posted on 9/28/2012 11:18 am

Grand Circuit action had begun on Thursday, September 27, with two-year-old filly trotters competing in the $355,000 Bluegrass stakes at The Red Mile.   Frau Blucher did not disappoint the public, winning as the unanimous 1-5 choice in the first of four divisions of the Bluegrass Stakes.  

Miss Steele was the tempo setter, after dueling with Ma Chere Hall for the front by the quarter. Miss Steele cleared the top through an opening quarter of :28.2. Frau Blucher brushed to the front as the field passed the three-eighths. After a half-mile timed in :58 (29.3), Royal Assets was flushed first over by Coffeecake Hanover rounding the far turn.  

As Coffeecake Hanover went off-stride, Royal Assets came wheel-to-wheel with Frau Blucher. The two dueled by three-quarters in 1:27.3 (:29.3). Into the stretch, Palone was asking for more from Frau Blucher. Royal Assets was losing ground on the outside and Miss Steele was trotting up the cones. Frau Blucher drew off by about 2 lengths to win the Bluegrass in 1:55 (:27.2). Royal Assets finished second, Miss Steele was third and Ma Chere Hall finished fourth. 

Frau Blucher is by Broadway Hall out of the mare My Angel by Muscles Yankee. Hauser Bros Racing Entertainment LLC and Matt Tudisko own her, she is trained by Chris Oakes and Dave Palone was in the sulky. Frau Blucher returned $2.40 to win.  

Upfrontluckycarol and Aspidistra Hall trotted a dead-heat mile in the second division of the Bluegrass.

Karalta Bye Bye was off stride as the wings of the gate folded. Sina pressured a speedy Aspidistra Hall for the top as the field banked into the first turn. Sina cleared the lead approaching the quarter, with Aspidistra Hall in second and Upfrontluckycarol in the pocket third. Sina trotted the opening quarter in :29. 

Aspidistra Hall brushed to the top and cleared passing the three-eighths. Upfrontluckycarol pulled the pocket and was in pursuit from third. Upfrontluckycarol took over the top spot from Aspidistra Hall, through a :57.3 (:28.3) half-mile. 

Into the far turn, Morningstar pulled the pocket, first over from fourth. Aspidistra Hall was flushed first over and came head-to-head with Upfrontluckycarol by three-quarters in 1:29 (:31.2). Into the stretch, Aspidistra Hall and Upfrontluckycarol drew away from the field by about 5 lengths approaching the finish and the two were inseparable at the wire. The dead-heat was timed in 1:56.2 (:27.2). Morningstar finished third and Sina was fourth.

Upfrontluckycarol is by Andover Hall out of the mare Bat Breaker by Muscles Yankee. She is owned by Up Front Racing LLC and Murray Brown, trained by Kelly O’Donnell and David Miller was in the bike. 

Aspidistra Hall is by Donato Hanover out of the mare Angel Fire Hanover by Lindy Lane. She is owned by Kelley Racing Stable LLC, J. Sbrocco and W. Weaver, trained by Paul Kelly and Brian Sears was in the bike.

The two returned $2.10 to win. 

Time To Kill shot up the lightning lane to win the third Bluegrass division in 1:55.1. 

Time To Kill was parked early on in the first turn, eventually clearing the front. Vintage Oaks was in second and Shared Past was back in third. Time To Kill trotted by the quarter in :28.1. Shared Past made a first over brush for the top down the backstretch. Time To Kill was shuffled to second and Vintage Oaks was back in third. Shared Past led by the half in :57.2 (:29.1). 

Into the far turn, Alphadoodle came first over from fifth. Vintage Oaks flushed first over and Antsy Dancey picked up cover from last. Vintage Oaks was chasing after Shared Past as they passed three-quarters in 1:26.4 (:29.2). 

Into the lane, Shared Past was holding on to the lead. Vintage Oaks was on the outside and Alphadoodle fanned off cover three wide. Antsy Dancey was trotting down the center, while Time To Kill was looking for room up the cones. Once Time To Kill found racing room, she shot up the pylons and defeated rivals to win the Bluegrass in 1:55.1. Shared Past held on for second, Antsy Dancey was closing for third and Alphadoodle finished fourth. 

Time To Kill is by Credit Winner out of the mare Are You Ready by Broadway Hall. She is owned by Let It Ride Stables LLC and Robert Cooper Stables, trained by Ross Croghan and John Campbell was in the bike. Time To Kill paid $4.40 to win. 

To Dream On continued her valiant two-year-old campaign to win the final division of Bluegrass.  

Fashion Athena led the field into the first turn, while To Dream On left fast from the far outside and was caught wide in third. Mistery Woman was in the pocket second and Right Away was back fourth. To Dream On cleared the top by the quarter in :29.3.

Down the backstretch, To Dream On was unchallenged. She trotted the half-mile in :57.4 (:28.1). As the field rolled into the far turn, Handover Belle started the two wide flow from sixth, supplying cover to Uf Tadys Donato. Mistery Woman was flushed out and in pursuit of a loose To Dream On passed three-quarters in 1:27.3 (:29.4). Into the stretch, To Dream On was drawing away under a hand drive. Handover Belle was closing into second and Mistery Woman was holding on for third. It was To Dream On as she was home free at the wire in 1:54.3 (:27). 

To Dream On is by Credit Winner out of the mare Satin Pillows by Conway Hall. She is owned by Marvin Katz and John Libfeld, trained by Jimmy Takter and Yannick Gingras guided the freshmen filly to victory. 

To Dream On returned $2.80 to win. 

Red Mile racing resumes tomorrow night with a 7:00PM (EST) first post. Visit The Red Mile website for more info on the upcoming stakes action.