Red Mile: Sharp mile by Cuatro De Julio in Kentucky Sires Stakes

Cuatro De Julio fell short of Walner's world record for a 2-year-old colt trotter on a mile track by just a fifth of a second after winning Sunday afternoon's single $40,000 Kentucky Sires Stakes event for that group at The Red Mile in 1:51 4/5. Empressive Hill and Darlene Hanover won the two splits for rookie trotting fillies.

Driven by Al Eferstein, Cuatro De Julio was racing in the pocket behind Iznogoud AM (Joe Bongiorno) at the 27 3/5 first quarter, but when the tempo-setter made a break going to the 55 4/5 half, Cuatro De Julio ended up on the lead. Cuatro De Julio continued on the engine to three-quarters in 1:24 2/5, and he powered home in 27 2/5 to defeat a Dancinginthedark M (Dave Palone), who had a second-over trip, by 2 1/2 lengths. Cricket Fashion (Todd McCarthy) was first-up on the final bend and came in third.

This year's Kentucky Fairs champion, Cuatro De Julio, a colt by Trixton, has also now won twice in three Kentucky Sires Stakes appearances. Out of the Ready Cash mare Clarabelle, Cuatro De Julio is trained by Marie Ortolan-Bar for owner D Farm LLC. and was bred by Dream With Me Stable. Cuatro De Julio, who paid $38.60 to win as an 18-1 offering, has a record of 8-0-0 from 10 tries and has pocketed $59,700.

In the first section for the trotting fillies, Contested Hanover (Charlie Norris) showed the way to the 28 2/5 opening quarter, but she too made a break past the 58 1/5 half while still on top, leaving Spring Dreams (Bongiorno) in command. Empressive Hill (Dewayne Minor) took up the chase first-over from fourth on the last turn, and advanced into second at the 1:26 3/5 three-quarters.

Through the lane it looked like Spring Dreams might hold on as Empressive Hill's surge flattened out, but she came with one more push inside the last sixteenth that carried her to the win by a neck in 1:53 4/5. Eazy Pass (Mark MacDonald) split horses after tracking cover from second-over and was the runner-up, and Spring Dreams wound up third.

Empressive Hill, a filly by Muscle Hill, is also trained by Minor for owner Jordan Derue. Empressive Hill, bred by Dr. Fred Kruszelnicki, sold for $27,000 at last year's Lexington Selected Yearling Sale and has two wins, a second, and a third from five starts, which has propelled her to $37,675 in earnings. Empressive Hill, who is out of the Conway Hall mare Slice Slice Baby (1:59 2/5, $48,847), returned $4.40 to win as the wagering choice.

The other dash for the fillies saw Darlene Hanover (McCarthy) score her fourth straight victory dating back to her Jim Doherty Memorial elimination at the end of July. She tucked in fourth from post eight going to the 28 second opening quarter, but she brushed in the backstretch and landed on top after the 58 second half. After securing the front, Darlene Hanover repelled a first-up bid from Beautiful Game (MacDonald) to the 1:27 three-quarters and through the lane, and held sway to win by a length and a quarter in 1:55. Beautiful Game held second, with Piper Hanover (Matt Kreuger) third.

Brett Bittle trains Darlene Hanover, a daughter of Chapter Seven, for owner Yankeeland Partners LLP. Darlene Hanover, who was bred by Hanover Shoe Farms Inc. and went for $130,000 at the 2019 Standardbred Horse Sale, has four wins and a second from six efforts and has stashed away $219,942. Darlene Hanover is the first foal out of the unraced Cantab Hall mare Danielle Hanover, a half-sister to Donato Hanover (1:50 1/5, $3,002,922) and also to Here Comes Herbie (Credit Winner, 1:52, $366,419). Darlene Hanover was the even-money favorite and paid $4.00 to win.