Admiral Hill repeats in Kentucky Sire Stakes

June 4, 2024

Oak Grove, KY — Admiral Hill toured the Oak Grove track again to collect his second straight win with a 1:50.3 wrapped-up effort in the $50,000 second preliminary of the Kentucky Sire Stakes (KYSS) series for 4-year-old male pacers on Tuesday (June 4).


Yannick Gingras pushed Admiral Hill for the front from the pylon post and clicked by a :27.1 first quarter as El Rey (driven by David Miller) settled into the pocket. Admiral Hill then cruised to a :56 half and rolled up the backside under minimal pressure to three-quarters in 1:23.2. El Rey grew antsy from the pocket ride but sat locked at the cones through the final turn as Tip Top Cat (Todd McCarthy) progressed evenly on the rim uncovered.

Gingras kept a tight grip on Admiral Hill and let him loose in the stretch, where he strode in a 1-1/2-length winner while chased by El Rey in second. Tip Top Cat settled for third; For Once Inmy Life (Andy McCarthy) came from second-over for fourth.


A 4-year-old gelding by Sweet Lou, Admiral Hill has now won 14 races from 32 starts and has banked $409,008. Per Engblom trains the $2.58 winner for owner Morrison Racing Stables.


Trotting males sparred in three divisions of KYSS to start the card. The Hazelton (Yannick Gingras) opened the day with a far-turn blitz to win the first division in 1:53.3.


French Wine (Andy Miller) floated forward through a :28 first quarter to grab the lead from Cecil Hanover (Peter Wrenn) while The Hazelton settled into third. The field then stayed single file through a :57.3 half and to three-quarters in 1:25.3 before Gingras made his move outside into the last turn.


The Hazelton blitzed French Wine and stuck a head in front spinning for home and stayed firm on the lead to the end to grab the gold by three-quarters of a length. Cecil Hanover gave chase in third and Drink Up Drink Up (Marvin Luna) finished fourth.


Ron Burke trains The Hazelton, a gelding by Muscle Mass, for owners Burke Racing Stable LLC and Weaver Bruscemi LLC. He has now won 15 races from 33 starts, earned $253,656 and paid $5.82 to win.


Ari Ferrari J (Dexter Dunn) went pillar-to-post in the second division with a 1:53 effort to ward off pocket-pouncer Once In A Lifetime (Todd McCarthy).


Starting from the pylon post, Dunn slid to the top with Ari Ferrari J before a :28 first quarter and coasted to a :57.2 half. Ari Ferrari J then began the sprint for home while Once In A Lifetime stayed close in his trail. The two peeled clear of the field moving to three-quarters in 1:25.1 and continued speeding through the final turn as Once In A Lifetime tipped out and engaged for the stretch battle. Ari Ferrari J held his ground to the inside all through the lane and kept a head up on Once In A Lifetime at the beam. Deadline Hall (Andy McCarthy) took third, beaten nine lengths; Morning Edition (Atlee Bender) was fourth.


Tony Alagna trains Ari Ferrari J, a stallion by Walner, for owner Kenneth Jacobs. He won for the eighth time from 34 starts, has now earned $848,681, and paid $4.58 to win.


Bestfriend Volo (Dexter Dunn) then rolled in the last division for trotting males to a measured victory in 1:53 as the 1-5 favorite.


Dunn planted Bestfriend Volo on the lead to a :28.1 first quarter and strolled along to a :57 half before hitting the thruster for the backside. In his sprint to three-quarters, timed in 1:24.2, Bestfriend Volo slipped six lengths clear of his competition with just Prince Of Honor (Todd McCarthy) making inroads through the last half mile. Dunn then kept Bestfriend Volo to task through the lane as Prince Of Honor continued plugging forward on the outside to register the win by a diminishing length. Sparks Fly (Atlee Bender) finished third, another four lengths behind, and Yo Tater (Verlin Yoder) settled for fourth.


Nancy Takter trains and co-owns Bestfriend Volo, a gelding by Walner, with Christina Takter, 3 Brothers Stables and Deja Blu. He paid $2.78 to win.

Mambacita stayed unbeaten against her peers in the lone split for trotting mares, this time grabbing the win off a pocket ride to capture the 1:52.3 mile.


Railee Something (Andy McCarthy) powered off the wings to the top, forcing Mambacita to settle into the pocket past a :27 first quarter. McCarthy then rated Railee Something to a :56.1 half, but faced a prompt challenge midway up the backside from Dunn pulling pocket with Mambacita.


