First-Timers Turn Two at the Racetrack

The calendar has yet to turn to June and North American harness racing already has its first two-year-olds of 2024 on the track.

On Saturday, May 25, ten sets of two-year-olds competed in the Kentucky Proud Series stakes at the Washington County Fair in Lebanon, Kentucky. The payout for each class was $12,329, and the event was held at the Washington County Fair.

The bay pacer filly, Thosesummernights, overtook pacesetter Princess Vanessa in the stretch and drew out by 4-3/4 lengths before stopping the clock in 2:01.1, making it the first two-year-old race winner in North America this season. The filly, JK Endofanera-Badwintercoming, was purchased by owner/trainer Rodney Debeck of Nicholasville, Kentucky, for $6,000 at the Lexington Selected Yearling Sale, and Geremy Bobbit drove her.

The first set's quickest two-year-old winner was on the trot as trainer/driver Ronnie Gillespie's bay filly Volstarita (above) was much the best in a 17-length romp, clocking in 2:00.3. M3 Racing Stable of Berlin, Ohio is the owner of the Volstead-Southwind Magic miss, which went for $55,000 at the Ohio Selected Jug Sale. Her family includes double millionaire Southwind Frank.

In rein to Jeremy Indof, Spring Haven Farm's fast-moving colt Fasting won the morning's two-year-old qualifications at The Meadows on Tuesday, May 28. He finished his first charted mile in 1:57.1, going seven lengths clear with a final frame time of :28.3. The $18,000 Lexington Selected Yearling Sale colt by Stay Hungry, out of Rachel Welch, the half-sister of Big McDeal, the Grand Circuit stakes winner, is trained by Mitchell York.