Kentucky

Skywalker Sea sets Oak Grove track record in Kentucky Sire Stakes

Published

1 year ago

July 8, 2024

Skywalker Sea sets Oak Grove track record in Kentucky Sire Stakes

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.

Skywalker Sea with Yannick Gingras setting an Oak Grove track record for 2-year-old pacing filllies with a 1:52 win in a Kentucky Sire Stakes division (Mark Herron Photo)

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

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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

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Kentucky

FCPS superintendent to recommend keeping Stables program at Kentucky Horse Park

Published

12 hours ago

December 17, 2025

Press Room

FCPS superintendent to recommend keeping Stables program at Kentucky Horse Park

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WKYT) – Fayette County Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Demetrus Liggins announced Tuesday he will recommend keeping The Stables alternative school at its current location through the end of next school year.

The school is located within the Kentucky Horse Park and allows students to work with horses while learning in a smaller setting. FCPS’ “Project Right Size Bright Futures” initiative had been considering terminating the facility contract over efficiency reasons.

Parents like Jennifer Boling understand the implications of the decision after seeing what the program did for her two children.

“It’s just changed their complete life around. Neither one of them trusted adults before,” Boling said.

The district’s Right Size Bright Futures committee had been looking at cutting the school’s facility contract with the nonprofit Central Kentucky Riding for Hope. Liggins acknowledged Tuesday that while the program is costly, it is worthwhile.

Liggins said he wants to promote the work being done to find partnerships to help continue the program’s long-term viability.

School Board Chair Tyler Murphy told WKYT he was excited to hear about Liggins’ recommendation ahead of Thursday’s board meeting.

“They do incredible work. The passion around that work is very meaningful and powerful. It’s important because they are truly leaving an impact on every child that goes through their doors,” Murphy said.

The leader of the school’s partnering agency shares in Murphy’s excitement.

“Elated that there’s been a response and gratified that people took time to listen to the story of our participants,” said Pat Kline, executive director of Central Kentucky Riding for Hope.

Boling said while she is more optimistic than before, she needs to see results.

“I want to see them actually follow through and not just be words,” Boling said.

According to Liggins, the Stables program costs the school district about $1.1 million. A majority of that comes from personnel, he said.

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Kentucky

Unexpected death of central Kentucky woman prompts community fundraising effort

Published

2 days ago

December 16, 2025

Press Room

Unexpected death of central Kentucky woman prompts community fundraising effort

MADISON COUNTY, Ky. (LEX 18) — A Central Kentucky mother is working to raise money for her daughter’s funeral after the woman died unexpectedly while visiting a friend in Pennsylvania last week.

Ashley Lowery McCoy’s mother, Paula Carrier, said the community has stepped up during her time of shock, raising around $5,000 for funeral arrangements in just four days.

“She’ll look down on all of us, and she’ll be smiling. She’ll say, ‘Hey, they actually love me,’” Carrier said. “She’d be proud of everybody for stepping up. She’d see that she mattered.”

McCoy had recently left a sober living program about a month ago after battling drug addiction, according to her mother. At the same time, McCoy managed to leave an abusive relationship.

“My daughter’s seen me get clean. She wanted to get clean, and she did it,” Carrier said. “She would tell you, ‘Mom, you should be proud of me because I’m doing good,’” Carrier said.

McCoy’s pastor said she had recently given herself to God before leaving for her trip to Pennsylvania.

“You could tell that she was broken and she wants a change in life,” Senior Pastor at the Revival Hope Tabernacle church, Walter Rhodus said.

“She left this world and I mean she gets to spend eternity in heaven. That’s priceless. I mean, absolutely priceless,” the pastor said.

With Ashley’s funeral scheduled for December 19, the family is still $2,000 short of covering the costs. They have set up several donation locations in Jessamine County and Madison County.

LEX 18

“No mom should have to do that. If I don’t get it, I don’t know what I want to do, I’ll sell everything I’ve got,” Carrier said. “If I could, I’d ride back here with her. I would take my child’s place.”

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Kentucky

Kentucky Volleyball set for Final Four showdown with Wisconsin

Published

3 days ago

December 15, 2025

Press Room

Kentucky Volleyball set for Final Four showdown with Wisconsin

The semifinal stage is set for No. 1 seed Kentucky volleyball, as the Wildcats prepare to take on No. 3 seed Wisconsin in the NCAA Final Four on Thursday, Dec. 18, at 9:00 PM ET inside the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City.

Kentucky has been dominant throughout the NCAA Tournament, including a 3–0 sweep of Wofford, a sweep against Cal Poly in the Sweet 16, and a sweep over Creighton in the Elite Eight. Their only dropped set came in the Round of 32 against UCLA. Outside of that brief hiccup, Kentucky has controlled matches from start to finish and remains undefeated at home this season.

Wisconsin arrives in Kansas City after a statement win over No. 1 Texas in the Elite Eight. The Badgers earned a measure of revenge against the Longhorns, who handed Wisconsin one of its four losses during the regular season. Kentucky accounted for Texas’ other two defeats, beating the Longhorns in both the regular season and the SEC Tournament championship.

Thursday’s matchup also carries historical weight for Big Blue Nation. Wisconsin was the team that ended Kentucky men’s basketball’s perfect 38–0 season in the 2015 Final Four, denying the Wildcats an undefeated national title.

Now, Kentucky volleyball has an opportunity to write a different ending against the Badgers on the sport’s biggest stage.

If the Wildcats advance, they’ll face the winner of the other national semifinal matchup, which sees No. 1 seed Pittsburgh, who actually handed Kentucky one of its regular-season losses, take on No. 3 seed Texas A&M, whom the Cats defeated in College Station.

With a spot in the national championship match on the line, the Wildcats will look to continue their dominant run and settle an old score. The national championship game is Sunday, Dec. 21, on ABC at 3:30 PM ET.

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