Seaside Ubeaut and Dexter Dunn victorious in $118,740 Bluegrass Stakes

LEXINGTON, Ky.— Odds-on chalk Seaside Ubeaut (Downbytheseaside) vaulted off a picturesque covered trip and cruised to a career-best equaling 1:49.2 harness racing victory in the second of two divisions of the $236,480 Grade 3 Bluegrass Stakes for 2-year-old pacing fillies on Thursday afternoon (Oct. 1) at The Red Mile.

Driver Dexter Dunn eased Seaside Ubeaut forward into a seat in fourth as Treacherous Bet (driven by Yannick Gingras) sped alongside stablemate My Taylors Swift (Ronnie Wrenn Jr.) on the front through a :26.4 first quarter. My Taylors Swift slid to the front and chugged along the backstretch to a :53.4 half while Dunn patiently followed and eventually fished cover to the last turn. Dunn perched Seaside Ubeaut behind first-up Aestas (David Miller) to three-quarters in 1:22 and fanned wide spinning for home before spurting away under wraps for a 2-1/2-length victory. JK Alwaysbpositive (Tim Tetrick) rallied from a ground-saving trip for second with Sister Girl Blues (Andy McCarthy) closing from third-over for third and Aestas settling for fourth.

“She got a Dexter steer there and that’s why we’re blessed to have him sometimes,” winning trainer Andrew Harris said after the race. “That’s one of those things – he works out a great trip and the filly performed, so we’re thrilled with both of them.”

Seaside Ubeaut, a filly by Downbytheseaside out of world champion Warrawee Ubeaut, has now won four races from seven starts and earned $330,370 for owner Punisher 11 Stable LLC. She paid $3.46 to win.

SEASIDE UBEAUT REPLAY

Brett Pelling pupil Holy (Todd McCarthy) stole easy fractions on the lead and stayed strong to the finish for a 13-1 upset with a 1:51.3 effort in the first Bluegrass division for 2-year-old pacing fillies.

McCarthy planted Holy (Sweet Lou) on the point out of post 6 to a :27.3 first quarter and strolled unfettered as 1-5 favorite JK Lady Liberty (Scott Zeron) bided her time tracking from fourth. JK Lady Liberty eventually flushed cover from Baby Puppy (Atlee Bender) after a :56.1 half and tracked her steadily through the turn while Holy rolled to three-quarters in 1:24. Holy cut the corner into the lane and opened two lengths on her rivals, which proved a strong enough cushion for the longshot to stave off a rally from JK Lady Liberty by a half-length at the beam. Baby Puppy gave chase in third and Miss Dolce (Andy McCarthy) kicked from third-over for fourth.

“She has been all go during her career here at The Red Mile,” said Shaun Laungani, part of the winning ownership group through Diamond Creek Farm. “Didn’t know that she’d have that left in the end to kick home, but [a] masterful drive by Todd I thought to dole out her speed. Because she’s really all speed.”

Diamond Creek Racing owns Holy, a Sweet Lou filly out of the A Rocknroll Dance mare Constellation. She has now won two races from seven starts, banked $86,590 and paid $29.52 to win.

HOLY REPLAY

Each division of the Bluegrass Stake for 2-year-old pacing fillies was sponsored by Hanover Shoe Farms.

For complete race results, click here: US Trotting results.

by Ray Cotolo, for The Red Mile