Special Way heads $80,000 trot at Red Mile

Lexington, KY — On Monday (Aug. 28) The Red Mile will host one $80,000 third round leg of the Kentucky Championship series, one $30,000 third round leg of the Kentucky Commonwealth series and three $15,000 third round legs of the Golden Rod series for freshman filly harness racing trotters. Special Way (Walner-Special Hill) seeks the second win of her career and her second in this series in the sole Championship division.

Special Way leaves from post position six in the field of eight in the eighth race on the card. The filly will be steered by her conditioner, Ake Svanstedt, and is 3-1 on the morning line.

Special Way enters this event after breaking her maiden in her third attempt in the second round of this series on Aug. 15. She stopped the clock in 1:52.2 with Life Itself (Mathias Melander) in second and favored Mambacita (David Miller) in third. Both fillies are also in this field.

Special Way began her career with a fourth-place finish in a $20,000 first round leg of the Kindergarten series at The Meadowlands on July 15. She was then second in a $17,500 race for 2-year-old filly trotters over the same oval on July 29.

In last week’s action, Special Way began trotting from post position nine and was placed in third immediately after the start. She moved into second after the half-mile went in :54.4 where she remained as Mambacita clicked off three-quarters in 1:24.3. Svanstedt gave his charge her cue in the stretch drive. The filly then held off the closing charge of Life Itself while passing the leader.

Special Way’s dam, Special Will, is a daughter of Honor Thy Daughter and a half-sibling to Special Honor (Father Patrick, $290,638) and a full sibling to Beautiful Game (Muscle Hill, $295,451). Honor Thy Daughter is out of 2008 Dan Patch Award winner and world champion Honorable Daughter. Honor Thy Daughter is a full sibling to To Honor And Serve (Donato Hanover, $441,320) and a half sibling to Honor Above All (Muscles Yankee, $178,783) and Worthy Of Honor (Cantab Hall, $190,313).

Special Way competes as a homebred for Brittany Farms, Marvin Katz and Al Libfield. The filly has earned $35,992 and has a record of 3-1-1-0.

Svanstedt has a second entry in this contest in Life Itself (Walner–Inspired By Life). The filly will be steered by Tim Tetrick and will leave from post position four. She is 7-2 on the morning line and has a record of 4-1-1-0.

Life Itself broke her maiden in her third attempt on Aug. 2 at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono but was a strong second behind her stablemate in the second round of this series.

Owned by Santandrea Inc., the filly was bred by Al Libfield and Marvin Katz. She was a $55,000 Lexington Selected Yearling Sale purchase last year and she has earned $29,000.

Mambacita (Tactical Landing-Bill’s Lady) will begin trotting from post position eight and will be driven by Miller. The Tony Alagna trainee is 5-2 on the morning line and has a record of 5-2-2-1. The filly broke her maiden at first asking on June 30 in a $30,000 first round leg of the New Jersey Sire Stakes and followed it up with another victory on July 15 in a $20,000 first leg of the Kindergarten series.

Mambacita was then second in the $240,000 New Jersey Sire Stakes final on July 22 to Walner Payton who is also in this field. She followed that performance with a second in the $355,000 Jim Doherty Memorial final on Aug. 6.

Bred by Crawford Farms, Mambacita is owned by Alagna Racing, Crawford Farms Racing and Pryde Stable. The filly is the first foal out of her dam, and she was a $80,000 Lexington Selected Yearling Sale purchase last year.

Mambacita has bankrolled $178,912 in her brief career.

The Red Mile will also offer a $10,000 guaranteed Pick-4 (races six through nine) in conjunction with the U.S. Trotting Association’s Strategic Wagering program.

Sire stakes action continues Tuesday with third round action for sophomore pacing fillies.

First post at is 1 p.m. EDT.

For Monday race entries, click here.

by Kimberly French, for the Red Mile