Oak Grove: Road to the Oak Grove Trotting Derby, Trotting Oaks updated

Four more standout two-year-old trotters have punched their tickets to the eliminations for the 2027 Oak Grove Trotting Derby and Oaks following major Grand Circuit and Kentucky Sire Stakes victories over the weekend.

In the colt and gelding division, Swan Good Bi maintained his flawless record on Friday, September 18, with a track-record-equaling 1:53 2/5 victory in the $475,100 Grade 1 Peter Haughton Memorial at Harrah's Hoosier Park. Driven by Jordan Ross for trainer Henry Graber Jr., Swan Good Bi secured an automatic qualifying berth in the eliminations for the 2027 $500,000 Oak Grove Trotting Derby. The gelding is owned by Indiana Stables, Frank Baldachino, Michael Rosenthal, and James Zito.

Joining him in the Derby eliminations is Whateverittakes AS, driven by Tony Hall, captured the $400,000 Kentucky Sire Stakes Championship Series final for 2-year-old trotting colts and geldings on Sunday, September 20, at The Red Mile. Anette Lorentzon trains Whateverittakes AS, a homebred Walner-Fortunes Dream colt, for owner ACL Stuteri AB.

In the filly division, Birr Castle earned her second automatic qualifying spot in the eliminations to the 2027 $300,000 Oak Grove Trotting Oaks by capturing the $483,350 Grade 1 Jim Doherty Memorial at Harrah's Hoosier Park on Friday, September 18. Driven by Scott Zeron for trainer Marcus Melander and owner Pheasant Hill Farm, Birr Castle now has career earnings of $476,356.

On Sunday, September 20, the undefeated Wall of Fame also punched her second ticket to the Oaks eliminations by winning the $400,000 Kentucky Sire Stakes Championship Series final for 2-year-old trotting fillies at The Red Mile. Driven by Andy Miller, Wall of Fame equaled her lifetime mark of 1:52 with a game victory to keep her career record unblemished. Wall of Fame now has nine wins and career earnings of $561,250.

The "Road to..." series was established to reward top 2-year-old trotting performances and enrich Oak Grove's premier events. A series of designated Grand Circuit and Sire Stakes races serve as automatic qualifying events to the Derby and Oaks eliminations.

Road to the Oak Grove Trotting Derby

Road to the Oak Grove Trotting Oaks

About Oak Grove Racing, Gaming and Hotel

Oak Grove Racing, Gaming and Hotel is a premier harness racing and gaming destination in Oak Grove, Kentucky, dedicated to providing a world-class experience to guests and supporting the local community. Oak Grove’s annual 36-day race meet is conducted from mid-March through mid-July with average daily purses ranking among the leaders in North America.

About the Kentucky Harness Association

The Kentucky Harness Association exists to promote, support and facilitate growth in the harness industry in Kentucky and to promote and encourage cooperative efforts among racetracks, owners, breeders, trainers and drivers, fans, and other industry participants for the overall benefit of the industry. The KHA strives to increase visibility on issues that impact the industry on local, state, and national levels while continuing to promote the Kentucky harness racing and breeding industry -www.kentuckyharness.com.

--press release (Oak Grove)--