Red Mile: Rookie pacers begin Kentucky Sire Stakes campaigns

The Kentucky Sire Stakes season for 2-year-old pacers kicked off on Saturday night at The Red Mile with a pair of $30,000 splits for colts and geldings and one $30,000 contest for the fillies.

Roll With Jr (Doug McNair) sat in the three-hole through fractions of 27 4/5, 54 4/5, and 1:22 4/5 in the first flight for the boys, angled out three-high in the lane, and rallied by for a 4 1/2 length win in 1:51 1/5. Sea Of Life (Andrew McCarthy) was second and Fortify (Scott Zeron) advanced from seventh and last at the half to third at the wire.

This was the second career win for the victorious Roll With Joe-No One Is Alone (The Panderosa) colt. Trainer Jeff Cullipher also co-owns the $15,000 Lexington Selected Yearling Sale buy, who was bred in Lexington by the Jacksons (Kenneth and Lisa) and the Bradys (Robert and Rebecca), with partner Pollack Racing LLC. Roll With Jr has earned $32,216 from five starts, and he paid $8.20 to win as the 3-1 second choice.

The other tilt for the colts and geldings went to Lottery Winner, a full brother (Bettor's Delight-Extreme Dream-Jate Lobell) to Thinkbig Dreambig, in 1:51 3/5. Driven by Marcus Johansson for his wife Nancy, Lottery Winner brushed into the lead past the 28 2/5 opening quarter, hit the half in 56 3/5 and the three-quarters in 1:24 4/5, and held sway to the wire, defeating Moneyman Hill (Zeron) by a length. He Refuses To Lose (Matt Krueger) was the third-place finisher.

A $185,000 Lexington Selected Yearling Sale acquisition, Lottery Winner was bred by Kentuckiana Farms LLC. and is owned by Joyce McClelland, Hatfield Stables, R A W Equine Inc., and Ric Flair Stables. Lottery Winner broke his maiden in his third opportunity, pushed his bankroll to $24,140, and returned $4.00 to win as the even-money favorite.

Eleven rookie pacing fillies lined up for their Kentucky Sire Stakes clash, and a debuting Gai Waterhouse (Drew Monti) was parked first-up through fractions of 27 2/5, 55 4/5, and 1:25 3/5. Despite the wide journey, she improved position at every call, then forged her way into the lead in the lane en route to a 1 1/2 length triumph in 1:52 3/5. Blood Red (Zeron) followed the winner on the rim from second-over and was the runner-up, with Ellagator (Elliott Deaton) third.

Named after the successful Australian Thoroughbred trainer, Gai Waterhouse is a full sister (Western Ideal-The Art Museum-Artsplace) to Artspeak. Gai Waterhouse, who was second twice and third once in qualifiers at Vernon Downs and the Meadowlands for trainer Domenico Cecere, was bred by Brittany Farms LLC. and Mel Hartman and was purchased for $115,000 at the Standardbred Horse Sale. She was a 13-1 offering and paid $29.60 to win.