Red Mile: Five dual-eligibles look to complete Sire Stakes double-dip in KYSS finals

The landscape of Standardbred racing has certainly changed with the increased purses in Kentucky and the viability of winning multiple Sire Stakes finals. On Sunday (9/17) at The Red Mile, five hopefuls will look to win their second Sire Stakes finals of 2023 and bolster their bankrolls by $200,000 in the process.

As a 2-year-old pacing filly, Twin B Joe Fresh pulled off the New York/Kentucky daily double in 2022 but elected to skip the $225,000 final on September 9 at Yonkers Raceway this year so she could compete the next day in an $80,000 Kentucky Championship Series leg to qualify for Sunday’s $400,000 contest. This year's handful in search of a Sire Stakes two-fer include Geocentric (2YO Filly Pace), Better Is Nice (2YO Colt Pace), French Wine (3YO Colt Trot), Railee Something and Special Way (3YO Filly Trot). Geocentric, French Wine and Railee Something scored their first wins in on the Pennsylvania Sire Stakes circuit while Better Is Nice and Special Way are New Jersey Sire Stakes champions.

"Generally you have to pay for those horses," said Geocentric's trainer Brian Brown about dual-eligible types. "Luckily enough this horse sold at Harrisburg and maybe the people weren't concentrating as much on Kentucky-breds since they do most of that at Lexington. It has just been a godsend to have a horse like her. When you can go to both states and race, you still have to manage it out to make sure you don't overdo it so she is fresh for both finals."

Of the above group, only Geocentric, who was purchased for $55,000, enters Sunday with a perfect career record (six-for-six), something trainer Brown is hoping remains intact. At the same time, he realizes that worrying about continuing the perfect streak won't help the situation.

"I try not to worry about it, but I worry about things most people don't," said Brown. "When we've done our job for the week - pulled blood, trained them and other stuff - it is up to her and Timmy [Tetrick] to finish the job."

A daughter of Sweet Lou bred by Diamond Creek Farm and owned by Milt Leeman, Alan Keith, Jim Stambaugh and Joe Sbrocco, Geocentric has won each of her three Kentucky Championship Series races by at least four lengths and will likely be the 1-9 favorite when she leaves from post five in the third race on a card offering $3.4 million in purse money.

"The goal right now is the Sire Stakes final and the next goal is the Breeders Crown," said Brown, who added that she is eligible to the Bluegrass and International Stallion stakes at The Red Mile but may only race in one to keep her fresh and at 10 starts for the year.

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As for the others attempting to pull off the Sire Stakes double dip, Better Is Nice will be the heavy favorite to down his five foes in the sixth race for driver Andrew McCarthy and trainer Tony Alagna. However, they were defeated by Dancin Champion (post two) on September 5 at The Red Mile.

One race later French Wine looks for his third straight victory for the husband-wife team of Andy and Julie Miller. The Bar Hopping colt has perhaps the toughest assignment of the quintet, starting from post eight versus a strong field that includes multiple leg and Hambletonian winner Tactical Approach.

Only one from the final pair trying for the Sire Stakes two-fer can walk away victorious since Railee Something (post one) and Special Way (post three) face each other in the ninth race. Undefeated in four starts this year, Special Way is of course the horse to beat after returning from injury with a victory last weekend.

The aforementioned Twin B Joe Fresh will look to continue her Kentucky dominance. The Chris Ryder trainee has six wins and a second in seven starts over The Red Mile. She'll start from post seven as the odds-on choice in the fourth race.

On a day of stars, the marquee attraction is clearly Confederate. The top-earning horse in the country, who most recently set a world record 1:46 1/5 over this track, heads a field of seven in the 3-year-old colt and gelding pace. Tim Tetrick will guide the son of Sweet Lou for trainer Brett Pelling from post five.

Post time at The Red Mile is 1 P.M. (EDT) and the track will offer a pair of $10,000 guaranteed wagers, a 20-cent Pick 8 in race two and a $1 Pick 4 in race six.