OAK GROVE, Ky. — In just the second start of her harness racing career, Skywalker Sea (Downbytheseaside) paced the fastest mile ever for 2-year-old pacing fillies over the Oak Grove Racing, Gaming & Hotel oval in winning her division’s lone $40,000 dash of Kentucky Sire Stakes on a jam-packed Sunday (July 7) card.

Leaving from post 7, driver Yannick Gingras found a snug seat for Skywalker Sea in fourth to a :27 first quarter set by Hip Shot (driven by Scott Zeron). Gingras stayed put through a :57 half before lifting his charge into action up the backside with a first-over push after Hip Shot. Skywalker Sea seized the lead to three-quarters in 1:24.1 and strode in under a hand drive to register a 2-1/2-length win over Hip Shot in 1:52. Accede (Dexter Dunn) gave chase off a ground-saving trip in third and Karma (Andy Miller) finished fourth.

Skywalker Sea stayed unbeaten from two starts for owner Greg Luther Racing LLC and trainer Todd Luther. Her 1:52 effort lowered the previous mark for 2-year-old pacing fillies set by Calgary two years ago by three-fifths of a second. Skywalker Sea returned $2.78 for the win.

SKYWALKER SEA REPLAY

Just a single division of KYSS also went postward for the 3-year-old trotting colts and geldings and the 2-year-old pacing colts and geldings. The male sophomore trot opened the card and saw Mister Dad (Father Patrick, Dexter Dunn, 1:55 winning time; $7 to win) find a seam in the final yards off a pocket trip to grab a nose win over tempo-setting Lindy’s Coyotito (Andy Miller) and fast-closing Memorynimagination (Scott Zeron). Anette Lorentzon trains Mister Dad for owners Kentuckiana Racing Stable and Tulip Racing.

The lone KYSS split for male pacing freshmen wrapped the Sunday card and went to Lew Hauber (Sweet Lou, Dexter Dunn, 1:54; $9.56) off an enterprising pocket ride to punch up and get a neck win over hard-charging Got Bourbon (Todd McCarthy). Ron Burke trains the winning colt for owner-breeders Burke Racing Stable LLC, Weaver Bruscemi LLC and Jack Piatt II.

Freshman trotting fillies sparred in three $40,000 KYSS divisions on the Sunday card. Both Voguish (Gimpanzee, Yannick Gingras, 1:55.4; $4.36) and Yo Tillie (Tactical Landing, Verlin Yoder, 1:55.4; $8.62) tied for fastest miles of their division with different trips to boot. Voguish carved the mile as the even-money choice while Yo Tillie powered off a pocket ride to best odds-on choice Stacking Green (Yannick Gingras). Andrew Harris trains Voguish, who debuted a winner for owners William Pollock, Bruce Areman and Andrew Harris, while Verlin Yoder owns and trains Yo Tillie. The third KYSS split for 2-year-old trotting fillies went to Steve Carter trainee Divine Thing (Peter Wrenn, 1:56; $4.40) after she powered first over through the first quarter to the lead and held firm on the point to the finish.

Memento Mori (Chapter Seven, Scott Zeron, 1:56.2; $2.46) made amends for his runner-up debut and led from pillar to post to win in the faster of the two KYSS divisions for freshman trotting colts and geldings. Eric Pataln trains the gelding, who fended off a late surge from Bank On Me (Todd McCarthy) in the stretch, for owners Thestable Memento Mori and Hutchison Harness LLC. Shoe Shine Willie (Dexter Dunn, 1:57.4; $10.70) stayed flat and inherited an open lane on the turn for home to stay on the straight and narrow and win in the other division for trainer Bill Cottongim.

Arson (Captaintreacherous, Scott Zeron, 1:50.1; $6.58) converted a pocket trip to a win in the faster of the two KYSS splits for sophomore pacing males, downing tempo-setter Dancin Champion (Yannick Gingras) in the final strides to win. Eric Patalan trains the colt for owners Thestable Arson Group and Hutchison Harness. Copperfield (Marcus Miller, 1:51.2; $78.82) landed a huge upset as the longest shot on the board in the other division, collaring late-leader Swaggy Cal (Dexter Dunn) in the closing strides for the win.

Per Engblom pupil Bath Bomb (Lather Up, Yannick Gingras, 1:50.2; $3.94) circled to the lead past the quarter and motored down the road to record the faster mile of the two KYSS divisions for sophomore pacing fillies. The daughter of Lather Up, who competes for owner Morrison Racing Stables, easily waded the center-track rally from Defining Moment (Scott Zeron) to hold the win by 1-3/4 lengths. Viki Hill (Dexter Dunn, 1:52.3; $5.20) survived an uncovered bid through the first three-eighths of the mile in the other division to hold victory by a half-length over room-seeking Seeuontheotherside (Marvin Luna).

Black Velvet As (Archangel, Marvin Luna, 1:53.3; $9.36) took top honors from the three KYSS divisions for 3-year-old trotting fillies when she muscled first over to a 3-1/2-length win over pocket-sitter Local Honey (Todd McCarthy). Anette Lorentzon trains her for owner ACL Stuteri AB. Stella Volo (Dexter Dunn, 1:53.4; $5.16) and Woman Of Passion (Scott Zeron, 1:54; $2.20) later bested their rivals on the lead to win in the other divisions.

