Red Mile: Delaney Hanover knocks off Yo Tillie in Bluegrass Series

Lucas Wallin trainee Delaney Hanover pushed through a gap at the pylons off a pocket trip to out-sprint first-over 1-5 favorite Yo Tillie and hand her the first defeat of her season in a 1:50 2/5 mile to win the last of four divisions for the $294,200 Bluegrass 3-Year-Old Filly Trot - a division sponsored by Marvin Katz - on Saturday (Sept. 27) at The Red Mile.

Driver Scott Zeron put Delaney Hanover on top before settling for a pocket ride once Global Heritage (driven by Dexter Dunn) approached outside into a 28 second first quarter. Global Heritage led up the backstretch to a 55 2/5 half, where Yo Tillie (Todd McCarthy) pulled outside from fourth to start her grind towards the front. Yo Tillie gained on the rim to three-quarters in 1:23 4/5 and drew to equal terms with Global Heritage rounding the bottom corner. Delaney Hanover gathered speed at the inside as Global Heritage drifted in the stretch and dashed forward to take the lead from Yo Tillie in the final eighth. She kept Yo Tillie at bay to the beam to win by a length while Winnpanzee (Yannick Gingras) saved ground for third and My Honor (Ake Svanstedt) closed from third over for fourth.

"We've always been very high on her and she's just been feeling better and better," Lucas Wallin said after the race. "We have patient owners and we kind of aimed for this meet. Later on, hopefully it pays off. Scotty gave her a perfect trip again, and when she can follow a horse there are not too many that can stop her in the last eighth. But Yo Tillie's a fantastic horse. She did it pretty good."

Delaney Hanover, a Muscle Hill-Danielle Hanover filly, won her third race from eight starts this season and her fifth race from 15 starts in her career, earning $361,585 for owners Wiesman Farms LLC., Shermay Stables and Wallin Racing Stable Inc. Off the second choice, she paid $10.40 to win.

Ms Prada (Yannick Gingras) surged as tempo-setter Champagne Problems (Dexter Dunn) drifted off the pylons in a sprint to the finish and nailed the 1-5 chalk at the end of a 1:51 1/5 mile to begin a day of upsets in the first Bluegrass filly trot division, sponsored by Kountry Lane Standardbreds.

Gingras motored Ms Prada out of post seven to the top, but settled for a pocket trip as Dunn eased Champagne Problems out of the pocket and towards the lead through a 28 second first quarter. Champagne Problems rolled unfettered to a 55 4/5 half and continued through the last turn under minimal pressure. Past three-quarters in 1:24 2/5, Champagne Problems accelerated for home and floated off the cones when hitting her best stride, giving Gingras an opening. Ms Prada built speed and fired straight to collar Champagne Problems at the beam by three-quarter lengths. Caviart Ivy (Niko Karna) gave chase off a ground-saving trip in third and Best Friends Girl (David Miller) followed in fourth.

"She was a good horse all along," said co-owner Jerry Silva. "Yannick gave her a great drive today. There were a couple of breakers at the beginning, which made it easier. And [we had the] two-hole, you either are going to win it or lose it, and we won it."

Silva shares ownership of Ms Prada, a Greenshoe-Asiago filly, through J&T Silva-Purnel & Libby and alongside partners Burke Racing Stable, Beasty LLC and Joe Di Scala Jr. Ron Burke trains the filly, a now six-time winner from 15 starts this season and a seven-time winner from 27 starts in her career. She has earned $283,984 and - off as the third longest shot in the betting - paid $38.92 to win.

Kadena (Andy McCarthy) later upset as the fourth longest shot on the board with a pylon-skimming rally for a 1:51 win in the second Bluegrass filly trot division, sponsored by Marvin Katz.

McCarthy landed Kadena into fourth as Aperfect Annie (Todd McCarthy) pushed for the lead into a 27 4/5 first quarter. Aperfect Annie strolled unchallenged to a 55 1/5 half and endured first-over pressure once Deja Blu (Yannick Gingras) angled out of third and advanced through the far turn. Deja Blu powered by Aperfect Annie after three-quarters in 1:23 1/5 and trotted strongly for home while Kadena gathered steam through a gap at the inside. Kadena stormed forward and snatched the lead from Deja Blu in the final strides to clinch a half-length win while Misspanzee (Andy Miller) closed from third over for third and Aperfect Annie settled for fourth.

Marcus Melander trains Kadena, a daughter of Gimpanzee out of world champion and Red Mile track-record holder Mission Brief, for owners Jeff Snyder and S R F Stable. The filly won her fourth race from 10 starts this season and her sixth race from 18 starts in her career, good for $209,917. She paid $25.66 to win.

Grand Reserve (Andy Miller) rushed from near last and snagged a narrow win at odds of 31-1 in the third Bluegrass filly trot division, sponsored by Kountry Lane Standardbreds.

Country Victory (Tim Tetrick) swept by 2-1 favorite Divine Thing (Todd McCarthy) to take the lead after a 27 4/5 first quarter and cruised unfettered up the backstretch to a 55 1/5 half. Miss Belmar (Andy McCarthy) began a first-over bid out of fifth into the far turn, at which point Miller secured a seat in the outer tier with Grand Reserve. Divine Thing promptly pulled pocket as Miss Belmar advanced to engage with Country Victory at three-quarters in 1:23 4/5, but the front cratered in the stretch. Dreams Come Easy (Yannick Gingras) fanned from third-over to the center of the track with Grand Reserve rolling to her outside, and the two swooped over the top in the final sixteenth. Grand Reserve kept clawing on the outside and caught Dreams Come Easy at the line by a nose while Margareta Hanover (Dexter Dunn) charged through a seam at the pylons for third and Miss Belmar levelled off in fourth.

