Red Mile: Grand Circuit double for Floren, Campbell, Tetrick

Owner Coyote Wynd Farms (John Floren), trainer Jim Campbell, and driver Tim Tetrick won two of the four International Stallion Stakes sections for 2-year-old filly trotters on Friday afternoon at The Red Mile.

Madame Sherry was the first of their winners as she grabbed the third $72,800 division in 1:54 1/5. Away third to the 28 4/5 opening quarter, Tetrick sent her up and around Queen Of The Hill (Yannick Gingras) to get command going to the 56 2/5 half. From there, Madame Sherry got three-quarters in 1:25 4/5, then held off Heaven (Marcus Miller) to her inside and Queen Of The Hill to her outside in the lane to win by a neck.

"Very gutsy, and she's been a real nice filly training down. She just ran into a little bad luck getting started, but she's making up for it now," said Campbell. "She's got a great attitude, and she's a great-gaited filly.

"We'll see how she comes out of it. It's a possibility, but I'll talk to John and see what he's thinking," Campbell added about a potential Breeders Crown appearance for Madame Sherry. "We'll decide in the next few days."

A Father Patrick-Celebrity Angel filly, Madame Sherry was bred by Kentuckiana Farms LLC. and was purchased for $100,000 at last year's Lexington Selected Yearling Sale. This was her second win from six attempts, and she has now earned $79,773. She was the 8-5 second choice and paid $5.20 to win.

Sherry Lyns Lady then gave the connections their double, taking the last $72,800 grouping in an identical 1:54 1/5. Sherry Lyns Lady settled in fourth to the 28 3/5 opening quarter, then improved on the inside to third when Panem (Dexter Dunn) went wide with a flat tire on her sulky. Sherry Lyns Lady remained in third at the 56 1/5 half and 1:25 three-quarters, but she angled out in the last quarter and was full of trot in the lane, rallying past for the win by a length and a half. Senorita Rita (Scott Zeron) cut the mile and was second, with Rebecca Clark (Jimmy Takter) third.

"It all worked out good. Dexter's horse had a flat tire and I got out on the turn," remarked Tetrick. "She's a sweetheart. She's been good all year."

Sherry Lyns Lady is a Father Patrick-Demoiselle Hanover filly. She now has a record of 3-5-1 from nine trips behind the gate, and she has put away $300,554. Bred by Steve Stewart and Timot Stable Inc., Sherry Lyns Lady was purchased for $220,000 at the 2018 Lexington Selected Yearling Sale. She was the 6-5 favorite and returned $4.40 to win.

The fastest of the four races was the first $71,800 one as Violet Stride (Tyler Buter) posted a 16-1 upset in a 1:52 mile. Violet Stride was in front at the 28 second opening quarter, then released heavy favorite Love A Good Story (Andy Miller) past the 55 2/5 half. Love A Good Story would trot through three-quarters in 1:24, but Buter had his charge on the outside and coming quickly, and she overwhelmed Love A Good Story in the lane en route to a 3 1/4 length decision. Crucial (Chris Page) got third.

"She's just been good all along. She hasn't had a lot of chances in races, and today she got a real good chance," said winning trainer Mark Harder.

Violet Stride is a Trixton-Sterling Volo filly owned by Emilio and Maria Rosati. It was the third win for the Kentuckiana Farms LLC. and Jorgen Jahre-bred filly who brought $280,000 at last year's Lexington Selected Yearling Sale, and she has now pocketed $96,760. She paid $35.40 to win.

Ramona Hill ran her record to five victories from five tries in the second $72,800 clash, stopping the clock in 1:52 2/5. Starting from the outside post eight, she pressed on around Sister Sledge (Gingras) for the top spot beyond the 27 4/5 first quarter. Ramona Hill clicked off the half in 55 3/5 and the three-quarters in 1:24 4/5, then lasted over a rallying Sister Sledge to prevail by a neck. Shishito (Dunn) got third.

"Yannick was getting to me mid-stretch there, but the good ones just find a way to get it done. She did that today," said McCarthy.

Brad Grant, breeder Crawford Farms, Robert Leblanc, and In The Gym Partners own Ramona Hill, a Muscle Hill-Lock Down Lindy filly trained by Tony Alagna. She has put $102,400 in the bank to go with her unblemished record, and she returned $3.80 to win as the 4-5 choice.

"We'll see how she comes out of it, but if she tells us she's ready she'll be going," Alagna remarked about heading to the Breeders Crown. "She's really blossomed down here. Lexington has done wonders for her."

--with quotes from Derick Giwner--