Cumberland Run: Sophomore trotters wrap up Kentucky Sires Stakes season
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The Kentucky Sires Stakes calendar for 2023 ended on Tuesday afternoon at Cumberland Run with victories by Caviart Gwen and Bestfriend Volo in $70,000 finals for 3-year-old trotters.
Mambacita (Dexter Dunn), the 1-5 favorite, took the lead past the 27 3/5 opening quarter in the race for the fillies and kept it through middle-half fractions of 57 3/5 and 1:25 2/5. Meanwhile, Caviart Gwen (Niko Karna) went first-over out of third as the field raced in the backstretch for the second time and then slid down into the pocket as Cessna Pride (John MacDonald) retreated from that position.
Caviart Gwen suwng back off the pylons before entering the stretch, but she still had work to do as Mambacita was clear and driving for the wire. However, Caviart Gwen trotted strongly through the lane and was able to get by Mambacita at the finish line, defeating her by a nose in 1:54 1/5. Foolish Games (Marvin Luna) was the third-place finisher.
Bred by owner Caviart Farms, Caviart Gwen, a daughter of Father Patrick, is trained by Philip Scott Sonsteby. She has six wins from 23 starts, has earned $293,497 and paid $10.76 to win as the 4-1 second choice.
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There was action galore in the colt and gelding final as Djimon (David Miller) squeezed out of the pocket to take charge nearing the 28 second quarter and then yielded to Show Me A Million (Lewayne Miller) after that marker. Djimon got off the cones again past the 57 second half and forged his way back around Show Me A Million, leaving Country Dagger (Andy Miller) first-over and Bestfriend Volo (Dunn) on his cover in the second-over position.
Djimon reached three-quarters in 1:24 3/5 and maintained the top spot on the final bend, but Dunn swung Bestfriend Volo out three-wide on the turn, and he was able to out-foot a game Djimon through the stretch, getting up for the decision by three-quarters of a length in 1:54 flat. Show Me A Million wound up third.
Nancy Takter trains Bestfriend Volo, a Walner gelding bred by Kentuckiana Farms and Jorgen Jahre Jr., and she also co-owns him with Christina Takter, 3 Brothers Stables and Deja Blu. He has a record of 6-4-0 from 13 efforts, sent his bankroll to $139,250 and returned $3.10 to win as the 1-2 choice.