Mambacita upped the pressure on Railee Something through three-quarters in 1:24 and hit the ropes through the final turn. Mambacita swung for home and edged away from her rivals to win by 2-1/4 lengths while Railee Something clung to second from the fast-closing Vintage (David Miller).


Cessna Pride (Todd McCarthy) took fourth.


Winning her 16th race from 36 starts, Mambacita has now earned $945,418 for owners Crawford Farms Racing, Alagna Racing LLC and Pryde Stables Inc. Tony Alagna trains the mare by Tactical Landing who paid $2.90 to win.


Pacing mares competed in a non-wagering division of the KYSS prior to the betting card, which Zanatta (Andy Miller) won in 1:51. Perched in the pocket behind Hungry For Love (David Miller) through fractions of :27, :56.2 and 1:23.4, Zanatta swelled and responded once Miller fed her racetrack into the stretch. Zanatta scooted away from Hungry For Love with ease to win by a length while Keep My Secret (Tony Hall) took third and To All A Goodnight (Dexter Dunn) settled for fourth.


Jenn Bongiorno trains Zanatta, a 4-year-old mare by Stay Hungry, for owner One Legend Stable Inc.



Live racing resumes at Oak Grove on Monday (June 10) at 3 p.m. (CDT) and features a carryover of $714.18 in the last-race Super High-5. Free program pages for every race day, courtesy of TrackMaster, are available on the Oak Grove Racing website.

First foal out of Jiggy Jog S arrives at Hunterton

May 22, 2026
This Tactical Landing filly, the first foal out of the tremendous, $3 million-winning mare Jiggy Jog S, arrived on April 18 at Hunterton Farm in Kentucky. Jiggy Jog S, the Dan Patch Older Trotting Mare of the Year in both 2023 and 2024, won the $1 million Yonkers International in 2024 and Breeders Crown finals in 2022 and 2023, among other stakes wins. Jiggy Jog S posted a lifetime record of 24-10-2 in 41 starts and had a mark of 1:49.2. She will be bred next to Captain Corey.

Three Times Bettor wins $100,000 KYSS Final

May 16, 2026
Hunterton Consigned & Bred Three Times Bettor (Dexter Dunn) persisted through a methodical first-over push in a quick tempo to score a track-record-equalling 1:48.3 win in hand in the KYSS final for pacing mares at Oak Grove Racing, Gaming & Hotel. Dunn tipped his charge out of third after following a clip of :25.4 and :53.1 and inched towards pacesetter Odds On Chesapeake (Todd McCarthy) rolling to three-quarters in 1:20. As Odds On Chesapeake began to tire, Three Times Bettor grabbed the lead and scooted away confidently for a length win over pocket-sitter Aintnothingucando (Scott Zeron), who zipped up a seam at the pylons for second. Unreasonable (Jason Bartlett) followed the winner's cover to take third. Brett Pelling trains Three Times Bettor , a mare by Bettors Delight-Three Times A Lady, for owner Thaddeus Wier. The win was her seventh straight in a streak dating back to last season. She took her 12th win from 20 career starts and raised her bankroll to $365,068. The win price was $2.50. Her 1:48.3 clocking matched the track record for aged pacing mares set in 2022 by Blue Diamond Eyes.

Three Times Bettor cruises in Oak Grove Open

May 10, 2026
Oak Grove, KY — The pair of $30,000 Open events at Oak Grove Racing, Gaming & Hotel on Sunday (May 10) had starkly different payoff outcomes, but saw dominant performances from both Burnout and Three Times Bettor , who scored in the Open Pace and Fillies and Mares Open Pace respectively. A few races later, 1-9 favorite Three Times Bettor (Dexter Dunn) tightened the screws for her $100,000 Kentucky Sire Stakes final on Preakness Saturday (May 16) with a 1:50.1 jog in the co-featured $30,000 Fillies and Mares Open Handicap Pace. Dunn, flying into town for only two drives on the day, circled the Brett Pelling trainee to the top after a :26.4 first quarter and gradually quickened while peeling away from the competition. She clocked a :55 half and 1:23.1 three-quarters and widened all the way to a 5-1/4-length win under wraps over Yankee B Something (Geremy Bobbit), who gave pursuit from a pocket ride in second. Bonitas Best Bet (Brandon Bates) saved ground to take third and Lyin’ Eyes (Joey Putnam) folded from a first-over push into the last turn for fourth. Thaddeus Weir owns Three Times Bettor, a 4-year-old daughter of Bettor’s Delight-Three Times A Lady. The mare won her 11th race from 19 starts and has now banked $213,814 in her career. She paid $2.22 to win.

