On Tuesday (July 22), The Red Mile conducted two $35,000 first round legs of the Kentucky Sire Stakes Series for 4-year-old male and female trotters. Vic Zelenskyy returned from a vacation as a victor and Black Velvet As collected her second consecutive triumph in sire stakes company.
The impeccably-bred Vic Zelenskyy (Greenshoe-Mission Brief) has experienced trouble staying flat throughout his career yet demonstrated his affinity for the red clay with his fifth triumph over the Lexington, Kentucky, oval.
With Dexter Dunn at the controls for conditioner Marcus Melander, the stallion commenced trotting from post position five as Bargain (Marvin Luna) took control out of the gate from post position seven through a first quarter in 28 1/5. Dunn, however, decided it was time to place Vic Zelenskyy in command prior to a half in 56 1/5. The stallion never relinquished that position through three-quarters in 1:24 2/5 and hit the line in 1:51. Bargain came on again with a drive in the lane, but was 4 1/4 lengths behind Vic Zelenskyy at the wire. Mister Dad (David Miller) rounded out the trifecta.
The stallion is owned by S R F Stable, as well as Holly Lane Stud East LTD. He was bred by Mission Brief Stable. Vic Zelenskyy was a $550,000 purchase at the 2022 Lexington Selected Yearling Sale and is the first foal out of world champion Mission Brief's five offspring of racing age to break the $100,000 barrier after today's win. The 4-year-old's record now stands at 15-6-2 and he has banked $113,510.
He last competed in the 2024 Breeders Crown elimination where he broke, but he did win the Kentucky Golden Rod Series final and an event for Kentucky Futurity eligibles earlier in the season. Vic Zelenskyy paid $5.14 to his supporters.
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Black Velvet As (Dan Noble) made the best of her appearance this afternoon to score in 1:51 3/5, a new lifetime mark, over Justasiam As (Marvin Luna) and Danger (Robert Taylor).
The public's top choice in the field of nine, Black Velvet As left from post position six and settled in fourth as Butter N Syrup (Todd McCarthy, post position seven), established splits of 27 4/5 and 56 2/5. Danger (Taylor, post position five) was out and moving from third before the half, took command on the last turn, and led the field through three-quarters in 1:24 1/5.
At that juncture, Black Velvet As was poised to strike as she had advanced into second. As Danger retreated in the drive to the finish line, Justasiam As launched her bid off Black Velvet As' cover, but Black Velvet As proved to be the stronger of the two, prevailing by a length and a quarter.
A daughter of Archangel-Provide As, Black Velvet possesses a resume of 24-7-6-2 and has amassed $259,545. She is trained by Anette Lorentzon, who also conditions the second-place finisher. Black Velvet As competes as a homebred for ACL Stuteri AB. The 4-year-old entered this contest off a triumph in the $150,000 Kentucky Sire Stakes final for this division at Oak Grove Racing, Gaming and Hotel on June 24. The mare returned $4.60 to win.
--press release (Red Mile)--