Red Mile: Favorites defeated in Bluegrass Series for rookie pacing males

There were no winning favorites in the trio of $110,000 Bluegrass Series events for 2-year-old colt and gelding pacers on Saturday afternoon at The Red Mile.

46-1 shot Nautical Hanover (Todd McCarthy) did the honors in the first division. Danger Zone (Andrew McCarthy) led through panels of 27 1/5, 55 1/5, and 1:23 3/5, with Nautical Hanover, who tucked in fourth from post eight, moving out first-up just before the half. On the last turn, Nautical Hanover was able to slide into the pocket when Loukes Perry (Yannick Gingras) broke, and after bravening up, McCarthy guided him back to the outside turning for home.

Nautical Hanover swept around Danger Zone to take the lead in the stretch, then held off Ohio Sires Stakes champion and 1-5 favorite Gulf Shores (Ronnie Wrenn Jr.), who had excess cover and was bothered by Loukes Perry before three-quarters, to tally by half a length in 1:51. Seaside Way (Simon Allard) closed well for third.

A Captaintreacherous-Naughty Marietta colt bred by Hanover Shoe Farms, Nautical Hanover is trained by Tony Alagna for owners Brad Grant, Vj Stable, Jablonsky Held Stable, and In The Gym Partners. Nautical Hanover broke his maiden in his tenth opportunity, has now earned $101,763, and paid $95.80 to win.

Todd McCarthy had the chalk in the next flight with Pebble Beach, but this time he was the one getting knocked off, as 9-2 offering Early Action defeated him by a head in 1:49 4/5. Brian Sears put Early Action on the point at the 28 1/5 opening quarter, but Pebble Beach came with a backside brush that carried him into command before the 55 3/5 half. With a first-over River Ness (David Miller) unable to put any outside pressure on Pebble Beach on the last turn, McCarthy still had clear command with his charge at the 1:23 2/5 three-quarters and spun into the lane first.

Early Action had lost a bit of ground to Pebble Beach on the far turn, but once they straightened up in the stretch and Sears tipped him off the cones, he hit top gear, and though Pebble Beach dug in determinedly, he just couldn't fend off Early Action, who got up late to get the victory. River Ness ended up third.

Early Action is a Huntsville-Fashion Katie gelding, and he was also bred by Hanover Shoe Farms. Joe Holloway trains Early Action, who has a summary of 6-1-0 from eight tries and a bankroll of $124,408, for owners Val D'Or Farms and Ted Gewertz. Early Action returned $10.40 to win.

"[Brian Sears] does a great job," Holloway said after the race. "He also has the ability to - once he left with him - to get him to relax in the two-hole. He doesn't need my advice. [Early Action] has improved. Unfortunately, we had to geld him, but after that the horse came around. He wasn't paying attention to business. I'm not a big fan of gelding, never really had it work out too well. I've had two in my career, and this is the second one. He's a high speed horse and he's coming along."

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The last grouping saw PJ Lou (Andy Miller) in charge at the 27 1/5 opening quarter, but he would be challenged and overtaken by a two-wide JM's Finaltreasure (Gingras) past that marker. JM's Finaltreasure then released favored Wearinmysixshooter (Dexter Dunn) and followed him to the 55 1/5 half and the 1:23 1/5 three-quarters. Gingras put JM's Finaltreasure in motion again coming off the far turn, and he was able to wear down and go by Wearinmysixshooter in the lane. From there, JM's Finaltreasure didn't face a serious threat, as he went on to prevail by two lengths in 1:50 4/5. Captain Cowboy (Scott Zeron) crossed the wire in second, but after the judges determined that he raced inside pylons after three-quarters, he was placed back to fifth. That elevated PJ Lou to the runner-up spot and Atlas Hanover (A. McCarthy) to third.

A Sweet Lou half-brother to Captaintreacherous, JM's Finaltreasure is trained by Ron Burke for owners Burke Racing Stable LLC., Weaver Bruscemi LLC., J&T Silva- Purnel & Libby, and Phil Collura. The White Birch Farm-bred gelding now has four victories, four second-place results, and a third from ten starts, has pocketed $205,063, and paid $5.20 to win as the second choice.