Red Mile: Love A Good Story upsets at 27-1 in Kentucky Filly Futurity

Love A Good Story surprised a field of a dozen 3-year-old filly trotters in capturing the $255,000 Kentucky Filly Futurity on Sunday afternoon at The Red Mile at odds of 27-1 for driver Andy Miller.

The large field saw a variety of fillies duel in the early stages, while Miller and Love A Good Story began their journey at the back of the pack. Panem swept to the front from post nine for driver Dexter Dunn in a 27 flat opening quarter. Hypnotic AM and Brian Sears marched past them as the field swung onto the backstretch, but her lead would be short-lived, with second choice Sorella and driver Yannick Gingras storming up on the outside to gain control well before the half-mile fraction went on the board in 54 seconds. Sorella was followed by favorite and Hambletonian champion Ramona Hill, who made a bid to gain control, but lost her stride for Andy McCarthy before the half and was out of contention.

The outer tier movement saw Love A Good Story and Miller advancing now in the third quarter behind the cover of Sister Sledge and Crucial, and once Sorella passed three-quarters in 1:23 1/5, Love A Good Story rallied three-wide and then four-wide to take her best chance.

Sears sensed the upset opportunity as well from the pocket with 10-1 shot Hypnotic AM and angled across the track, perhaps impacting Love A Good Story’s momentum some. Miller kept his cool, and Love A Good Story, a daughter of Chapter Seven who played second fiddle often this summer in the New York Sire Stakes to champion Hypnotic AM, got the better of her rival on Sunday, driving past to win by three-quarters of a length in a career-best 1:51 2/5 clocking. Hypnotic AM just outfinished Sorella for the place spot.

Owned by Pinske Stables, Kentuckiana Racing, and Daniel Plouffe, Love A Good Story is trained by Julie Miller and captured the Filly Futurity while winning for the 13th time in 20 career starts.

"She raced great here last year," said Andy Miller following the victory, recalling her win last fall over the Red Mile strip in 1:52 2/5.

As for the winning trip he said, "I was biding my time on the outside on the first turn, and I wound up third-over.”

It would be a great cover trip that led to a major upset and a very good storybook finish.