Red Mile: Rookie filly trotters tangle in International Stallion Stakes

International Stallion Stakes events for 2-year-old filly trotters were on the docket as part of Saturday afternoon's program at The Red Mile, and the winners were Pizzelle, Buy A Round, Soiree Hanover and Santa Croce.

Pizzelle (David Miller) began the proceedings by winning her $86,500 split in 1:53 2/5. Draw The Line (Scott Zeron) led through fractions of 28 1/5, 57 3/5 and 1:26, but Pizzelle went first-up out of fourth beyond the half and advanced into second at three-quarters. Pizzelle sustained her brush into the lane, went by Draw The Line in mid-stretch, and edged clear to win by a length and a quarter. Pisco Sour (Dexter Dunn) crossed the finish line second but was deemed to have gone inside the cones in the stretch, and was lapped-on by Draw The Line, who wound up third. As a result, those positions were swapped, moving Draw The Line to the runner-up spot and Pisco Sour down to third.

"I got her early in the sale last year, and we thought pretty cheap for $65,000. She's always showed me an absolute ton of speed. She's natural-gaited, a lot cleaner than most horses I train," said winning co-owner/trainer Chris Beaver. "She had a little bit of a rough patch in the summer. She wasn't trying real hard, and we kind of took a step back, turned her out for a little bit. She's come on better and better every week since.

"I thought if she raced good today like she did last week we'd go on to the Breeders Crown."

A Walner filly bred by Brittany Farms, Pizzelle is co-owned by Donald Robinson. she has two wins and four seconds in nine outings, has banked $101,500 and paid $6.06 to win as the 2-1 favorite.

Buy A Round (Andy McCarthy) improved to two-for-two in the Grand Circuit Meet with a 1:53 3/5 victory in the next $86,500 grouping. Senorita Palema (Tim Tetrick) drove on two-wide from post eight and cleared Honey's Sweet (Yannick Gingras) past the 28 second opening quarter and kept control to the half in 57 1/5 and the three-quarters in 1:26 3/5. Meantime, Buy A Round got away sixth but picked up live cover from Date Night Hanover (Brian Sears) and worked her way into contention.

In the lane Senorita Palema accelerated and was game off the soft middle-half, but McCarthy swung Buy A Round out three-wide, and she was able to rally for the win by a head over Sierra Girl (Ake Svanstedt), who also closed furiously in the stretch after sitting in fourth and getting shuffled on the last turn. Senorita Palema wound up third.

"She's quite a filly. Noel's (trainer Noel Daley) done a great job with her. She's average-sized or a little bit below average-sized, but you see when she turns for home, she just absolutely takes no prisoners," remarked winning owner/breeder Fred Hertrich III. "Kind of soft fractions, luckily with this big red mile, we had enough room to work, sprint home and get the money."

Another daughter of Walner, Buy A Round has a summary of 5-0-2 from seven trips behind the gate and has now put away $267,500. She returned $3.22 to win as the 3-5 favorite.

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The third $87,500 section saw Paulina Hanover (McCarthy) get away with soft panels of just 27 2/5, 58 4/5 and 1:27 1/5 as Svanstedt waited until the last turn to pull out of third with 6-5 second choice Warrawee Michelle, giving cover to even-money choice Soiree Hanover (Tetrick). The sprint was on in the stretch, and although Paulina Hanover had the jump she couldn't off hold Warrawee Michelle and Soiree Hanover, and at the wire, it would be Soiree Hanover on the far outside who got up for the decision by a neck in 1:54 1/5. Warrawee Michelle had to settle for second and Paulina Hanover ended up third.

"She's a great filly. I'm so thankful to Lucas (trainer Lucas Wallin) and Tim and all the team with Lucas," offered owner Calle Wihlborg of Snogarps Gard Inc. "They're doing a great job, and it's a fantastic filly."

By Walner and bred by Hanover Shoe Farms, Soiree Hanover sold for $110,000 at the 2022 Standardbred Horse Sale. She made her fifth trip to the winner's circle in her seventh appearance, has pocketed $436,175 and kicked back $4.06 to win.

Last year's Hambletonian upsetters Todd McCarthy and Jim Campbell pulled off another one in the last $87,500 section, as Santa Croce came through at 40-1. She brushed from fourth to first past the 28 second opening quarter and then released favored R Melina (Tetrick) to the engine after the 57 2/5 half. R Melina fended off a first-over try by Volcanic Blue Chip (Svanstedt) to the 1:26 three-quarters and spun into the lane first, but she drifted off the cones, which allowed Santa Croce a space to race. Once she had room, Santa Croce had enough trot to go with it, getting up for the victory by a nose in 1:54. R Melina just missed in second and early leader Miss I La (Zeron) nabbed third.

"She really raced good. She actually trotted a back-half in 54 and a piece last week, and we were really happy with her," relayed Campbell after the triumph. "She trained down like a real nice filly. We just had some unfortunate sickness and bad things happen at bad times for her. She never really got a chance to really get going, but we were very happy with her in her last couple races here.

"For her, John Floren (Coyote Wynd Farms), who owns her, we've had the conversation that we think she's a nice filly. She's growing a lot and we're probably just going make this her last start of the year, turn her out and let her mature and get ready for next year."

Bred by Moni Market Breeders, the Father Patrick filly fetched $185,000 at last year's Lexington Selected Yearling Sale. She broke her maiden in her eighth chance, increased her bankroll to $83,300 and paid $83.62 to win.