Red Mile: Ab'sattitudexpress stuns Ramona Hill in Bluegrass upset

Ab'sattitudexpress pulled off one of the biggest upsets of 2020 in today's third of three Bluegrass Stakes contests for 3-year-old filly trotters at The Red Mile, rallying past Hambletonian winner Ramona Hill in the lane to win in 1:51 4/5.

Ramona Hill (Andrew McCarthy) got away in fourth to the 28 1/5 opening quarter in the $69,200 race and then brushed to the point around Crucial (David Miller) at the 56 3/5 half. Ramona Hill kept control around the far turn, to the 1:24 2/5 three-quarters, and into the lane, but Tim Tetrick angled Ab'sattitudexpress off the cones from mid-pack through the stretch drive, and she had the momentum to surge past Ramona Hill, defeating her by three-parts of a length. Ms Savannah Belle (Yannick Gingras) also closed well to finish third.

Lucas Wallin trains Ab'sattitudexpress, a daughter of Trixton, for owner/breeder Stop The Jade Farm LLC. This was her seventh career win, and she has now earned $188,200. She paid $70.20 to win as a 34-1 shot.

Next Level Stuff and Tetrick sat a pocket trip behind Panem (Dexter Dunn) through fractions of 28, 55 4/5, and 1:23 4/5 back in the opening $70,200 Bluegrass section, angled out in the lane, and used a 27 4/5 final kicker to rally by the pace-setter on her way to a two length decision in 1:51 3/5. Love A Good Story (Andy Miller) got shuffled back on the inside through the middle-half but angled out wide in the stretch and finished well to collect second, and Panem ended up third.

A daughter of the late Sebastian K, Next Level Stuff is trained by Jim Campbell for owner-breeder Runthetable Stables. Next Level Stuff is now an 11-time winner, and she has pocketed $363,916. She returned $7.40 to win.

Hypnotic AM (Brian Sears) fronted her seven foes to the 27 3/5 opening quarter in the second $70,200 Bluegrass rumble, but Hambletonian Oaks winner Sorella (Gingras) popped out of the two-hole and took charge prior to the 55 4/5 half. Sorella backed down three-quarters to just 1:24 4/5, and then there was a great three-way fight through the stretch and to the wire among Sorella in the middle, Hypnotic AM on the outside, and Spoiled Princess (Dexter Dunn) on the pylons. The three fillies hit the wire in unison, and after a lengthy look at the photo, the judges determined that Sorella had defeated fellow Nancy Takter trainee Spoiled Princess by a nose in 1:51 1/5, with Hypnotic AM another nostril back in third.

Sorella, a daughter of Muscle Hill, is trained by Takter for owner/breeder Elmer Fannin and his partners Crawford Farms Racing and Brett Fannin. She now has a record of 9-2-1 from 19 trips behind the gate, and she has now banked $620,737. She paid $5.40 to win.