$600,000 in purses on the line at Oak Grove

OAK GROVE, Ky. — A total of $600,000 in purses are on the line in the second preliminary round of the Kentucky Sire Stakes series for harness racing 2- and 3-year-olds, taking place on Sunday’s (July 7) 15-race card at Oak Grove.

The opener, for 3-year-old male trotters, shapes up as a showdown between first-round winners Lindy’s Coyotito (Chapter Seven) and Crown Monarch (Father Patrick). Lindy’s Coyotito only won one of four races as a rookie, but the $170,000 son of Chapter Seven is putting it together at three, having won three of his last four races. After reaching from the pocket to win in 1:53.3 in the June 24 preliminary, he has been installed as the 2-1 morning line favorite from post three for trainer Julie Miller and driver Andy Miller.

The other first-round winner, Crown Monarch, is the 5-1 third choice after reaching narrowly from the pocket to collar Pick Pocket in 1:54.1 in his first-round split. Per Engblom has again enlisted Andy McCarthy to drive him. Pick Pocket has drawn into this field, as has five-time winner and Bunker Hill Trot runner-up Memorynimagination (Todd McCarthy), who has been made the 5-2 second choice from post eight after lifting to just miss Lindy’s Coyotito in the first round.

Race three, the first division for 3-year-old trotting fillies, likewise pits a pair of first-round winners against each other. Youhadmeathalo (Greenshoe) threw down a 1:53 lifetime-best performance on debut for trainer Dewayne Minor, and now gains the services of driver Yannick Gingras as the 7-5 favorite from post six. She will square off against Tove Palema (Walner), who carries a three-race winning streak into the event for Andy and Julie Miller. She won in 1:55 as the fours-on favorite in round one, and has been made the 2-1 second choice from post seven.

The other marquee matchup comes in race eight, for 2-year-old trotting fillies. Stacking Green (Greenshoe-Majestic Lexi) recovered from a mid-stretch break to preserve a 1:56.2 victory in round one following two winning qualifiers at Scioto Downs. The filly will again be driven by Gingras for trainer Todd Luther, and has been made the 7-5 morning line favorite from post four by virtue of her nearly one-second speed edge over Yo Tillie, who won her first-round split in 1:57.1. Owner-trainer Verlin Yoder drives the two-time winner from post six.

Other highlights on the 15-race card include the debut of $535,000 yearling Voguish, who lines up for trainer Andrew Harris in race two, for 2-year-old trotting fillies; the second career start of Skywalker Sea, who seeks to build off a 10-length first-round domination in race seven, for 2-year-old pacing fillies; and a high-powered matchup between first-round winner Arson and runners-up Dancin Champion and Courtship in race 11, a 3-year-old male pace.

The top eight point earners in all eight divisions will reconvene next Sunday (July 14) to contest their respective $100,000 Kentucky Sire Stakes finals.

Post time is 3 p.m. CDT (4 p.m. EDT). Free past-performance pages, along with analysis from track handicapper Ray Cotolo, are available at the Oak Grove website.