"[Carter Pinske] decided to pull the shoes and put some cheek pieces on her and said 'Any check's a good check from out here,'" Andy Miller said after the race. "He thought she'd be pretty good. I was liking where I was at around the last turn, and when we came off the turn and started to move her over she started taking off."

Carter Pinske trains Grand Reserve, a Walner-Bella Glos filly, for owner Hudson Standardbred Stable Inc. The filly won her second race from 14 starts this season and her third race from 19 starts in her career, earning $102,811. Off as the second longest shot in the betting, she paid $64.78 to win.

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Go Dog Go Crosses 1:50 Threshold in Bluegrass Male Trot

Go Dog Go ground uncovered on the rim and muscled through the stretch to clock a 1:49 3/5 win in the first of three divisions for the $261,000 Greenshoe Bluegrass 3-Year-Old Colt & Gelding Trot, sponsored by the Greenshoe Syndicate and Hanover Shoe Farms, on Saturday (Sept. 27) at The Red Mile.

Leaving from post seven, driver Todd McCarthy coasted forward with Go Dog Go and found a seat in fourth while Fashion Green (driven by Tim Tetrick) battled Happy Jack B (Ake Svanstedt) for the lead through a 27 second first quarter. Fashion Green took control and carried the field to the half in 54 1/5, where Go Dog Go flushed outside and began marching towards the leader. Go Dog Go loomed alongside Fashion Green after three-quarters in 1:22 2/5 and hit another gear in mid-stretch to edge away for a 1 3/4 length win. Happy Jack B gave chase in third and Blank (Andy McCarthy) finished fourth.

"He's one of the fastest horses I've ever been around," trainer Carter Pinske said. "Just mentally he's a bit tough. I don't know if this track totally agrees with him – we did a lot of tweaking this week, and finally he put it all together."

A Greenshoe-Primary Target colt, Go Dog Go won his fifth race from nine starts this season and his seventh race from 19 starts in his career, earning $533,718 for owners Wiesman Farms LLC and Al Libfeld. The colt, sent the 4-5 favorite, paid $4.80 to win.

Warrior (Todd McCarthy) usurped 1-9 favorite Super Chapter (Dexter Dunn) at odds of 31-1 when lifting with the most momentum over the top to post a 1:50 3/5 win in the second division of the Greenshoe Bluegrass.

Todd McCarthy raced second to last as Don't Ask For More (Ake Svanstedt) skirmished for the lead with Big Shoes (Yannick Gingras) through a 27 2/5 first quarter and 55 1/5 half. Don't Ask For Me retook command from Big Shoes before the half and handled pressure through the turn from first-over Variegated (Tim Tetrick) while McCarthy worked Warrior into a position third-over, tracking Super Chapter. McCarthy fanned towards the center of the track after three-quarters in 1:23 2/5 and advanced alongside Super Chapter to in deep stretch. Warrior then overpowered the Hambletonian runner-up for a narrow win by a half-length with Onajetplane (Andy McCarthy) rallying for third and Hey Porter (Scott Zeron) taking fourth.

"I talked with Ake briefly before I went out there just to get a few key notes on the horse. He told me he was pretty straightforward and a lovely horse to drive, and he was spot on," McCarthy said after the win. "I knew I was following a couple of good ones there. I put Super Chapter in there early and was able to get him going before the half. He caught some live cover too, but it all kind of worked out. It was a good flow and it was a good slingshot move at the top of the stretch."

Ake Svanstedt trains Warrior, a Walner-Like A Lindy gelding, for owner Brochart Stable Inc. The colt won his third race from 13 starts and has now earned $78,202. He paid $65.40 to win.

Meshuggah (Scott Zeron) popped off a pocket trip in the final Greenshoe Bluegrass division to collect a 1:50 1/5 victory.

Zeron nestled Meshuggah behind 1-2 favorite Mr Mouton (Ake Svanstedt) heading to a 27 3/5 first quarter and followed comfortably as Svanstedt let his charge roll to a 54 3/5 half. Onemore Volo (Todd McCarthy) pulled out of third to roll uncovered into the last turn and inched forward to match strides with Mr Mouton crossing three-quarters in 1:23. Mr Mouton rebuffed that challenger turning for home but clung to a diminishing lead as Greenma (Trond Smedshammer) surged off cover and Meshuggah shook free from the pocket. Meshuggah downed Mr Mouton and out-sprinted Greenma to claim victory by 1 1/4 lengths. Greenma took second from Mr Mouton and The Rogue Prince (Tim Tetrick) rallied from the back for fourth.

"I think the horse is not maybe number one, two [or] three in this crop, but I think he’s on his way up," said Anders Strom, who owns Meshuggah through Courant Inc. "I think he's going to be developing and we could see today that he could win quite easily."

Marcus Melander trains Meshuggah, a Greenshoe-Starita colt who won his second race from 11 starts this season and his fourth race from 21 starts in his career. The colt has amassed $551,047 and paid $9.98 to win.

--by Ray Cotolo for The Red Mile--