Oak Grove: Favorites dominant in Kentucky Sire Stakes for 4-year-olds
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Driver Andy McCarthy and trainer Tony Alagna each had two winners in the first leg of the Kentucky Sire Stakes for 4-year-olds on Sunday afternoon at Oak Grove Racing and Gaming. Each of the races carried a purse of $50,000.
McCarthy and Alagna joined forces to win the male pace with I Did It Myway in 1:50. Making his first pari-mutuel start of 2023, I Did It Myway left from post eight and took the top spot away from All Or Nothing (Scott Zeron) after the 27 2/5 opening quarter. Once he had command, I Did It Myway kept it through a 55 2/5 half and a 1:23 three-quarters before he sprinted a 27 second final panel to defeat fellow Alagna trainee Tauarsi (Dexter Dunn) by two lengths. All Or Nothing wound up third.
I Did It Myway is a son of Captaintreacherous owned by breeder Joe Sbrocco in partnership with Country Club Acres Inc., Don Latore, and Alagna And Fodera Racing. This was his 13th win from 29 starts, he has now banked $891,111, and he paid $4.24 to win as the even-money favorite.
Alagna swept the trifecta in the mare pace, with Boudoir Hanover (Todd McCarthy) overcoming a trailing post ten and a fourth-over trip with a 27 2/5 final quarter that propelled her to a 1 1/4 length victory in 1:52 4/5. Style For A Mile (Dunn), and Dont Fence Me In (Zeron), who posted fractions of 26 2/5, 56, and 1:24 1/5, followed Boudoir Hanover across the wire.
A Captaintreacherous mare, Boudoir Hanover is trained by Alagna for owners Riverview Racing LLC., Alagna Racing LLC., Caviart Farms, and D Plouffe And S Head. Bred by Riverview Breeding LLC. and Visionary Breeders LLC., Boudoir Hanover posted her eighth victory from 27 lifetime attempts, and she has now put away $869,176. The 6-5 favorite, Boudoir Hanover returned $4.64 to win.
Andy McCarthy also won the mare trot with Eternal Lee in 1:54 2/5. After racing in third through a 28 1/5 quarter and a 56 4/5 half, McCarthy put Eternal Lee in motion first-over before the 1:25 3/5 three-quarters. Eternal Lee moved up on the rim to challenge leader Discloure (Dunn) on the final bend, surged by her late on the turn and then drew off to prevail by 2 3/4 lengths. Pioneer AS (Tony Hall) closed well, advancing from sixth to third, and Saint Antoine (Atlee Bender) collected third.
Roger Cullipher trains Eternal Lee, a Southwind Frank filly bred by owner Murray Ferguson Jr. Eternal Lee has compiled a record of 11-3-2 from 23 starts, has now earned $389,638, and paid $2.96 to win as the 2-5 favorite.
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Iwon't Backdown AS (Hall) was a 1:57 4/5 winner in the male trot. He went to the top from post three, put up soft panels of 29 4/5, 1:00 3/5, and 1:30 2/5, and fended off a two-wide bid by Alagna trainee and pocket-sitter Majestic J (Dunn) through the final quarter to win by half a length. Top Rank (Tyler Shehan) checked in third.
Trained by Anette Lorentzon, Iwon't Backdown AS is a Lionhunter gelding owned by breeder ACL Stuteri AB in partnership with Kjell Johansson. Iwon't Backdown AS made his seventh appearance in the winner's circle, and he sent his bankroll to $257,975. He returned $3.74 to win as the 4-5 favorite.
The Kentucky Sire Stakes series has four preliminary rounds in total and will culminate with $150,000 finals on May 29.