Red Mile: Date Night does it again in International Stallion Stakes

Date Night, who just fell one-fifth of a second short of the world record last Saturday, ran her career record to seven-for-seven with a 1:52 1/5 victory in one of four International Stallion Series clashes for 2-year-old trotting fillies on Saturday afternoon at The Red Mile. Raised By Lindy, Joviality S, and Palermo Hanover prevailed in the other flights.

Driven by Andy Miller in the $78,250 race, Date Night was sixth through opening-half fractions of 28 2/5 and 55 2/5, but she made a determined first-over move into second before the 1:23 4/5 three-quarters. In the lane she forged her way past leader Miss Walnerfashion (Andrew McCarthy), then held sway to win by a length over a closing Adore Me (David Miller). Cash Infusion (Mark MacDonald) came in third.

"She loves a target, and when she's around the last turn, she just digs in and wants to beat horses," said Andy Miller. "She raced one start on the front-end and wasn't real happy with the front. She likes it better when she's got a target, so we've been trying to follow that.

"She really had to dig deep down by the wire to fend off a couple of them, and she did. She knew where they were, and she dug right in."

Julie Miller trains Date Night, a daughter of Bar Hopping-Nightsthatneverend, for owners/breeders Marvin Katz and Sam Goldband. Date Night has earned $143,235 and paid $2.80 to win.

Raised By Lindy (Yannick Gingras) won the opening $78,250 division in 1:51 3/5. Lilbitalexis (Dexter Dunn) brushed to the front in the backstretch and cleared beyond the 56 1/5 half, with Raised By Lindy moving first-over from fourth on the final bend. Lilbitalexis reached three-quarters in 1:23 4/5 and turned for home first, but Raised By Lindy kept coming despite the uncovered grind, and she got up in the closing strides to tally by half a length. Selfie Queen (Scott Zeron) was third.

"Our goal is to go in two weeks to the Breeders Crown," remarked winning trainer Domenico Cecere. "We'll see how she comes out, and we'll go from there.

"This was the first time she'd come first-over. Last week, she came from off-the-pace, and she was great. Today, she showed she's the real deal there, too."

A homebred for Lindy Farms, Raised By Lindy is a daughter of Walner-Birthright. Raised By Lindy made her fourth appearance in the winner's circle from eight efforts, pushed her bankroll to $147,743, and returned $5.00 to win.

First-over tactics also worked for Joviality S (Brian Sears) in the third $78,250 split. Ebbies Lady (Ake Svanstedt) was well-rated through panels of 29, 57 2/5, and 1:25 4/5, but Joviality S tipped out of third on the far turn, trotted into second before three-quarters, took command in the stretch, and scored by a length and a quarter in 1:53. Delilah Hanover (Todd McCarthy) followed the winner from second and was the runner-up, and Ebbies Lady held third.

"She raced in the Doherty, and I thought she raced very well that day. It was just a tough first half. They went 55 or something like that. She's been great from Day One, honestly," relayed winning trainer Marcus Melander. "She really turned into a nice filly. We took her to Hoosier, and we could skip the first week and race her 14 days in between, and now we've got 14 days to the Breeders Crown. I'm very happy with how her plan is going.

"She's a sweetheart. She does everything you ask for. She's so easy to drive, too. She's very easy to handle. You saw how she went around Yonkers and all those tracks. She has no problem on any size track, and she's a fast horse, too."

Joviality S is trained by Melander for owner Courant Inc. Bred by Courant's breeding operation, AM Bloodstock Inc., Joviality S is the first foal out of the Muscle Hill mare Pasithea Face S ($579,565, 1:50 4/5). Joviality S has a record of 7-1-0 from nine trips behind the gate, has now pocketed $363,748, and paid $2.60 to win.

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Palermo Hanover upset at 39-1 in her Bluegrass Series test a week ago, and she pulled off another surprise today, capturing the last $79,250 section in 1:53 4/5 at odds of 23-1.

Brickhouse Babe (Mark MacDonald) took the lead after the 27 3/5 quarter and maintained command through a 56 1/5 half and a 1:25 1/5 three-quarters. In the lane Jiggy Jog S (Gingras) vaulted into the lead from third-over, but Palermo Hanover (Dunn), who had lingered back in last and next-to-last for the first three-quarters of the mile, fanned out widest in the stretch and was able to catch Jiggy Jog S late to get the decision by a length. A Perfect Helen (Jeff Gregory) got third.

"She's got the breeding. All of her siblings have been better at 3. She's been fine the whole time, but I really didn't think she was quite up to this grade," admitted trainer Noel Daley. "She was marginal even bringing out. We were just trying to get a little bit of black type, maybe running second or third. She's surprised the hell out of two weeks in a row, so that's good."

The victorious Father Patrick-Personal Style filly was bred by Hanover Shoe Farms and is owned by Daley in partnership with Lenny Zelin and The Gandolfo Stables. Palermo Hanover is now a two-time winner from nine chances, has now stashed away $108,433, and returned $48.80 to win.