Southwind Chaska upsets in $378,000 Bluegrass division

LEXINGTON, Ky.— Jim Oscarsson pupil Southwind Chaska (Tactical Landing) revved off a pocket ride and downed 4-5 favorite Carve in the final strides for a 1:51.4 harness racing victory in the third of four divisions for the $378,000 Bluegrass 2-Year-Old Filly Trot – a division of the Norman Woolworth Memorial sponsored by the Arden Homestead Stable, LST Stable and William DeVan – on Friday (Sept. 26) at The Red Mile.

Driver Tim Tetrick sent Southwind Chaska to the fore out of post 7 and grabbed command to a :28.3 first quarter. She cruised into the backstretch while Carve (driven by Andy McCarthy) looped out of third and took over the lead as the field rolled to a :55.4 half. Carve slowed proceedings through the final turn for a breather to three-quarters in 1:25 and readied as Southwind Chaska tipped outside for the stretch drive. Southwind Chaska gradually built momentum through the lane, coming to equal terms with Carve into the final eighth, and overpowered the favorite in the last sixteenth to win by a half length. Busy Miss Lissy S (James MacDonald) closed from near last for third and Kickan (Dexter Dunn) finished fourth.

SOUTHWIND CHASKA REPLAY

“That’s perfect,” Oscarsson said of the filly’s lifetime-best performance, which shed three seconds off her mark taken at The Meadowlands in her previous start. “I hope she’ll be better and so that we break some new records. We’re going to go next week. She looks really nice.”

Oscarsson shares ownership of Southwind Chaska, a Tactical Landing-Southwind Chai filly, through his Oscarsson Racing Stable Inc. alongside partner John Cummins. She won her fifth race from seven starts – while never missing the board – and has now earned $183,625. She paid $8.64 to win.

Jailbird Jog (James MacDonald) toppled her rivals under wraps to take the first Bluegrass filly trot division – the other division of the Norman Woolworth Memorial – in a lifetime-best 1:52.2 effort.

MacDonald mustered early speed from Jailbird Jog out of post 7 but then floated wide through the first turn and methodically advanced up the rim to challenge for the lead into a :29 first quarter. Jailbird Jog drew alongside tempo-setter and 1-2 favorite Leading Lady (driven by Yannick Gingras) entering the backside and patiently inched towards the top to clear control just before a :57 half. MacDonald kept the Tactical Landing-Miss Don Fanucci S filly on the muscle through the last turn, clocking three-quarters in 1:25.1, and spurted away effortlessly from her rivals in the stretch. She strode geared down towards the finish for a 3-1/4-length win over Leading Lady while Lauren’s Chapter (Todd McCarthy) finished third from a first-over grind and Rani Hanover (David Miller) saved ground to take fourth.

“She’s amazing,” James MacDonald said after the race. “She’s been a great filly all year, just had some tough luck a couple of times. But it’s good to see her get the job done today.”

Eric Patalan trains Jailbird Jog, a three-time winner from nine starts, for owners TheStable Jailbird Jog, P23 Bloodstock and Hutchison Harness LLC. She has now earned $118,650 and paid $6.54 to win as the second choice in the betting.

JAILBIRD JOG REPLAY

Sparks (Ake Svanstedt) scored a mild upset at odds of 8-1 when punching by game 4-5 favorite Country Glide (David Miller) in the final strides for a lifetime-best 1:53.1 win in the second Bluegrass filly trot division, sponsored by the International Moni Syndicate and Hanover Shoe Farms.

Svanstedt secured the lead with Sparks moving before obliging for a pocket ride once Country Glide loomed outside through a :28.1 first quarter. Country Glide planted onto the lead and sailed up the backstretch to a :56.4 half with mild pressure approaching from first-up Next Big Think (Dexter Dunn) circling the far turn. Next Big Think marched up to Country Glide’s side passing three-quarters in 1:25.1 but trotted level for home while Country Glide fought stubbornly on the lead. Sparks built steam behind Country Glide in the lane and found room to split horses for a closing strike that she landed by a nose on the line. Country Glide settled for second while Next Big Think drifted in the stretch when finishing third and Zaheera (Andy McCarthy) closed from third over for fourth.

SPARKS REPLAY

“Ake [Svanstedt] picked these horses out and Joe [Sbrocco] was for it, so sometimes we go a little extra on the spending,” said John Fodera, who co-owns the $150,000 Harrisburg purchase through JAF Racing. “There was a ship just recently for this one, so it felt very good. We didn’t expect what we got.”

Winning her second race from six starts, Sparks has now banked $91,625 for owners Ake Svanstedt Inc., Journey Horses Inc., Grasham Grace Stables LLC and Joe Sbrocco & JAF Racing. Svanstedt trains the Walner-Sheer Energy filly who paid $19.34 to win.

Denarius (Dexter Dunn) sustained a first-over push and held firmly to the finish of a 1:53.1 mile in the final Bluegrass filly trot division, sponsored by the International Moni Syndicate and Hanover Shoe Farms.

Dunn sat steadily with Denarius in fourth while Naked And Famous (Todd McCarthy) marched up the rim to take the top from Frattina Diablo S (Andy McCarthy) past a :28.2 first quarter. Naked And Famous strolled up the backside to a :56.4 half, at which point Dunn angled outside and advanced Denarius towards the front. Denarius progressed through the turn and matched strides with Naked And Famous passing three-quarters in 1:25.3 before sliding by and seizing the lead. Lainey W (Scott Zeron) kicked off cover and laid late-stretch siege that Denarius successfully rebuffed for a three-quarter length win. Frattina Diablo S finished third while Naked And Famous tired to fourth.

DENARIUS REPLAY

“I just took my time with her,” said trainer Domenico Cecere, who didn’t debut the International Moni-Treviso filly until Aug. 1 with a 1:55.2 win in a Kindergarten division at The Meadowlands. “She showed that she was a nice filly. And it’s working out.”

Moni Maker Stable owns Denarius, a now three-time winner from four starts with $95,830 in the bank. She paid $4.20 to win.

For complete race results, click here: US Trotting results.

by Ray Cotolo, for The Red Mile