Live racing resumes at Oak Grove on Monday (July 8) with a 12-race card starting at 3 p.m. (CDT). Monday’s card will feature a carryover into the Early Pick 4, starting in Race 3, worth $849.96. Free program pages for every race day, courtesy of TrackMaster, are available on the Oak Grove Racing website.

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

From Oak Grove Racing 

Why Kentucky Will POP in 2024

A busy recruiting weekend wrapped up on Sunday in college football. Kentucky’s class of 2025 currently sits at 17 commitments and is ranked No. 20 overall. With talking season starting this week, the Wildcats will now start to enter training camp mode heading into another football season, but there is still one more announcement on the horizon.

Louisville (Ky.) Male center Isaac “Spike” Sowells Jr. has a commitment announcement planned for Thursday, July 18. That is the same day that Kentucky head coach Mark Stoops is scheduled to take the podium at SEC Media Days in Dallas. Will the Wildcats get to 18 commitments before heading to fall camp?

Kentucky currently has four offensive linemen in the fold with three true tackle prospects and one guard prospect. Paw Paw (Mich.) High senior Darrin Strey is the highest-ranked recruit of the bunch. Spike Sowells could become the second-highest rated in Kentucky’s offensive line class. The in-state prospect was in Lexington for his official visit the same weekend Strey committed to offensive line coach Eric Wolford.

The high three-star prospect took official visits in June to South Carolina, Kentucky, Miami, and NC State. Dave Doeren‘s Wolfpack have emerged as the top contender for the in-state prospect in this recruitment. NC State has some real buzz heading into the decision. Can Vince Marrow and the Kentucky coaching staff close on Spike Sowells over the next 10 days?

We will find out soon.

Expect recruiting to slow down after the decision until the games begin in September. Most of the work on the trail in the class of 2025 has been completed. Kentucky is waiting for one more big announcement before season prep gets off and running in the Bluegrass.

Want more coverage of the Cats? Join the KSR Club.

KSR has been delivering UK Sports news in the most ridiculous manner for almost two decades. Now, you can get even more coverage of the Cats with KSR+. Now is the perfect time to join our online community. Subscribe now for premium articles, in-depth scouting reports, inside intel, bonus recruiting coverage, and access to KSBoard, our message board featuring thousands of Kentucky fans around the globe. Just $1 gets you one month of access. Come join the club.

Five people — four victims and the suspect — have died following a shooting that occurred in Florence early in the morning on Saturday, July 6. Three more people are in the hospital but are in stable condition, according to Florence Police, who are characterizing the incident as a mass shooting. 

Police officers were dispatched to a house on Ridgecrest Drive at around 2:50 a.m. Saturday. By the time the police arrived, the suspect had already driven away from the scene, a written police statement reads. Four victims were pronounced dead at the scene and three more were transported to UC Hospital, where they are currently in stable condition and expected to make a full recovery.

Florence Police Chief Jeff Mallery identified the four victims at a press conference Saturday afternoon: 20-year-old Shane Miller, 20-year-old Hayden Rybicki, 19-year-old Delaney Eary and 44-year-old Melissa Parrett. One of the victims was the home owner. 

“Our hearts and prayers go out to the families of the victims,” Mallery said at the press conference, visibly emotional.

LINK nky’s content sharing partner WCPO had crews on the scene and interviewed a neighbor, who said at around 2:15 a.m. after he left a party, he heard what he first thought were fireworks. At the press conference, Mallery added that police officers had heard gun shots upon their arrival at the house.

A 21st birthday party was being held for Parrett’s son at the time of the shooting, Mallery said.

Mallery said other partygoers told officers the shooter fled in a vehicle. Officers were able to track down the suspect and attempted to stop him near Farmview Drive and US-42, but the suspect fled again. A chase ensued. Finally, the suspect drove off the road into a ditch on Dale Heimbrock Way near Hicks Pike. The officers located the suspect with what appeared to be a self-inflicted gun shot wound. He was transported to St. Elizabeth Hospital, where he died. Authorities don’t believe Garvey was invited to the party, but he was known by other partygoers, Mallery said.

The suspect has since been identified as 21-year-old Chase Garvey, who was a convicted felon from a previous sex offense, but Mallery said they don’t believe that is connected to the shooting. Records from the courts and the Department of Corrections indicate that Garvey was on probation for a felony charge of unlawfully transacting with a minor in 2021. He was sentenced to five years in prison, but the sentence was suspended in favor of probation on the condition he didn’t interact with the victim, didn’t commit any more crimes, engage in psychological counseling and maintain employment. He was scheduled to come off of probation in 2027. 

Mallery said Garvey’s motive is still under investigation.

“We have never dealt with this before,” Mallery said. “I know it’s gone on throughout the nation, but this is the first time that we’ve had a mass shooting in Florence.”

The Florence Police Department is asking anyone who has any information related to this event to call them at (859)371-1234.

This is a developing story and LINK nky will report more on it as information becomes available. 

WCPO’s Sean DeLancey, Molly Schramm, Krizia Williams & Michael Coker contributed reporting to this story.

This story is republished from LINK nky.