Mostly upsets in $200,000 KY Sire Stakes at Oak Grove

Harnesslink

02 May 2023

Mostly upsets in $200,000 KY Sire Stakes at Oak Grove

OAK GROVE, KY — Front-stepping Queen Of Success survived late charges from her left and right to keep a scant nose in front of a stacked harness racing finish in the $50,000 Kentucky Sires Stakes second preliminary for 4-year-old pacing mares on Monday afternoon (May 1) at Oak Grove Racing, Gaming and Hotel to pull off one of many upsets in the stakes action.

Leaving from post 5, driver Andy McCarthy motored 12-1 Queen Of Success to the fore and cleared stablemate Dont Fence Me In (driven by Marvin Luna) past a :26.1 first quarter. Their other stablemate, 1-5 favorite Boudoir Hanover, landed fifth and began an uncovered journey passing the stands while Queen Of Success snagged a breather to a :55.1 half.

Queen Of Success sprinted up the backside as Boudoir Hanover attempted to gain along the rim while Dont Fence Me In and Ainthesamewithoutu followed along the pylons towards three-quarters in 1:22.4. Spinning for home, Queen Of Success drifted off the pegs while Dont Fence Me In vacated the pocket, creating a seam up the inside for Ainthesamewithoutu while Boudoir Hanover re-rallied late in the stretch.

Just about a nose separated the top four at the finish and Queen Of Success held the advantage by the skimmest hairs. Ainthesamewithoutu grabbed second from Dont Fence Me In third and Boudoir Hanover fourth.

Tony Alagna trains Queen Of Success, a 4-year-old mare, for owners Alagna Racing LLC, Caviart Farms and Robert LeBlanc. The win is her ninth from 26 starts and adds to a bankroll now worth $312,717. She paid $27.38 to win.

An upset came in the other $50.000 pacing event when All Or Nothing (Always B Miki) zipped along the highway to hold off 1-9 favorite I Did It Myway and win in 1:50.2. The 4-year-old clocked a clip of :26.3, :55.1 and 1:22.4 while battling firm at the pylons through the lane to keep I Did It Myway at bay by three-quarter lengths. Wolftrax settled for third and Caviart Camden took fourth.

All Or Nothing won just for the fifth time from seven tries and added to his coffers now worth $104,289. John Cummins owns the Robert Bath trainee who paid $15.56 to win. Andy Miller sat in the sulky.

Yanaba (Trixton) pulled a slight upset in the $50,000 4-year-old mare trot with a near blowout win over 1-2 favourite Eternal Lee in 1:54.1. Driver John MacDonald pulled the throttle early and, through fractions of :28.3, :57 and 1:24.1, opened a 7-1/2-length lead on her competition to the final turn.

The swift tempo began biting into Yanaba as Eternal Lee reeled her in off the corner, but the Jack Rice pupil dug in to the finish to hold by a length with Pioneer As another nine lengths behind in third and Fleurie taking fourth.

Ann-Mari Daley, Jared Daley and Oleg Ivutin own Yanaba, a 4-year-old mare, has now won five times from 24 tries and earned $175,475. Off the second choice at 9-2, she paid $11.88 to win.

The only favorite to deliver in the Monday stakes action was Keg Stand (Bar Hopping), a 4-year-old stallion who coasted around the Oak Grove oval to a 1:54.1 win at 2-5.

The Nancy Takter trainee led through splits of :28.2, :58.1 and 1:26 for driver Yannick Gingras to win by 1-3/4 lengths in 1:54.1 over TNT Blue Chip, who fought through a first-over push to hold second from late-charging Longshot. Golden Wall As tired to fourth.

Keg Stand races for owners Black Horse Racing, Christina Takter and John Fielding. He won his seventh race from 25 starts, has now earned $392,166 and paid $2.86 to win.

Sweet Mr Pinetucky () upset in the $24,000 Open Trot. With 3-5 favorite Kildare King breaking midway through the stretch, Sweet Mr Pinetucky powered past off a pocket trip while holding off Perlucky by a half-length to win in 1:55. Lester Raber owns the 9-year-old gelding who nabbed the 37th win of his career and has now banked $464,328. Andrew McCarthy piloted the $40.24 winner.

Betting remained strong at Oak Grove as the all-time handle record stood for just a week. After bettors churned $229,000 through the windows last Monday (April 24), money barrelled through hand-to-fist to register a handle of $358,845 from 12 races. The record last Monday featured a 13-race card.

Live racing at Oak Grove resumes Sunday (May 7) and features a $1,460.80 carryover in the Late Pick 5, which covers Race 6 through Race 10. First post is 3 p.m. CDT (4 p.m. EDT).