Drink Up Drink Up Bounces Back In Open Trot Win At Hoosier

May 10, 2026
Anderson, IN — Finding another gear late, Hunterton Born, Raised and Sold, Drink Up Drink Up driven by Brandon Bates for trainer Walter Haynes Jr. returned to winning ways downing the $22,000 Open Trot at Hoosier on Saturday (May 9). Starting the race competitively, the field moved four wide as the trotters fought for the lead. Eventually from his assigned post four, Drink Up Drink Up found the rail in third as Ponda Jet (Kyle Wilfong) beat out Cs Flying Co-pilot (Marcus Miller) to lead the field at the first quarter in :26.2. Trotting down the back stretch, the field grew stagnant in a single file line through the halfway mark in :55.3. Content with their position at this point in the race, the six-horse field remained unchanged to the three-quarter pole, led by Ponda Jet in 1:25.1. The first bit of action since the start of the race came from Finite (Trace Tetrick) in fifth, who broke the silence first-over before flushing Drink Up Drink Up. Heading into the stretch, Drink Up Drink Up glided past Cs Flying Co-pilot, leaving only Ponda Jet in his way of a winner’s circle visit. Continuing that momentum, Drink Up Drink Up chugged along the outside to beat out the post time favorite Ponda Jet by a length to the wire in 1:53.1. Ponda Jet settled for second, while Famous Father got up for third. The Trixton gelding, Drink Up Drink Up, is owned by Adam Friedland and Brian Carsey. Drink Up Drink Up added his fourth win of the season to increase his lifetime earnings to $421,058. Drink Up Drink Up paid $11.60 to win.

‘Diablo’ scores at Big M as Ahle sweeps co-features

May 9, 2026
East Rutherford, NJ – Frattina Diablo S and Create Escape emerged victorious in the Friday night (May 8) co-features at The Meadowlands in a pair of $20,000 high-end conditioned trotting events for 3-year-olds with Hambletonian and Hambletonian Oaks dreams. In the split for fillies, the Tony Alagna-trained Frattina Diablo S, sent to the gate as the 4-5 favorite, sat a three-hole down the backside before making her way towards leader Caviart Queen Emma, who set the pace at the quarter and half in :28.3 and :57.3, respectively. “Frattina” was surging on the outside in second as the “Queen” clicked three-quarters in 1:25.4, but through the stretch, Frattina Diablo S, a daughter of Captain Corey -Lindy Strong, trotted away from her foes, hitting the wire 3-1/4-lengths clear of second-place finisher Che Bella in a lifetime-best 1:53.2. Chant was third. “We were very high on her last year and (owner) Steve Stewart and I decided to stop after Lexington to give her extra time to grow up since she was such a big filly last year at 2 and she came in Jan. 1 a different animal,” said winning trainer Alagna. “We have high hopes for her.” Driven by Johnathan Ahle, Frattina Diablo S returned $3.80 after winning for the second time in seven lifetime tries. Ahle completed a driving sweep of the marquee events after guiding Create Escape to victory lane for trainer Ake Svanstedt in the division for colts and geldings. The colt by Gimpanzee -Final Countdown completed the mile in 1:55. Practical Man, the 7-5 favorite, was gunning for a second straight score, but after going parked for the first seven-sixteenths-of-a-mile before clearing the lead, he didn’t have it in the stretch, failing to hit the board, finishing fourth. Create Escape vacated the pocket with an eighth-of-a-mile to trot and eased his way to a confident score, holding off the late-charging Sevenato by a half-length. Read The Room was third. “He qualified well last week and felt good the whole way,” said Ahle. After going off as the 3-1 third choice, Create Escape paid $8.80 to win.

