Oak Grove Racing