Oak Grove: Women Layer polishes off seven-for-seven mark in KYSS

Virgil Morgan Jr. trainee Women Layer completed a full sweep of Kentucky Sire Stakes (KYSS) action at Oak Grove, winning in every prelim of both series as well as in both finals when he capped the second series with a 1:49 2/5 stroll in the $150,000 final on Tuesday (June 24) to remain unbeaten from seven starts this season.

Driver Todd McCarthy circled Women Layer to the top past early leader Lou Hill (driven by Dexter Dunn) through a 27 second first quarter and jogged to a 55 second half. He accelerated up the backstretch to clock three-quarters in 1:22 3/5 and lifted flight off the bottom corner before gearing down to the finish in progress to a three length victory. Lou Hill finished second with Nuclear (David Miller) rallying for third, another four lengths behind, and Copperfield (Marcus Miller) closing for fourth.

Women Layer, a gelded son of Sweet Lou, has now won 19 times from 28 starts and banked $636,079 for owners Let It Ride Stables Inc., Douglas Overhiser, Jeff Fought Racing and Larry Wills. He paid $2.10 to win.

Bath Bomb (Andy McCarthy) may not have uncorked a perfect sweep like Women Layer, but the Per Engblom trainee did register back-to-back wins in KYSS finals when she strolled to a 1:50 2/5 victory in the $150,000 final for 4-year-old pacing mares. McCarthy grabbed command with Bath Bomb past a 26 1/5 first quarter to pocket Asweetbeachhere (Todd McCarthy) and stayed steady on the motor to a 55 second half and 1:22 3/5 three-quarters. Bath Bomb spun for home on a confident lead and crossed the finish line 2 1/2 lengths better than Peace Talks (Dexter Dunn), who ripped off a ground-saving trip to snag second from Asweetbeachhere in third. Defining Moment (Yannick Gingras) took fourth.

A daughter of Lather Up, Bath Bomb has now won 10 races from 23 starts and earned $350,360 for owner Morrison Racing Stables. She paid $2.74 to win.

Pennteller Hanover (Brett MacDonald) capitalized on several breaking stride to go down the road with a 1:53 effort and win the $150,000 KYSS final for 4-year-old trotting males. With favorites Convoy Hall (Todd McCarthy) and Ways N Means (Andy McCarthy) out of contention following breaks behind the gate, MacDonald thrusted Pennteller Hanover forward and took over command from Ordained (Yannick Gingras) after a 27 4/5 first quarter. MacDonald glided through middle sectionals of 56 2/5 and 1:24 4/5 and then sailed in a four length winner under wraps with Mister Dad (Dexter Dunn) taking second. Tom's Muscle (Ernie Hendry) rallied for third and Ordained tired to fourth.

Luc Blais trains Pennteller Hanover, a gelding by Chapter Seven, for owner Determination. The gelding won his seventh race from 16 starts, has now earned $162,122 and paid $10.40 to win.

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Black Velvet As (Dexter Dunn) posted the shocker of the afternoon when she upended defending champion Woman Of Passion (Todd McCarthy) to score at 14-1 in the $150,000 KYSS final for 4-year-old trotting mares. Dunn secured a pocket trip when pushing forward through a 27 1/5 quarter to plant onto the lead before Woman Of Passion completed her brush for the front. Woman Of Passion cleared just before a 55 4/5 half and tried to stay on the muscle while marching to three-quarters in 1:24 1/5. She opened a two length lead on the turn for home, but Dunn gathered momentum with Black Velvet As and easily thrusted by to win by a length in 1:52 4/5. Social Chatter (Matt Krueger) saved ground for third and Pizzelle (Andy McCarthy) closed from second over for fourth.

Anette Lorentzon trains Black Velvet As, a daughter of Archangel, for owner-breeder ACL Stuteri AB. The mare won her sixth race from 23 starts, good for $242,025 in earnings, and returned $30.28 to win.

Oak Grove also hosted nine opening preliminary splits of KYSS - three for each division - for pacing 3-year-olds and 3-year-old trotting colts and geldings, with a pair of track records coming from two divisions.

The day opened with Harrisburg Heist (Yannick Gingras, $3.72 to win) setting a track record for 3-year-old pacing geldings with a 1:49 1/5 win by 4 1/4 lengths after circling to the top past the first quarter. Ron Burke trains the son of Downbytheseaside for owners Burke Racing Stable LLC., Knox Services Inc., Phillip Collura and Weaver Bruscemi. His 1:49 1/5 mile also is the fastest all-time mile by a pacing 3-year-old at Oak Grove, a mark held previously by Tip Top Cat when he won the KYSS final in 2023 with a 1:49 3/5 mile.

Late in the day, Julie Miller trainee My Degenerate (Andy Miller, $11.88) established a new mark for 3-year-old trotting geldings when he popped pocket on tempo-setter Bank On Me (David Miller) in the stretch to post a 1:53 victory by 1 3/4 lengths. The gelding by Muscle Hill - competing for owners Knutsson Trotting Inc., Little E LLC., Lindy Farms of Connecticut and Andy Miller Stable Inc. - bettered the previous tied mark of 1:53 1/5 held both by Bank On Me (established when winning an overnight on May 20th this year) and Yo Sheldon, who matched the mark earlier on the Tuesday card when Verlin Yoder delivered him to victory in the first KYSS division for 3-year-old trotting colts and geldings.

Odds On Chesapeake (Dexter Dunn, $2.48) led her peers with the top performance of the three splits for 3-year-old pacing fillies when she romped by seven lengths in a 1:50 1/5 mile. Virgil Morgan Jr. trains the daughter of Downbytheseaside, who circled to the lead past the quarter and rolled under wraps to the finish, for owner Odds On Racing.

Tuesday's card also featured a pair of pacing Open events. Tip Top Cat (Yannick Gingras, $5.76) powered off a second-over trip and ground down first-up Saulsbrook Victor (Brett MacDonald), along with pace-setter Later Dudes (Dexter Dunn), to win the $36,000 Open Pace by a neck in 1:51. Ron Burke trains the 5-year-old Always B Miki gelding for owners Burke Racing Stable LLC., Weaver Bruscemi LLC., Frank Canzone and Larry Karr. Western Era (Atlee Bender, $4.36) later strolled to a front-stepping 1:51 3/5 win in the $26,000 Open 2 Pace. Erv Miller trains the 6-year-old JK Endofanera gelding for owners Ervin Miller Stable Inc. and Robert McCormick.

Racing continues at Oak Grove on Wednesday (June 25) at an earlier post time of 11:25 a.m. (CDT). Wednesday's card will also feature a carryover in the 20-cent Pick 5, which starts in Race 4, worth $1,768.92.

--press release (Oak Grove)--