Red Mile: Rookie trotting males face off in Bluegrass splits

A trio of Bluegrass sections for rookie trotting colts and geldings occurred on Friday afternoon at The Red Mile, with Dancinginthedark M, Take All Comers, and Delayed Hanover getting to go to the winner's circle.

Dancinginthedark M (Tim Tetrick) was third at the 28 3/5 opening quarter in the first $105,100 division, but he moved to the outside in the backstretch and was able to get by leader Cuatro De Julio (Al Eferstein) just after the 57 1/5 half. After taking over, Dancinginthedark M went on to post three-quarters in 1:25 2/5, then sprinted home in 27 seconds flat to win by a length and three-quarters over Cuatro De Julio in 1:52 2/5. Southwind Tyrion (Ake Svanstedt) closed well in the final panel for third.

"His mind, once in a while, will kind of take over his gait, and he kind of overtries to trot himself, and he'll make a mistake," remarked Tetrick. "Today, we timed the gate and then he sat in pretty good, but he was starting to get aggressive and we had to make a move. He's always had enough talent to carry it, but we've been trying to teach him to learn how to race the right way. He's definitely aggressive. It's not a bad aggressive, but he just wants to go too much, and he won't let me do my job yet to this point. I think he'll learn how to do that.

"I just wanted him to have a good day on this beautiful dirt. Hopefully he likes it, and next time he'll come back and remember that and be happier for it. It's chilly out, and these horses really haven't seen cold weather yet. Thankfully the track is beautiful and the sun's shining, but it's still a good mile for a young 2-year-old."

Trained by Marcus Melander, Dancinginthedark M is a colt by 2018 Prix d'Amerique champion Readly Express and is a homebred for Menhammar Stuteri AB. Out of the Andover Hall mare Leila, who is a half-sister to the likes of CR Mr Bean (1:55 2/5, $291,076) and Captain Sparrow (1:53 2/5, $210,380) Dancinginthedark M has won half of his six career starts, has banked $91,961, and paid $7.80 to win as the 5-2 third choice.

Take All Comers (David Miller) posted a 19-1 upset in the second $105,100 Bluegrass battle, breaking his maiden in the process. Johan Palema (Dexter Dunn) fronted the field of eight through stations of 28, 56 3/5, and 1:25, but Take All Comers, who had come first-over from third on the last turn, rallied with a 27 1/5 final kicker and out-finished pocket-sitter Fly Light (Svanstedt) to tally by three-parts of a length in 1:52 3/5. Moonstone (Brian Sears) was the third-place finisher.

"My theory is, especially with trotters, if they're messing up just because they've got other things on their mind, you're better off gelding them if you want them to win here in Kentucky and in October," said winning trainer Jim Campbell. "This colt, he was like that. He wasn't a mean horse, but he was a big horse and just had other things on his mind. As soon as we gelded him, it just turned the corner for him.

"Dave Miller said before he got on him, 'I'm looking forward to racing him today.' Dave only drove him one time, which was at The Meadows. He's big, but he's got speed, and I think the five-eighths tracks just kind of hindered him a little, but we got a chance to see what he could do on the big track today."

The initial Grand Circuit winner for first-crop sire Creatine, Take All Comers is a homebred for Runthetable Stables. Take All Comers, who is out of the Cantab Hall mare Nantab (1:58 2/5, $28,228) and is a half-brother to the Sebastian K filly Next Level Stuff (1:53 2/5, $328,816), has earned $121,982 to go with a record of 1-3-1 from seven appearances. He returned $40.80 to win.

The last $106,100 Bluegrass event saw Jack Fire (Andrew McCarthy) move around Delayed Hanover (Svanstedt) to land on the point just beyond the 28 1/5 opening quarter. Svanstedt then came out of the pocket in tight quarters ahead of Sonofamistery (Sears) past that marker. Sonofamistery made a break at that time, while Delayed Hanover brushed past Jack Fire prior to the 57 2/5 half. Delayed Hanover repelled a first-up Locatelli (Dunn) on the last turn and to the 1:27 1/5 three-quarters, then trotted away stylishly in the lane to win by 3 1/2 length in 1:53 4/5. Jack Fire was next, followed by Locatelli.

There was a judges' inquiry into the break that Sonofamistery made when Delayed Hanover came out, but there was no change made to the finish order.

Svanstedt also trains and co-owns Delayed Hanover, a colt from first crop of Southwind Frank, with partner Mellby Gard Inc. Delayed Hanover, a $230,000 Standardbred Horse Sale buy bred by Hanover Shoe Farms Inc., now has one win and a pair of runner-up finishes from three trips behind the gate, and he has now pocketed $60,800. Delayed Hanover is the second foal out of the Credit Winner mare Don't Wait Up and is from the family of Trixton. He was the favorite and paid $5.20 to win.

"Southwind Frank can be a good stud. He has a good pedigree, and he was a very good horse," said Svanstedt. "This horse is good-looking also."