By Mike Paradise
The fastest winning mile among the 17 sophomore pacers in Saturday’s two $15,000 divisions of the Robert Carey Memorial stake series for 3-year-old ICF male pacers isn’t likely to be a betting favorite in his split.
BS Tyriffic hasn’t gone off as the favorite in any start this year in a state-bred division race nevertheless he’s been right there in just about every outing against them and with some better racing luck he could have added to his season total of two wins.
“His trips this year haven’t worked out in the big races,” said his driver Kyle Wilfong. “It did work out in the Cardinal elimination two weeks ago. He got a beautiful two-hole trip.
“It seems in the stake finals he draws badly, he has to race first over or he gets blocked. He seems to be a bad-luck horse in the finals.”

BS Tyriffic (Kyle Wilfong) yes a victory in a Carey stake division tonight. (R E B Photo)
BS Tyriffic hasn’t missed a check in an ICF race this year and as a 2-year-old he won a Balmoral Hanover, a Springfield Review and his Orange and Blue elimination. The pacer’s worse finish was third in the O&B Blue final. Poor racing luck was the reason.
“I was sitting behind the favorite on Super Night but he tired in the lane and I got stuck behind him. If my horse gets out, we would have won that big race.”
BS Tyriffic’s Cardinal elimination win was a quick 1:52 flat mile, faster than any horse in either of the Carey divisions have paced thus far.
“I’m not surprised,” continued Kyle. “He’s the fastest ICF 3-year-old I’ve been behind this year and I’ve driven some of the others. From a sixteenth to an eighth of a mile I don’t think there’s a horse in his division that can out-sprint him.
“BS Tyriffic may not always be the best horse in a race but he always gives you a big effort. He’s very handy. He can leave, he sits good. He does everything right. He just needs some better racing luck in these stakes.”
Unsurprisingly the Bob Sanders trained 3-year-old drew into the much tougher second division of the Carey Saturday where he’ll have to take down last year’s IF 2-year-old champion Dan D Dune (pp 10, Casey Leonard), Carey first leg winner Royale Rose (pp Matt Krueger), Cardinal champion Goindude (pp 6, Travis Seekman) and ITQ YQR (pp 4, Trenton Watson), also a first round Carey victor.
Caffeine Kid (pp 1, Dale Hiteman) another earlier Carey leg winner, Impressive Art (pp 3, Jared Finn). Fox Valley Eli (pp 7, Kyle Husted) and Red Dog Ryan (Ridge Warren) complete the seventh race field.
The Bob Rittof Stable’s Holdonwe’rerolling, another first leg Carey champion, is the fifth race first Carey division favorite (3-2 in my line); Todd Warren will guide him away from the seven-slot in the right horse field.
Posts one through six will be manned by JB’s Hero (Bobby Smolin), Bowedfortyova (Kyle Husted), He Gone Jack (Dale Hiteman) Chlo’s Richess Pat Curtin) and Whatdoesthefoxsay (Jerome Daniels).. Dr Drake Ramoray (Jim Pantaleano) who spent the month of July in Pennsylvania has the outside 8-post.

Whiskeronkittens (Todd Warren) made it look easy in her Fridsay night division of the Plum Peachy Stake. (Four Footed Photo)
Much the Best: Friday night’s two $15,000 third leg divisions of the Plum Peach stakes for ICF3-year-old fillies went as expected with first Whiskersonkittens and then Char N Marg, a couple of overwhelming favorites, dominating their respective splits
Whiskersonkittens was pushed going into the first turn by Bucklegirl Bobette before her driver Kyle Wilfong took the pocket behind the overwhelming 1 to 9 favorite. Todd Warren grabbed a hold of Whiskeronkittens and with no challengers she coasted to a 59.2 half.
In fact the first filly to tip out and go after the leader was the pocket horse Bucklegirl Bobette in the final turn but when she came alongside Whiskersokittens looked her in the eye and then went bye-bye, pulling away with a 27 flat quarter enroute to her 1:55.2 mile.
The battle for second went to Lexington Lady with Narcissistic coming on for third.
Trained by Kim Roth for owner Ronald Knupp of Anna, Illinois, Whiskersonkittens has now notched four victories in her second season.
It was just as easy for Char N Marg ($2.20) in the sixth race second division.
Casey Leonard urged her away from the six-slot and the Nelson Willis trained filly steadily worked her way to the front before the first quarter was reached in 28.2. After a slow 30 second quarter this race was basically over as Char N Marg drew away by almost eight lengths going to the final turn before she was reeled-in by the field.
When that happen Casey let her out a notch in the lane and Char N Marg ended up a comfortable four length winner in 1:55.2 and stayed unbeaten in 2016 against other ICF 3-year-old fillies for Quaid Racing of Chicago, Illinois.
Ashlee’s Fine Lady finished nicely and was second best while third place honors went to LK’s Nancy Lee.