Track record set in $150,000 finals

Oak Grove, KY — On Tuesday (July 19) Oak Grove Racing, Gaming & Hotel hosted four $150,000 finals for 4-year-old Kentucky-bred harness racing trotters and pacers.

Blue Diamond Eyes (Captaintreacherous-Aria Hanover) lowered her own track standard to 1:48.3, breaking the previous record of 1:49.1 for 4-year-old pacing mares she set in the first leg of this series on June 7 while Beltassima (Trixton-Beltane Hanover) remains undefeated this year after capturing her final for trotting mares in 1:53.4. Kildare King (Trixton-Exclusivity) and Komodo Beach (Somebeachsomewhere-Imagine Dragon) scored in 1:51.2 and 1:50 in their respective divisions for male pacers and trotters.

Blue Diamond Eyes and Yannick Gingras were content to settle in fourth after leaving from post position four. with Classicist (Andrew McCarthy) clicking off fractions of ::25.2 and :54.2. Prior to approaching the three-quarter pole, Gingras gave the mare her cue. The Kentucky champion assumed control with a :26.2 quarter mile and then paced home in :27.3. Classicist was second and Single Girl (Randy Jerrell) was third.

Trained by Ron Burke, Blue Diamond Eyes collected her fifth consecutive victory and improved her record to 40-16-7-5. The mare has now earned $1.32 million.

Blue Diamond Eyes was bred by Brittany Farms and is owned by Thomas and Scott Dillon. She paid $2.20 to win.

Kildare King provided Gingras with his second series final victory when he stopped the clock in 1:51.2 in the event for male trotters. in third for the first-quarter mile, Kildare King trotted to the lead at the half-mile pole and withstood the late charge of Flemsteen (Joey Putnam) to complete the exacta for trainer Chris Beaver. Jula Muscle Pack (A. McCarthy) was third.

Kildare King’s record now stands at 33-10-4-3 and he has now amassed $262,725 for owner/breeder Robert Goodman.

The gelding paid $2.40 to win.

After a costly break at the gate by Kentucky champion and favorite Goldie’s Legacy, Komodo Beach and A. McCarthy went gate-to-wire in 1:50.2 in the final for male pacers. Mad Man Hill (Todd Warren) was second and Caviart Lotus (Tony Hall) was third.

Trained by Noel Daley, Komodo Beach sports of a resume of 36-11-10-5 and has earned $370,390 in purse money. He was bred by Lindy Farms and is owned by Morrison Racing Stables.

The gelding paid $6 to win.

Beltassima has still not tasted defeat in 2022. The mare was immediately placed on the lead by A. McCarthy and never relinquieshed her advantage in the final for trotting mares. Awesome Trix (Tony Hall) was second and Highly Acclaimed (Dan Shetler) was third.

Trained by Tony Alagna, Beltassima’s record is 26-12-4-2. She has won five races to begin her 4-year-old campaign and has banked $497,927.

Beltassima is owned by Crawford Famrs and was bred by D Farms. She paid $2.10 to win.

Racing at Oak Grove is conducted Sunday, Monday and Tuesday with a post time of 3 p.m. CST.

For complete race results, click here.

by Kimberly French, for the Kentucky Harness Associatiton