Red Mile: Back-to-back Grand Circuit scores for Blazin Lou, Stonebridge Blitz

Bluegrass division winner Blazin Lou turned away another Bluegrass winner in 1-5 favorite Rumble And Sway to romp in a 1:49 1/5 lifetime-best and win the second of two $104,000 Grade 3 International Stallion Stakes divisions for 2-year-old pacing males on Friday (Oct. 9) at The Red Mile.

Driver Todd McCarthy charged Blazin Lou from the outermost draw and brushed past early leader Rumble And Sway (driven by Tim Tetrick) to take command past a 27 2/5 first quarter. Blazin Lou cruised up the backstretch towards a 55 1/5 half and remained on the muscle through the last turn, clocking three-quarters in 1:22 2/5 while gaining separation on Rumble And Sway. McCarthy kept the Tony Dinges trainee to task in the lane as he widened his advantage to then cross the line 3 1/2 lengths better than Rumble And Sway, chasing in second. Grandline Station (Joe Bongiorno) stayed on from a first-over push in the last turn for third and Jidoo Bythesea (Andy Miller) saved ground for fourth.

"I've been pretty confident in him all along," Tony Dinges said after the race. "He hasn't had the best of luck the last few weeks, but I knew it was in there."

Rick Berks owns Blazin Lou, a colt by Sweet Lou out of Rocknroll Hanover mare Beautiful Lady. The colt, bound for the Breeders Crown eliminations next Friday (Oct. 16) at Scioto Downs, has now won four races from 10 starts and banked $157,050.

"I knew when he got to the half that we were probably in good shape," Rick Berks said. "Tony's been telling me all year he's a super horse. He's just coming into his own now."

Sent off as the second choice in the betting, Blazin Lou paid $9.90 to win.

► Sign up for our FREE DRF Harness Digest Newsletter

Ron Burke trainee Stonebridge Blitz affirmed his maiden-breaking win in a Grade 3 Bluegrass division last week with an assertive 1:49 4/5 effort to take the other International Stallion Stakes division for 2-year-old pacing colts and geldings.

Leaving from post four, driver Yannick Gingras floated Stonebridge Blitz towards a seat in fourth rounding the first turn but decided to press forward after early leader Hungry Marco (Scott Zeron) nearing a 27 second first quarter. Stonebridge Blitz seized the lead but yielded command once stablemate Ocean Party (Dexter Dunn) sprung out of third and looped to the front through a 53 2/5 half. Gingras kept a firm hold on Stonebridge Blitz circling the final turn as the gelding muscled out of the pocket to draw alongside Ocean Party to three-quarters in 1:21 3/5. Stonebridge Blitz maintained authority over the weary through the lane to notch a two length victory with Ocean Party finishing second, Reflector (Todd McCarthy) closing for third and Fairway To Heaven (Andy McCarthy) splitting rivals late for fourth.

Stonebridge Blitz has now won two races from 10 starts and earned $165,692 for owners Burke Racing Stable, Larry Karr, Michael Rosenthal and Frank Baldachino. The gelding by Tall Dark Stranger, out of Sweet Lou mare and former Burke trainee Shouldabeenatd, paid $6 to win.

The first division of the International Stallion Stakes for 2-year-old pacing colts and geldings was sponsored by the Hambletonian Society/Breeders Crown and the second division was sponsored by the Captaintreacherous Syndicate and Hanover Shoe Farms.

Live harness racing at The Red Mile will conclude for the 2026 season on Saturday (Oct. 10) with an 11-race card featuring nine graded stakes events capped by the $212,000 Grade 2 Glen Garnsey Memorial in Race 10 and the $365,000 Grade 2 Tattersalls Pace in Race 11. Saturday's card also features a $9,971.73 carryover into a mandatory payout Pick 5 starting in Race 3, as well as a $7,500 guaranteed Pick 4 starting in Race 6. Both the Pick 5 and Pick 4 are offered with an industry-low takeout of 12 percent.

First-race post time for closing day is 1 p.m. (EDT).

--press release (Red Mile)--