posted on 9/30/2012 4:31 pm

The Red Mile contested six total divisions of the Bluegrass series on their first Matinee card of the season on Sunday, September 30. Three-year-old colt trotters raced in the $227,000 Southwind Farms Bluegrass, while the three-year-old filly trotters went in the $211,000 Cantab Hall Bluegrass.

On The Bright Side Trots Wire-To-Wire in First Bluegrass

On The Bright Side returned to the winner’s circle Sunday afternoon, taking the field wire-to-wire in the first filly Bluegrass in 1:53.4.

Bluff and Real Babe broke at the gate; On The Bright Side took the front. D’orsay tucked in second and Belle Nana sat third. Bluff caught the field in fifth at the quarter in :28. Nobody made an effort as they passed the half in :57 (:29). Into the far turn, Bluff pulled to the outside from fifth, flushing out Canadian Justice. Inching towards leading On The Bright Side, D’orsay pulled the pocket and began her rally at three-quarters in 1:26 (:29).

Into the stretch, D’orsay was stalling first over and Bluff began surging off cover. On The Bright Side was holding them all at bay through the sixteenth pole. She held on by about three-quarters of a length, winning in 1:53.4 (:27.4). D’orsay was second, Bluff was third and Canadian Justice finished fourth.

On The Bright Side ($4.60) is by Cantab Hall out of the mare Passionate Glide by Yankee Glide. She is owned by Brittany Farms, trained by Jimmy Takter and Yannick Gingras was in the sulky.

Chilitodayhotamale Passes Faltering Win Missy B to Win Second Bluegrass

A late driver change brought Gingras to steer an eager Chilitodayhotamle to victory in the second Cantab Hall Bluegrass in 1:52.

Win Missy B and Superstar Hanover battled around the first turn. The two trotted by the quarter in :26.4. Superstar Hanover cleared the front before the three-eighths. Pierce brought Win Missy B to the outside and cleared the front at the half-mile in :54.1 (:27.2).

Into the far turn, Win Missy B drew off by about 4 lengths. Personal Style came first over, supplying cover to Uncommon Night and Chilitodayhotamle. Superstar Hanover was fading at the rail and Personal Style broke to her outside. That forced Uncommon Night three wide and Chilitodayhotamle four wide. Win Missy B went by three-quarters in 1:23 (:28.4).

Into the stretch, Win Missy B had a 6 length lead. Uncommon Night was attempting to rally and Chilitodayhotamle was surging down the middle of the racetrack. She passed a fading Win Missy B with ease and took the second Bluegrass in 1:52 (:29). Win Missy B finished second, Oasis Dream passed faltering horses to finish third and Uncommon Night was fourth.

Chilitodayhotamale ($11.40) is by Muscles Yankee out of the mare Miss Molly Tamale by Final Score. She is owned by Michael Andrew, trained by Trond Smedshammer and Yannick Gingras picked up the catch drive after Trond was injured from a collapsed race bike after race two.

Check Me Out Lowers Her Own World Record in Maven Matchup

The Schnittker super filly Check Me Out lowers her own World Record of 1:51.3 set in the Del Miller Memorial today, winning in 1:51.2.

Sassy Syrinx broke before the start. Check Me Out took the lead, while Maven tucked into second and Dream On Hanover floated into third. Check Me Out took them by the quarter in :27.1. No one made a move by the half-mile in :56 (:28.4).

Valdonna went on a break from fourth rolling around the far turn. Check Me Out was still unchallenged by three-quarters in 1:24.2 (:28.2). Into the stretch, Maven edged out of the pocket and was in pursuit of Check Me Out with an eighth of a mile to go. Dream On Hanover was back in third and Sassy Syrinx was moving into fourth. Check Me Out was too good for Maven and she took the final Cantab Hall Bluegrass in a world record 1:51.2.

Check Me Out ($2.80) is by Donato Hanover out of the mare Illusion Bi by Toss Out. She is owned by Charles Ianozzo and trainer Ray Schnittker, Tim Tetrick was behind the four-time world champion to win in 1:51.2.

Takter Steers Guccio to Hand-Driven Victory

Guccio used little effort to defeat his rivals in the first division of the Southwind Farms Bluegrass, winning in 1:52.1.

Solvato took the lead, while Modern Family tucked in second and Guccio sat third. Solvato took the field by the quarter in :28. Guccio came first over and brushed to the lead at the three-eighths. Solvato was back in second and Modern Family sat third. Muscolo was in fourth and Scary Good was the trailer. Guccio led at the half-mile in :56.1 (:28.1).

Into the far turn, no one made an effort to catch Guccio. Scary Good made a break at three-quarters in 1:26 (:29.4). Into the stretch, Guccio was trotting home with little effort. Solvato was drifting out in pursuit of Guccio in second and Modern Family was trotting back in third. Guccio crossed the line in 1:52.1 (:26.1). Solvato was back in second, Modern Family was in third and Muscolo was fourth.

