Red Mile: More Pinske power in Bluegrass events

Young trainer Carter Pinske and his family's Pinske Stable enjoyed another banner day at The Red Mile on Friday, sweeping two flights of the Bluegrass for 2-year-old pacing fillies and then also winning a rookie filly trot division with Julie Miller-trained Love A Good Story.

Fresh off a world record performance by 2-year-old gelding trotter Amigo Volo yesterday, Pinske had Marloe Hanover (David Miller) and Annabelle Hanover (Dexter Dunn) in the two Bluegrass tilts for the pacers, and they would win in 1:50 4/5 and 1:50 2/5, respectively.

Marloe Hanover got to the lead past the 27 4/5 opening quarter in the first $139,750 tilt, controlled the proceedings through middle-half panels of 56 and 1:24, and sprinted home in 26 4/5 to win by 2 1/4 lengths. Shouldabeenatd (Yannick Gingras) was second from the pocket, with Lady Lou (Andrew McCarthy) third from second-over.

Marloe Hanover, the Pennsylvania Sire Stakes consolation winner, is a daughter of Captaintreacherous owned by the Pinskes along with David Hoese and Dr. Bridgette Jablonsky. This was Marloe Hanover's second win, and she has now earned $124,279. She was a 5-1 shot and paid $12.40 to win.

In the other $140,750 Bluegrass filly pace, Annabelle Hanover and Dunn raced in the pocket and then the three-hole through panels of 27 4/5, 55 3/5, and 1:23 1/5, then angled out three-wide off the cones turning for home. Using a 26 4/5 final brush, Annabelle Hanover chased down Baby Your The Best (D. Miller), who had surged from fourth to first in the backstretch, to win by a length and a half. Early leader Gai Waterhouse (Gingras) took third.

"It took til about February until she was broke good, and I just have to say thanks to Erv Miller and everybody down in Florida that helped get her to the track, let alone here," said Pinske after the win. "I didn't know what to expect at the top of the lane, and she just exploded. I think she's going to try and go towards the Kindergarten."

A filly by Somebeachsomewhere, Annabelle Hanover broke her maiden in her sixth chance, and she has now pocketed $115,233. Annabelle Hanover, who was second to her stablemate in the PaSS consolation, is owned by the partnership of the Pinskes, Lawrence Means, and Curly Tall Curly Small, and she returned $7.20 to win as a 5-2 offering.

Love A Good Story gave the Pinskes another trip to the winner's circle in the third of four $83,000 Bluegrass events on the trotting side of the ledger. Love A Good Story (Andy Miller) took the lead passing the 28 1/5 opening quarter, then released 1-5 favorite Ms Savannah Belle (Gingras) as they raced to the 55 4/5 half. Ms Savannah Belle backed down the tempo to just 1:25 at three-quarters, but Miller brought Love A Good Story to the outside past that point and chased down the chalk in the lane, getting up to win by half a length in 1:52 2/5. Seventimesalady (Ake Svanstedt) was third.

Pinske Stables co-owns Love A Good Story, a filly by Chapter Seven, with Kentuckiana Racing Stable and Daniel Plouffe. Love A Good Story owns a record of 7-1-0 from nine starts, and she has put away $216,187. She was sent off at 7-1 and paid $17.80 to win.

Also winning Bluegrass dashes for trotters were Shishito, Common Sense, and Ramona Hill.

Shishito (Dunn) pressed on to the lead past the 28 second opening quarter in the first $83,000 contest, stayed on the engine at the 56 second half and 1:24 3/5 three-quarters, and fended off an extended first-over try from Senorita Rita (Scott Zeron) to win by a length and a quarter in 1:53. Dune Hill (Gingras) was third.

Per Engblom trains Shishito, a daughter of Father Patrick, for owners Black Horse Racing and John Fielding. Shishito made her fourth appearance in the winner's circle, boosted her bankroll to $222,776, and returned $4.00 to win as the even-money favorite.

Common Sense (Svanstedt) sat a pocket trip behind Hello Tomorrow (Tim Tetrick) through stations of 28 1/5, 56 2/5, and 1:25 2/5 in the second $82,000 division, then rallied up the inside in the lane to win by a length and a quarter in 1:53 3/5. Hello Tomorrow was second, and Sister Sledge (Gingras) saw her undefeated run to start her career end at seven as she was third from first-over.

"I bought her in Sweden in a sale just because I trained both her mother and grandmother," remarked Svanstedt. "They were two good horses."

Svanstedt also co-owns Common Sense, a Swedish-bred daughter of Trixton, with S R F Stable. Common Sense is now a five-time winner, and she shows earnings of $122,600. A 5-1 shot, she paid $12.20 to win.

Ramona Hill (McCarthy) did remain perfect in the last $82,000 Bluegrass flight of the day. She was pocketed behind Panem (Dunn) as she trotted through a quarter in 28, a half in 55 4/5, and a three-quarters in 1:24 4/5, tipped out for the drive, came on to get the lead, and won in-hand in 1:52 4/5. She defeated Madame Sherry (Tetrick) by 2 1/2 lengths, with Panem fading to third.

"We trained the dam, and this filly had a very similar frame. She had a great look to her, and knowing how fast the dam was, I thought I'd take a shot at that number," said winning trainer Tony Alagna. "She's just been great. I didn't stake her to the Doherty at the Meadowlands because she was a late foal. That's what we've done by design, and so far it's paying off. We're very lucky she's very much like a Thoroughbred. She doesn't require a lot of work. I think the possibilities are endless if she stays like she is now. We really hope for great things for her next year."

Brad Grant, breeder Crawford Farms, Robert Leblanc, and In The Gym Partners own Ramona Hill, a Muscle Hill filly. She has put $66,000 in the bank to go with her four-for-four mark, and she returned $2.40 to win as the 1-5 choice.