Red Mile: Allerage Opens taken by Logan Park, Bythemissal

Logan Park and Bythemissal emerged triumphant from the Allerage Farms Open Trot and Open Pace, which was part of Sunday's stakes-laden program at The Red Mile.

In the $153,000 trot, Hillexotic (Austin Hanners) led through fractions of 26 2/5, 54 2/5 and 1:22 3/5, but Ake Svanstedt tipped out of the pocket with Up Your Deo before three-quarters, giving cover to Periculum (Scott Zeron) and Logan Park (Dexter Dunn).

Up Your Deo hit the front in the stretch and had the jump on the others, but Periculum and Logan Park hit their best strides inside the final eighth, and Logan Park out-footed Periculum to the wire, scoring by half a length in 1:49 2/5. Up Your Deo was third from Hillexotic.

A 6-year-old Archangel gelding bred by co-owner Reg Higgs and Donna Higgs, Logan Park is trained by Rob Fellows for co-owners Outofthepark Stable and Arpad Szabo. This was Logan Park's 34th career victory, he has now earned $1,348,598 and paid $4.44 to win.

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Rocknroll Runa A (Todd McCarthy) led at the 26 2/5 quarter in the $159,000 pace, but he would give way to Bythemissal (Yannick Gingras), who left from post ten and drove on two-wide, past that marker. Rocknroll Runa A then spoiled the trip he was going to work out right after yielding as he made a break in stride. Bythemissal maintained control to the half in 53 4/5 and the three-quarters in 1:21 1/5 as Little Rocket Man (David Miller) tried a first-over attack, followed by Abuckabett Hanover (Dexter Dunn).

Dunn sent Abuckabett Hanover three-wide for the drive, and he would gain ground to the wire, but Bythemissal held him off to tally by a head in 1:47 2/5. Muskateer Hanover (Tony Hall), who inherited the two-hole after Rocknroll Runa A went on the break, was third.

Trained by Ron Burke, Bythemissal is owned by Burke Racing Stable LLC., Eric Good, Rich Lombardo Racing LLC. and Weaver Bruscemi LLC. The 5-year-old gelded son of Downbytheseaside has a record of 26-4-3 from 38 starts, has pocketed$2,286,652 and returned $7.08 to win.

"It's been a tough year with him," Burke said of Bythemissal, who won his first race of the season in his fifth start and in his third start since a near three-month layoff. "Things went wrong that I never saw coming, but thank God the owners are all so good about it [saying] 'Take your time.' This horse is going to be here for the next three or four years, so we just took our time and hope to finish strong now."

--Burke quote from Ray Cotolo--