The cream of the North American pacing and trotting turf have arrived at Lexington, Kentucky for a fortnight of spectacular Grand Circuit racing, yearling sales and social activities.
The Grand Circuit meeting at the hallowed The Red Mile clay track will kick off on Thursday, September 29 and run through to Sunday October 9.
The first of the six-day stakes meetings will feature five divisions of the Bluegrass Stakes, including three divisions for two-year-old trotting colts and geldings worth $328,000 and two divisions for two-year-old pacing fillies totalling $283,000.
On Friday afternoon three Bluegrass Stakes divisions for two-year-old pacing colts and geldings totalling $327,000 and three divisions for two-year-old trotting fillies carrying a total purse of $354,000 will be conducted.
The highlights of next Sunday’s meeting will be $200,000 Bluegrass Stakes divisions for three-year-olds of both sexes and gaits.
The focus then firmly switches from the racetrack to the yearling sales with the first of five sessions of the Lexington Selected Sale starting on Monday, October 3 and concluding on Friday, October 7.
A catalogue of 913 yearlings by 70 different stallions will go up for auction at the plush Fasig-Tipton Sales Pavilion, Lexington including the first crop of exciting, young sires such as Bettor’s Wish, Captain Crunch, Courtly Choice, Lather Up and McWicked and the trotters Greenshoe and Six Pack.
International Stallion Stakes action will be held over two days – Friday, October 7 and Saturday, October 8 – with $275,000 divisions for two-year-old pacing and trotting colts and geldings and $250,000 divisions for two-year-old pacing and trotting fillies.
The closing day card on Sunday, October 9 comprises no less than nine Grand Circuit races with prizemoney approaching $2 million up for grabs.
The signature events are the $475,000 Kentucky Futurity, the third leg of the Triple Crown for three-year-old trotters, and the $400,000 Tattersall’s Pace for three-year-old pacers.
Other features include the $275,000 Kentucky Filly Futurity for three-year-old trotting fillies, the $225,000 Glen Garnsey Memorial (3YO pacing fillies), $150,000 Allerage Farm races for open pacers and trotters and $70,000 Allerage divisions for open female pacers and trotters.
Speed freak Bulldog Hanover is likely to attempt to lower his own world record of 1:45.8 established at The Meadowlands in July in the Allerage.
