Red Mile: Favorites clean up in Bluegrass Series for rookie filly pacers

1:51 miles were turned in by all four victors in the $77,500 Bluegrass Series races for rookie pacing fillies on Thursday afternoon at The Red Mile.

Two of the winners were guided by Dexter Dunn. He had Papi Grad on the engine through panels of 27 4/5, 56 1/5 and 1:24 1/5 in her split, and she was able to turn away off a persistent and threatening first-over bid by Looksgoodinloulou (Yannick Gingras) to score by a length and three-quarters, and then Miki And Minnie, the champion of the Kentucky Championship Series, vaulted off cover from second-over to prevail by a length over Duration (Todd McCarthy).

Papi Grad, from the first crop of Papi Rob Hanover, was bred by Midland Acres and is owned by Brent Hopper, Jay Mossbarger, Tko Racing Stable LLC. and Scpstable&Friedlandracing. She has a record of 6-3-0 from nine outings, has earned $262,778 and paid $3.18 to win.

"We've been very, very lucky to have a filly like this," Mossbarger said after the race. "She's been good from the start – one of those kind that always did everything right. We've got one more start left here and we're probably going to shut her down. We've had enough starts for her this year."

Miki And Minnie, an Always B Miki filly , is trained by Chris Ryder for owners/breeders Craig Henderson, Robert Mondillo and Lawrence Minowitz. She made her fourth trip to the winner's circle from eight trips behind the gate, has put away $318,750 and returned $2.52 to win.

"She's getting plenty of wins and is just a good girl," Ryder said after the race. He then said he's undecided on whether Miki And Minnie will race next week in the International Stallion Stakes at The Red Mile but confirmed she is bound for the Breeders Crown.

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Rodeo Drive Deo (David Miller) used a 27 second final kicker to go from fourth at the 1:23 3/5 three-quarters to first by two lengths over Simply Perfect (McCarthy) in her Bluegrass section, and Unreasonable (Scott Zeron) took the last grouping from first-over, holding off a gaining Calamity Hour (Dunn) at the wire by three-quarters of a length.

Ron Burke trains Rodeo Drive Deo, who is by Captaintreacherous, for owners Burke Racing Stable LLC., Weaver Bruscemi LLC., Beasty LLC. and J&T Silva- Purnel & Libby. Bred by Deo Volente Farms and Cool Cat Racing, Rodeo Drive Deo has a pair of victories and two seconds from six efforts, has pocketed $109,957 and paid $4.54 to win.

A daughter of Huntsville bred by Steve Stewart and Frank Chick, Unreasonable is owned by trainer Erv Miller in partnership with David J. Miller. Unreasonable has won three of her seven starts, has banked $138,550 and returned $2.54 to win.

"She's a really nice filly [and] has a great attitude for a Huntsville," Miller said after the race. "Most of them get a little carried away with wanting to go too much at the wrong time. We've worked on her hard from the start but she's really manageable and does whatever we want."

--quotes by Ray Cotolo--