Red Mile: Tall Dark Stranger, Reflect With Me best in Kentucky Sires Stakes

With Yannick Gingras and Andrew McCarthy in Canada, Dexter Dunn picked up the livest of live drives behind Tall Dark Stranger and Reflect With Me in the Kentucky Sires Stakes for 3-year-old pacers on Sunday afternoon at The Red Mile, and Dunn delivered both to the winner's circle.

In the $40,000 test for colts and geldings, Dunn and Tall Dark Stranger got away in fifth and watched as Roll With JR (John De Long) overtook Sea Of Life (Scott Zeron) for the top spot passing the 26 2/5 opening quarter. Captain Kirk (Joe Bonigorno) and Tall Dark Stranger then both moved to the outside in the backstretch, with Captain Kirk moving up and around Roll With Jr first. Tall Dark Stranger immediately challenged the new leader, and he cleared to command after a hot 53 4/5 half.

After working his way into the lead, Tall Dark Stranger caught a bit of a breather over the sloppy going, getting to three-quarters in 1:22, then came home in 27 2/5 to win by 2 1/4 lengths in 1:49 2/5, with the track rated two seconds off. Catch The Fire (Mike Wilder) rallied well from fifth to second in the lane, and Captain Kirk wound up third.

Nancy Takter trains Tall Dark Stranger, a Bettor's Delight colt, for owners Crawford Farms Racing, Marvin Katz, Caviart Farms, and Howard Taylor. This was Tall Dark Stranger's 15th win from 17 career starts, and he has now earned $1,616,645. He paid $2.20 to win as the 1-9 favorite.

Ellagator (Bongiorno) left out fastest in the Kentucky Sires Stakes event for fillies, but Gai Waterhouse (Mark MacDonald) drove on and got around Ellagator after a 29 second opening quarter. Baby Your The Best (David Miller) then brushed out of third in the backstretch, and she was able to wrestle control away from Gai Waterhouse just before the 57 2/5 half. After Baby Your The Best crossed back down to the rail, Dunn and Reflect With Me went on the attack first-up from the fourth spot, and she gained steadily on the rim to get head-and-head with Baby Your The Best at the 1:26 3/5 three-quarters.

Reflect With Me showed a narrow advantage as the field turned into the stretch, and she poured it on after that, opening up to the wire on her way to a 5 1/4 length decision in 1:53. Pettycoat Business (Zeron) charged from sixth to second in the last quarter, with Baby Your The Best back in the third position.

A daughter of Captaintreacherous, Reflect With Me is trained by Tony Alagna for co-owner/breeder Brittany Farms LLC. and co-owner Brad Grant. Reflect With Me, who is undefeated in six appearances in 2020, now has a record of 11-3-2 from 17 efforts overall, and she pushed her bankroll to $710,384. She returned $2.40 to win as the 1-5 choice.