Oak Grove: It's My Show doesn't disappoint in Kentucky Sire Stakes

North America Cup champ It's My Show made a successful 4-year-old debut in one of seven $50,000 Kentucky Sire Stakes (KYSS) splits on a betting record-breaking Monday (May 6) at Oak Grove Racing, Gaming & Hotel.

Off the 1-2 favorite in his division, Scott Zeron sent It's My Show from post six to the point through a 26 3/5 first quarter and snagged a breather to a 56 second half before encountering a fierce first-over challenge from Blue Lou (driven by Yannick Gingras). Blue Lou pressed It's My Show to three-quarters in 1:23 4/5 and persistently pestered the pace-setter into the straightaway to no avail. It's My Show cut the corner and then kept a head up on Blue Lou to snatch the win in 1:50 2/5 with Combustion (Todd McCarthy) third and Bamboozler (Tony Hall) fourth.

It's My Show has now won 10 times from 25 starts, earning $1,161,965 for owners Richard and Joanne Young. Linda Toscano trains the 4-year-old gelding by Sweet Lou who paid $3.06 to win.

Admiral Hill (Yannick Gingras) delivered as the chalk in the other division for pacing horses and geldings with a near pillar-to-post win in 1:51 3/5. Gingras floated Admiral Hill forward and grabbed the lead by a 26 4/5 quarter and coasted through the remainder. Clocking a 55 second half and 1:23 1/5 three-quarters, Gingras cued Admiral Hill to sprint for home and easily rebuffed the pocket pop from El Rey (David Miller) to win by three-quarters of a length with Tip Top Cat (Dexter Dunn) third and Cant Stop Lou (Scott Zeron) fourth.

A 4-year-old gelding by Sweet Lou, Admiral Hill has now won 12 times from 29 tries and earned $347,008. Per Engblom trains the $4.94 winner for owner Morrison Racing Stables.

Bestfriend Volo (Dexter Dunn) made a strong Oak Grove debut in the second of two splits for the trotting horses and geldings with a 1:52 3/5 front-stepping win. Dunn swooped to the lead past a 27 1/5 first quarter and rolled to a 56 second half before facing a blitz from Sparks Fly (Atlee Bender) to three-quarters in 1:24 2/5. Sparks Fly's near last-to-front attack proved taxing through the final turn, which left Bestfriend Volo to stride in a measured winner by three-quarters of a length. French Wine (Andy Miller), off a pocket ride, zipped up for second while Sparks Fly levelled off into third and The Hazelton (Yannick Gingras) took fourth.

Nancy Takter trains and co-owns Bestfriend Volo, a gelding by Walner, with Christina Takter, 3 Brothers Stables and Deja Blu. He paid $4.76 to win.

Once In A Lifetime (Todd McCarthy) took the second male trot under wraps in 1:55 1/5. McCarthy placed the 2-5 favorite on the lead from the pylon post through a 27 3/5 first quarter and trotted unfazed through a 57 4/5 half and 1:27 1/5 three-quarters in progress to a 1:55 1/5 win over pocket-sitter Morning Edition (Atlee Bender). Ahadi As (Tony Hall) tucked inside and closed through a seam to take third from The Fast Lane (Andy McCarthy), who finished down the center of the track for fourth.

Sad Frog Farms owns Once In A Lifetime, a gelding by Father Patrick who has now won 11 times from 25 starts and banked $475,197. Jim Campbell trains the $2.72 winner.

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Show Me A Million (Lewayne Miller) pulled an upset in the opening male trot split when winning as the second-longest shot on the board in 1:55 1/5. Miller moved first over with his charge after sitting third through splits of 28 2/5 and 58 to draw onto closer terms with leader Country Dagger (Andy McCarthy) by three-quarters in 1:26 2/5. Show Me A Million kept chugging through the straightaway and downed Country Dagger at the beam by a head while Prince Of Honor (Todd McCarthy) flew from last for third and Djimon (David Miller) took fourth from 1-2 favorite Ari Ferrari J (Dexter Dunn), who broke stride in the stretch.

Winning his sixth race from 25 starts, Show Me A Million has now earned $141,253. Susan Miller trains the Dover Dan stallion for owners L & S Racing, Fred Wittmer, George Kucik Jr. and Joni Beechy. He paid $17 to win.

Mambacita (Dexter Dunn) again rolled on the lead to deliver as the 1-5 choice in the lone division for trotting mares. Dunn seized the helm to a 28 1/5 first quarter and grabbed a breather to a 57 2/5 half, which readied her for the attack from Railee Something (Andy McCarthy) up the backside. Railee Something loomed to Mambacita's throat past three-quarters in 1:25 3/5 but tired into the stretch to leave Mambacita on a 2 1/4 length lead by the beam. Cessna Pride (Todd McCarthy) took third and Muscling Vegas (David Miller) finished fourth.

Tony Alagna trains Mambacita, a 4-year-old mare by Tactical Landing, for owners Crawford Farms Racing, Alagna Racing LLC and Pryde Stables Inc. She won her 13th race from 33 starts and added to a bankroll now worth $845,418 while paying $2.56 to win.

Keep My Secret (Tony Hall) landed a 9-1 upset in the last KYSS split of the day, the single dash for pacing mares, with a 1:51 power effort on the point. Hall launched for the lead to a 26 4/5 first quarter and stole a breather to the half in 56 4/5. From there, she endured a first-over push from Always B Naughty (Andy McCarthy) to three-quarters in 1:23 4/5 and stayed under wraps into the straightaway, where Hall gave her a few taps of the whip as she confidently coasted in a three-quarter length winner over pocket-sitter Hungry For Love (Scott Zeron). Always B Naughty settled for third and 6-5 favorite Strong Poison (Yannick Gingras), off a second-over trip, settled for fourth.

A homebred Captaintreacherous mare for Dr. Fred Kruszelnicki, Keep My Secret has now won nine races from 26 starts and earned $161,240. Anette Lorentzon trains the $20.16 winner.

Despite a track maintenance delay that pushed post time 80 minutes back, Oak Grove crushed its single-card betting record with its 13-race card lasting until Monday's dusk. Oak Grove handled $522,939.11, bettering the previous record set last May of $419,168.

Live racing resumes at Oak Grove on Tuesday (May 7) at 3 p.m. (CDT) with a plethora of carryovers on offer. The 20-cent early Pick 5, starting in race one, features a carryover of $4,207.79; the $1 early Pick 4, starting in race three, features a carryover of $1,309.58; the $1 late Pick 4, starting in race nine, features a carryover of $1,630.58; and the 20-cent Super High 5, offered in race 12, features a carryover of $1,003.29.

--press release (Oak Grove)--