Red Mile: Diamond Creek colts sparkle in Bluegrass Series for the glamour boys

It was a Saturday afternoon to remember for breeder Diamond Creek Farm and their racing operation as three of their homebreds - Confederate, Cannibal and Command - delivered in the $73,000 groupings of the Bluegrass Series for 3-year-old colt and gelding pacers at The Red Mile.

Confederate (Tim Tetrick) put on another show in the first division and did it in different fashion that usual. Away third to the 27 2/5 quarter, Tetrick put Confederate on the move and wrestled the lead away from Ken Hanover (David Miller) prior to the 54 1/5 half. Confederate then got to three-quarters in 1:22 1/5 before he sprinted home in 25 2/5 while never asked to win by 2 1/2 lengths over Ken Hanover in 1:47 3/5. Huntinthelastdolar (James MacDonald) got third.

"I didn't really have a plan. It was kind of playing off Christchurch because he can be hot. I wanted to stay close to Ken Hanover no matter what. I just kind of played it by feel, and we got it done," Tetrick offered. "He's been good all year. The only time he got beat was my fault, just one horse too far back and it was early in the season. He's done everything right. Today, everybody says, 'oh, he can't go on the lead,' he can go on the lead. I just like him chasing them."

Tetrick added that the plan is to race Confederate at The Red Mile again next Sunday before heading to the Breeders Crown.

Trained by Brett Pelling, the victorious Sweet Lou colt has 14 wins, two seconds and a third from 17 career starts, has earned $1,558,129 and paid $2.16 to win as the 1-9 favorite.

Cannibal won the second grouping in very similar fashion. After landing in the third spot, driver Yannick Gingras moved to the outside before the 28 second opening quarter and took the top spot from For Once Inmy Life (James MacDonald) after that station. From there Cannibal put up middle-half panels of 55 2/5 and 1:22 4/5, then used a 26 second last quarter to win by three lengths over Combustion (Todd McCarthy), who stepped out first-up from third going to three-quarters. South Point (Tetrick) angled off the pylons off an inside trip and got up for third.

"Any other year he would be our top horse. We've tried to keep them apart up to this point, and I think we've done a good job," said Adam Bowden from Diamond Creek. "He's a pretty good colt himself, winning the Adios and a Jug elimination as well.

"All options are on the table. He may race, he may stand. We'll see what happens the rest of the year."

Another colt by Sweet Lou, Cannibal is trained by Nancy Takter. He has a record of 13-3-1 from 21 lifetime tries, has now pocketed $514,978 and returned $2.76 to win as the 1-4 favorite.

Command (McCarthy) rounded out the Diamond Creek bonanza, as he sat in second behind Ants Marching (Dexter Dunn) through fast fractions of 27, 53 2/5 and 1:20, angled out nearing three-quarters, took over the top spot in the lane, and held off Bugaboo Lou (D. Miller) by a neck in 1:47 4/5. El Rey (Scott Zeron) finished third.

"We can't get the smiles off our face," remarked Diamond Creek's Shaun Laungani. "I know what it's like to be on the other side of it; we all do. We appreciate everybody participating that paid into these stakes funds. When the sun shines on you, it's just the best."

Pelling's second winner of the day, Command is by Captaintreacherous. He made his eighth stop in the winner's circle from 22 trips behind the gate, has banked $342,339 and paid $5.60 to win as the 9-5 second choice.