Country icon Trace Adkins finds Kentucky Downs a hit
Trace Adkins visited Kentucky Downs for the first time on Labor Day. He was the Official Music Ambassador for 2022 FanDuel Meet at the track. Adkin autographed guitars that serve as trophies for graded stakes and the Nelson’s Green Brier Tennessee Whiskey Music City Stakes. The multi-platinum entertainer also stars in the FOX country music drama MONARCH. It premieres on Sunday, September 11. On Tuesday, Sept. 13, Adkins will perform his cover of "A Country Boy Can Survive" on the Academy of Country Music Honors broadcast on FOX.
Kitodan won the Dueling Grounds Derby. Grand Sonata came from sixth to finish second, with Mount Rundle third and Always Above fourth. Russian Tank and Camp David were scratched. Kitodan is 6-1-3 in 15 starts, earning a total of $779,641 for a variety of owners. Bill Miller and Eric started partnering about a year and a half ago. They are two small grain farmers from Gallatin County, southeastern Illinois. Bill won every race betting up until Kitodan won. He is getting a cut of the purse money. The Duelings Grounds derby was Foster's seventh graded stakes appearance.
Vergara wins the $500,000 Exacta Systems Dueling Grounds Oaks at Kentucky Downs on Labor Day. It's trainer Graham Motion's first stakes win since 2017. Last year's FanDuel Meet champion Joel Rosario rode Vergara. Rosio rode at Saratoga on Thursday and Saturday, Kentucky's opening two days. The Sunday card was postponed until Monday. Vergarra finished the 1 5/16 miles in 2:14.95 and paid $10.96 to win. Julien Leparoux rode second-place Skims. He got in front before the eighth pole until about the sixteenth.