Tarapasta topples favorites in MGM Ursula McIntyre Series final

May 8, 2026
Yonkers, NY – Hunterton Sold Tarapasta looked hopelessly boxed in coming into the homestretch, but Matt Kakaley was able to find a seam at the head of the stretch, and the 6-year-old Downbytheseaside mare kicked into overdrive to capture Friday’s (May 8) $456,000 Grade 2 MGM Ursula McIntyre Series final at MGM Yonkers Raceway at a stunning 25-1. Tarapasta, trained by Travis Alexander for owner Greg Luther Racing LLC., completed the mile and a quarter distance in 2:23, winning by a length over Coastal Babe N, with 1-10 favorite Louies Girl N settling for third. Kakaley had Tarapasta energized early, leaving strongly ahead of Louies Girl N on the opening bend. Coastal Babe N, with Yannick Gingras, left hard and needed nearly the first quarter before supplanting Tarapasta in a :28.2 opening fraction. Jason Bartlett wanted no part of a three-hole, and he moved Louies Girl N on the second turn, assuming control at the half in :56.4. After Louies Girl N had the top, she cut three-quarters in 1:25.2 and was put to some pressure when Millwood Bliss N moved without cover on the backstretch for the final time. Still, Louies Girl N looked to have control of the race past the mile marker in 1:54 and entering the final turn with Coastal Babe N locked along the pylons and Tarapasta sitting third without room. When Seaside Diva, with Scott Zeron, struggled to keep with Millwood Bliss N coming into the stretch, Kakaley seized the opportunity and quickly angled Tarapasta wide. The rest was history as Tarapasta overpowered a struggling Louies Girl N and won going away. Tick A Loch A rallied wide for the fourth spot. Tarapasta returned $52.72 to win and keyed a $169.94 exacta and a $340.78 trifecta. “Travis has done a superb job with her,” said Kakaley. “She’s been super. I’ve been along for the ride.” In the $100,000 McIntyre consolation, favored Walkin On Sunshine and driver Scott Zeron were up in the final strides for the victory in 2:23.3 for the added distance. A 6-year-old by Always A Virgin, Walkin On Sunshine just nailed second choice Bath Bomb with Andrew McCarthy driving. Zeron had Walkin On Sunshine away quickly from post five and out-sprinted Bath Bomb into the opening turn. Following a soft :29.1 opening quarter, McCarthy moved Bath Bomb to the front. Once in control Bath Bomb stayed in front through a half in :58.1 and three-quarters in 1:27.3. With Turn The Page N and Ron Cushing beginning an outer flow at that point, followed by Rocket Deo, Bath Bomb picked up the pace noticeably with a 28 second fourth quarter, reaching the mile in 1:55.3 and making it a virtual two-mare race. Zeron tipped Walkin On Sunshine from the pocket late on the final turn and needed a solid drive to narrow the gap and eventually overtake a determined Bath Bomb. Rocket Deo and Todd McCarthy rallied late for the third spot, with Fearless Ginger fourth across the wire. Walkin On Sunshine is owned by Maynard Miller, Daniel Lehman and Michael Yoder and is trained by Brett Pelling. As the favorite, Walkin On Sunshine returned $3.86 to win and keyed a $7.36 exacta and a $41 trifecta. Walkin On Sunshine won for the 30th time in her racing career and pushed her lifetime earnings above $705,000.

Crack Shot wins again!

May 5, 2026
Oak Grove, KY – Oak Grove Racing, Gaming & Hotel carried the fervor from a historic running of the Kentucky Derby into a jam-packed day of harness racing stakes on Monday (May 4) that saw a pair of track records established in the eliminations for the Oak Grove Trotting Oaks and Oak Grove Trotting Derby as well as a day of betting that annihilated the previous handle record for the Southwest Kentucky track. Crack Shot (Doug McNair) delivered a snug 1:51.3 win at 1-9 odds in the first KYSS division for pacing males. McNair circled the heavy favorite to the lead after a :27.1 first quarter and strolled through middle splits of :55.3 and 1:23.3 before wrapping up the mile an easy winner by 1-1/2 lengths. Somelousomewhere (Tim Tetrick) closed first-over for second with Captain Arturovico (Ronnie Wrenn Jr.) rallying off a ground-saving trip for third and pocket-sitter Delray Beach (Todd McCarthy) tiring to fourth. Winning in his seasonal debut, Crack Shot collected his 12th victory from 25 starts and has now earned $563,733 for co-owner Gregg McNair, who also trains the son of Bettor’s Delight-Beautyonthebeach, and partners Dale Hunter, Frank Brundle and George Kerr. He paid $2.18 to win.

