Red Mile: Eight is great for Geocentric in International Stallion Stakes

Geocentric ran her lifetime record to eight-for-eight with a lifetime-best 1:49 3/5 win in her International Stallion Stakes dash for 2-year-old pacing fillies on Friday afternoon at The Red Mile. My Girl EJ and Camerican won the other sections.

Racing in the second $84,500 division, Geocentric and driver Tim Tetrick were fifth through opening-half fractions of 27 3/5 and 55 4/5 set by first Genie Hanover (Todd McCarthy) and then Canigetalouploup (Yannick Gingras). The latter horse remained the boss at the 1:23 1/5 three-quarters, but Geocentric had made a first-over advance into second and sustained that bid into the lane. Geocentric would forge her way by Canigetalouploup inside the final eighth and then drew clear to win by three lengths in 1:49 3/5. Canigetalouploup wound up second and Genie Hanover grabbed third.

"She's had a little more work done in this last month than she has all year. Feet, we switched to razor pads for this start. Actually her last start she looked a little knotty, and the razor pads really helped, I think," said victorious trainer Brian Brown. "I've tried to stay out of her way all year. She's been just one of those horses. Everybody says from Day One you knew they were good. We didn't know she was good, but she never had a bad day. She's done everything you could possibly want a horse to do. Every time you trained her, just nothing ever went wrong with her."

Brown trains the Diamond Creek Farm-bred by Sweet Lou for owners Milt Leeman, Alan Keith, Jim Stambaugh and Joe Sbrocco. Purchased for $55,000 at last year's Standardbred Horse Sale, she has earned $536,751 to go with her undefeated status and returned $2.10 to win.

My Girl EJ (Dexter Dunn) won the first $84,500 grouping in a career-best 1:49 1/5. Caviart Belle (Yannick Gingras) cut the opening quarter in 27 3/5, but Dunn brought My Girl EJ out of the pocket and took over the top spot before the 55 second half-mile marker. My Girl EJ maintained control through three-quarters in 1:22 4/5, and although Blue Pacific (David Miller) tipped out of the three-hole at the top of the lane and rallied to the wire, it wasn't enough, as My Girl EJ held sway by half a length. Watching You (Scott Zeron) finished third.

"I actually expected it. She's been good all her life," remarked winning co-owner Howard Taylor. "She's had some tough trips and tough luck, but she's been good every start."

Burke Racing Stable LLC., Weaver Bruscemi LLC. and Elizabeth Novak bred My Girl EJ, a Ron Burke-trained daughter of Sweet Lou, and now co-own her with Taylor. She has three wins, four seconds and a third from nine starts, has put away $242,847, and paid $4.90 to win as the 7-5 favorite.

► Sign up for our FREE DRF Harness Digest Newsletter

Another Burke trainee, Camerican, took the last $85,500 section in 1:50 3/5, taking almost five full seconds off her prior best winning time of 1:55 2/5 at Yonkers. Camerican (Gingras) fronted the field to the quarter in 27 3/5, then released a brushing Peace Talks (David Miller) to the lead before the 55 second half-mile point. Peace Talks roared through three-quarters in 1:23 1/5 but Gingras brought Camerican to the outside in the stretch and was able to rally past Peace Talks for the win by a neck. Asweetbeachhere (Zeron) checked in third.

Camerican, who is by American Ideal and out of the Camluck mare Camille, is trained by Burke for owners/breeders Burke Racing Stable LLC., Weaver Bruscemi LLC., M1 Stable LLC. and Jack Piatt III. Camille has made ten appearances thus far in her freshman season, winning three times and finishing second on five occasions, and third once. Camille has a bankroll of $187,612 and returned $7.56 to win.