Red Mile: Catch The Fire leads Kentucky Sire Stakes winners

A pocket trip poised Catch The Fire for a 1:50 4/5 blowout mile in the faster of two $30,000 Kentucky Sire Stakes (KYSS) divisions for 2-year-old pacing colts and geldings on Thursday, Aug. 22 over a track rated “good” at The Red Mile.

Driver Mike Wilder placed the John Ackley trainee on the helmet of early leader Fortify heading to a 28 1/5 first quarter. Wilder then circled the Captaintreacherous colt to the front but yielded as Lottery Winner marched towards the top past a 55 3/5 half. Starship tipped first-over from fourth approaching three-quarters in 1:24, forcing Catch The Fire to vacate the pocket at headstretch. Catch The Fire then shot past Lottery Winner and opened 4 1/2 lengths on Starship, giving pursuit from second, while Fortify held third.

Winning his third race from six starts, Catch The Fire has earned $67,022 for owner CT Stables LLC. He paid $11.00 to win.

Moneyman Hill stalked from the pocket and inherited the front from a rough pace-setter to win the first division of KYSS in 1:51 2/5.

Driver Scott Zeron sent Moneyman Hill towards the front but yielded for the pocket as Its Showtime brushed to control heading to a 28 second opening quarter and accelerated towards a 55 1/5 half. However, the pace-setter veered wide rounding the final turn, giving Moneyman Hill the lead approaching three-quarters in 1:23 1/5. The Somebeachsomewhere colt maintained command through the stretch while chased by Sea Of Life, pulling from the pocket for second. Roll With Jr, angling first-over from fourth at the top of the stretch, took third.

A son of Somebeachsomewhere, Moneyman Hill won his first race from five starts, earning $34,730. Brian Brown conditions the Tom Hill homebred who paid $9.00 to win.

Sent off as the 2-5 favorite, Baby Your The Best swept to the front moving towards the final turn and cruised clear to a 1:52 2/5 victory in the first of two KYSS splits for 2-year-old pacing fillies.

Ellagator took control heading to the first turn while Blood Red ground first-over towards the top nearing a 28 4/5 opening quarter. Blood Red cleared to the cones and led briefly before driver David Miller angled Baby Your The Best from third to the top heading to a 56 4/5 half. The Captaintreacherous filly continued to control the pace while pressured slightly by Sail By, stalled wide of the leader at the third station in 1:25 3/5. Sail By gave way through the stretch as Baby Your The Best kicked clear of her competition, with Blood Red finishing second and Ellagator third.

Owned by Richard and Joanne Young, Baby Your The Best won her first race from four starts, earning $68,720. The Linda Toscano trainee returned $2.80 to win.

Firefly pulled to the front past the quarter and went a slow clip when holding off a backfield blitz in a 1:54 mile to take the other KYSS filly division.

Pristine Beauty pushed for the front while Firefly floated for position from the pylon post rounding the first turn. Driver Andrew McCarthy then angled Firefly for the lead heading to a 29 2/5 opening quarter and led the field to a 57 2/5 half.

Wayside, racing third, edged first-over moving into the final turn. Even-money favorite Gai Waterhouse tracked cover from second-over while Shining Beauty raced third-over in a flow nearing the pace-setter heading to three-quarters in 1:26 1/5. Wayside retreated through the stretch while Gai Waterhouse and Shining Beauty fanned off cover and chased the drifting leader from the center of the track. However, Firefly held on in the final quarter sprint to win, with Gai Waterhouse second and Shining Beauty third.

Returning $29.20 to win, Firefly won her second race from eight starts this season, earning $29,000. Richard “Nifty” Norman conditions the Somebeachsomewhere filly for owners Charles and Julie Nash.

--press release (The Red Mile)--