Guccio ($2.40) is by Yankee Glide out of the mare Southern Senorita by Yankee Paco. Christina Takter owns him, with John and Jim Fielding. He was trained and driven by Jimmy Takter.

“He’d been racing fantastic all year. He came good at the end every time,” trainer Jimmy Takter said.

“I did that because I needed a little more at the start. You have to make up too much ground and with hobbles, I can get a little more from him at the start,” Takter said about the addition of hobbles to Guccio.

Money On My Mind Wins Upsets in Photo

The Miller team got a perfect pocket trip and nipped tempo setter Little Brown Fox at the wire to win the second Southwind Farms Bluegrass in 1:52.2.

Lindys Jersey Boy broke before the start and paced for most of the mile. Lightning Storm left for the top, with Money On My Mind and Little Brown Fox left from the outside. Money On My Mind cleared the lead passing the eighth pole and Little Brown Fox took command from him at the quarter in :27.1.

Rock N Jessie came first over by the half-mile in :55.4 (:28.3). Banker Volo followed his cover from sixth. Into the far turn, Lightning Storm was flushed first over and locked Money On My Mind at the pylons. Little Brown Fox still controlled the tempo at three-quarters in 1:24.3 (:28.4).

Into the stretch, Banker Volo began surging off cover. Lightning Storm was parked on the outside and Money On My Mind was looking for room. Lightning Storm dropped back into the eighth pole and Andy pulled the pocket, chasing down Little Brown Fox. The two battled as Banker Volo trotted into third. Money On My Mind got up in the nick of time to win. Little Brown Fox was second, Banker Volo was third and Gym Tan Laundry rallied for fourth.

Money On My Mind ($40.80) is by Cantab Hall out of the mare Repititions by Muscles Yankee. He is owned by Black Horse Racing, trained by Julie Miller and Andy Miller was in the bike.

“He was great today. He raced well on Tuesday at the Meadows. He didn’t like Canada but he showed up today and did very well. We made a couple of changes and we’re sure he loved the surface here at The Red Mile,” driver Andy Miller said.

“I thought I got by him, but it was pretty tight. This guy dug in so it was tough to get him,” Andy responded about Little Brown Fox.

Appomattox Fought Hard to Win Final Bluegrass

The Antonacci-trained Appomattox came off cover and rallied to win the final Bluegrass of the day in 1:52.2.

Beer Summit and From Above left for the lead, with Another Amaretto getting away in third and Fusion Man floating into fourth. From Above broke around the first turn, so Beer Summit was un-pressured at the opening quarter in :28.2.

Big Chocolate pulled the pocket and cleared the top passed the three-eighths. Beer Summit was shuffled to second and Another Amaretto was flushed first over at the half in :56.1 (:27.4).

Another Amaretto cleared the top into the far turn. Fusion Man was left first over and Appomattox was tracking cover. Another Amaretto led by three-quarters in 1:24 (:27.4).

Into the stretch, Appomattox fanned off cover and was surging, with Fusion Man in between horses. Another Amaretto fought on at the rail, but Appomattox fired down the far outside and won the Southwind Farms Bluegrass in 1:52.2 (:28.2). Another Amaretto was second, Fusion Man was third and Go Tapaigh rallied for fourth.

Appomattox ($11.40) is by Yankee Glide out of the mare Courtney Hall by Garland Lobell. He is owned by Lindy Racing and Adam Victor and Son Stables, trained by Frank Antonacci and Scott Zeron was in the bike.

Sand Top Gun Wins Richest American Monte Race

The Red Mile hosted the richest American Monte Race, with a purse of $20,000, on the under card of the Bluegrass card.

Jenny Melander rode Sand Top Gun to a 2:00 victory, a lifetime mark in Monte Races. Getting away ninth, she picked up cover down the backstretch. He was forced four wide as other horses were coming to the outside. He was four wide through a :28.1 quarter and a :58 (:29.4) half.

Sand Top Gun came a little closer to the pylons into the far turn. He was in third behind Take My Picture and Angel Eyes Hanover. Melander brought Sand Top Gun three wide at three-quarters in 1:28.4 (:30.4). Into the lane, Sand Top Gun drifted slightly but chased down Take My Picture to win in 2:00. Take My Picture with Therese Lindgren was second and Angel Eyes Hanover with Anita Valstad was third.

Sand Top Gun is a seven-year-old gelding by Conway Hall out of the mare Top Chip by Pine Chip. Helane and Harold Solomon with Stephen Moss own him. He is trained by Tyler Raymer and Jenny Malander, a winner of two Under Saddle races in four tries, was aboard.