Harness racing preview: The Kentucky Filly Futurity

Harness racing has a few focal points each year, and this strange 2020 season is no different. The classic Kentucky Futurity races at The Red Mile take place Sunday, Oct. 11.

The 128th Kentucky Futurity for 3-year-old trotters and the companion 55th Kentucky Filly Futurity for filly trotters each drew a field of 12.

In post-position order, here is our evaluation for the Filly Futurity.

Sans Defaut

What a bargain she was against the boys in the Old Oaken Bucket, but she was worn out in an overland journey against the gals in a Bluegrass heat.

She is certainly a contender, but she has never come near the super fillies to her right.

Next Level Stuff

Jim Campbell’s filly is very good but has a hard time against the talent she'll face here. She has won twice in a row but has to work twice as hard to get near the best of them.

Ramona Hill

She is the best of them, even though she let a rogue (see below) defeat her last week, in an odd finish. It was as if she dozed off out of boredom in the final few steps, which allowed a 34-1 shot to slip by her.

We do not think that will happen here. The filly who won the Hambletonian beat the boys twice racing on top and from way behind. This is the great Ramona Hill, until she proves otherwise.

Sorella

Nancy Takter’s hard-hitting filly has lost to Ramona Hill twice, once on a break and another with a tough first half that left her breathless.

It is hard to envision she'll go stride for stride to beat Ramona Hill, but she has the stride to duel her out of it — but then she'll lose, too.

Sister Sledge

She has been disappointing against the best, where she has picked up checks but didn't show anything against the boys (or the girl) in the Hambo.

Ms Savannah Belle

She is a local and made her bones in a Kentucky Sires Stakes. She will be a very longshot, and maybe not long enough, which puts her out of it under any circumstances, short of a freak mile.

Love A Good Story

Julie Miller has a good one here, but her wins in New York are not against anything near the top three in this field.

Last week, she was good, but her Bluegrass division was slow going and won by Next Level Stuff.

Sweet Shirley Mae

She is in way over her pretty head, although she has raced with fairly good Pennsylvania-breds. But she hasn't beat them. She just chases them for some purse money.

Panem

Takter’s other filly burns money as a favorite in state-bred action and will lose to the best in here.

Hypnotic AM

Marcus Melander’s big guns are gone this season, and this one, who was a whiz at 2, has not fired against the toughest, so should not be taken seriously here.

Crucial

She was fast and furious at Hoosier but burned out in a Bluegrass duel last week at 9-1. It was a step up in Lexington, from Indiana’s only harness track, and she will have to come from behind here. She'll blow out again by the half if she tries to get near the top early from this post.

Ab’sattitudexpress

She may race with an asterisk for the rest of her career, as she defeated Ramona Hill at only 34-1 (she should have been 100-1). Performing such a trick again is the stuff that is made from alchemy.