Unreasonable scored the faster win of the two KYSS splits for 4-year-old pacing mares with a 1:49.1 effort

May 5, 2026
Oak Grove, KY – Oak Grove Racing, Gaming & Hotel carried the fervor from a historic running of the Kentucky Derby into a jam-packed day of harness racing stakes on Monday (May 4) that saw a pair of track records established in the eliminations for the Oak Grove Trotting Oaks and Oak Grove Trotting Derby as well as a day of betting that annihilated the previous handle record for the Southwest Kentucky track. Unreasonable (Dexter Dunn) vaulted off a helmet to score the faster win of the two KYSS splits for 4-year-old pacing mares with a 1:49.1 effort as the 3-5 favorite. Dunn bided his time while Duration (David Miller) sped to the point and cut quick fractions of :26, :54.2 and 1:21.1 before slowing for home. Odds On Chesapeake (Todd McCarthy) pulled off the pylons from third moving to the final turn and reached for the pacesetter while Dunn, perching onto her cover, launched three wide through the last turn and hit her best stride into the lane. Unreasonable pushed past her rivals and crossed the line 1-1/4 lengths better than Odds On Chesapeake while Champagne Room (Yannick Gingras) shook free from a locked-pocket trip for third. Duration held fourth. Andrew Harris trains Unreasonable, a daughter of Huntsville -Roaring To Go, for owner Punisher 11 Stable LLC. She won her 13th race from 28 starts, earning $771,634 in her career, and paid $3.44 to win.

Endurance added another Oak Grove track record to his resume with a fierce 1:51.3

May 5, 2026
Oak Grove, KY – Oak Grove Racing, Gaming & Hotel carried the fervor from a historic running of the Kentucky Derby into a jam-packed day of harness racing stakes on Monday (May 4) that saw a pair of track records established in the eliminations for the Oak Grove Trotting Oaks and Oak Grove Trotting Derby as well as a day of betting that annihilated the previous handle record for the Southwest Kentucky track. Chris Beaver pupil Endurance (driven by Andy McCarthy), who set the track record for 2-year-old trotting colts last year, added another Oak Grove track record to his resume with a fierce 1:51.3 effort in his seasonal debut, muscling first-up for the win in the third of three $50,000 eliminations for the Oak Grove Trotting Derby. McCarthy waited in third with the 1-2 favorite while Big Ranger (Ronnie Gillespie) hustled to lead in a :27.1 first quarter and continued through a :56 half, at which point Endurance angled off the pylons and built his momentum in the backstretch. Endurance hit his best stride after three-quarters in 1:23 and collared Big Ranger coming off the final turn before spurting away for a 1-1/2-length win over AI (Yannick Gingras), who popped off a pocket trip for second. Nix Nacken (Dexter Dunn) earned the last berth into the final in third and Big Ranger tired to fourth. Lowering the previous track record set last year by Yannick G Kemp of 1:52.3, Endurance added a seventh win to his card from nine starts and has now earned $582,450 for owners Super Endurance Stable, Bill Manes, Leo Fleming and Mark Moger. The colt by Captain Corey -Love Session paid $3.18 to win.

Yo Tillie Equals Oak Grove Track Record

May 5, 2026
Oak Grove, KY – Oak Grove Racing, Gaming & Hotel carried the fervor from a historic running of the Kentucky Derby into a jam-packed day of harness racing stakes on Monday (May 4) that saw a pair of track records established in the eliminations for the Oak Grove Trotting Oaks and Oak Grove Trotting Derby as well as a day of betting that annihilated the previous handle record for the Southwest Kentucky track. Yo Tillie (Todd McCarthy) emerged the top performer from the seven divisions of Kentucky Sire Stakes (KYSS) second preliminary on the Monday undercard with a track-record equaling 1:51.4 mile to win the lone $50,000 division for 4-year-old trotting mares. She worked past a revved Winnpanzee (Yannick Gingras) to the lead in a :26.3 first quarter and continued at a solid clip of :55.1 and 1:23 all while Winnpanzee followed intently from second. R Dutchess (Tim Tetrick) mounted a first-over bid but plateaued into the lane, locking Winnpanzee in the pocket until the final sixteenth. She attempted a late attack on Yo Tillie but came calling too late as McCarthy crossed the line a measured winner by three-quarters of a length. R Dutchess held third and Best Friends Girl (David Miller) finished fourth. Equaling the track record for aged trotting mares set three years ago by Yanaba, Yo Tillie won her 21st race from 26 starts, earning $1.33 million. Andrew Harris trains the daughter of Tactical Landing -Consolidator for owner Punisher 11 Stable LLC. She paid $2.62 to win.
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