Red Mile: Water Sports Teen fastest in Bluegrass Series for the glamour boys

Water Sports Teen, Charlie May, and Southwind Gendry were the winners of the three Bluegrass Series contests for 3-year-old colt and gelding pacers that went behind the gate on Sunday afternoon at The Red Mile.

Driven by Joe Bongiorno in the opening $84,000 grouping, Water Sports Teen posted fractions of 27, 54, and 1:21 1/5, then dug in through the lane to keep a rallying Rockyroad Hanover (Dexter Dunn) at bay by a neck in 1:49 3/5. Summa Cum Laude (Brian Sears) was third from second-over.

Jenn Bongiorno trains Water Sports Teen, a Somebeachsomewhere colt bred by the late Robert J. Key, for owner Joshua Graber. This was his tenth career win, he has now banked $248,751, and he paid $16.40 to win as a 7-1 shot.

The second $85,000 division was the marquee one as Charlie May (Brett Miller) and Perfect Sting (David Miller) faced off. Charlie May settled into third from post six, and then he would brush around Emblaze Hanover (Yannick Gingras) to take command after a 29 2/5 opening quarter. Charlie May maintained the top spot to a 57 2/5 half and a 1:24 2/5 three-quarters, and was able to repel a first-over bid by Perfect Sting on the last turn. In the stretch Perfect Sting came with another acceleration, but Charlie May stayed tough at the inside and won by three-parts of a length in 1:51 1/5. Emblaze Hanover ended up third.

Charlie May, a McArdle gelding, is trained by Steve Carter for owner/breeder Don Tiger. He made his 15th appearance in the winner's circle from 25 starts, he pushed his bankroll to $898,152, and he returned $5.80 to win as the 9-5 second choice.

In the final $84,000 split, Chase H Hanover (Ronnie Wrenn Jr.) dashed to the engine in a 28 4/5 opening quarter, but he would give way to sit in the two-hole behind Commanding Officer (D. Miller) after that marker. Commanding Officer would then yield to a bid by Southwind Gendry (Gingras), as Southwind Gendry became the third leader prior to the 57 2/5 half. Southwind Gendry had to pick up the tempo to 1:23 3/5 at three-quarters as Abuckabett Hanover (Andrew McCarthy) rolled up first-over, but as they entered the lane, Abuckabett Hanover hit the front.

Rather than pack it in, Southwind Gendry responded when Abuckabett Hanover went by, and he came back on the inside with a resolute rally that carried him past Abuckabett Hanover and on to the win by two lengths in 1:50 flat. Bayfield Beach (Tim Tetrick) was the third-place finisher.

► Sign up for our FREE DRF Harness Digest Newsletter

"He's a fighter," Gingras said. "When he's right, he's a really nice horse. Things haven't gone the right way for him for awhile now, and I was starting to think it was my fault, too. I just couldn't make him go [and] things weren't working out. But Ronnie [Burke] said he was going to be here with him all week [and that] he'll be good; he'll be fine. He was out of his mind in the post parade - he was really grabby and aggressive. So I figured I was either going to choke him or he was going to be really good, but he was obviously really good."

The victorious Always B Miki gelding is trained by Burke for the ownership group of Burke Racing Stable LLC., Phil Collura, Knox Services Inc., and J&T Silva- Purnel & Libby. Southwind Gendry is now a 14-time winner, has pocketed $915,741, and paid $16.60 to win as a 7-1 offering.