Kentucky Sire Stakes third round Monday at Oak Grove
At 0h38, on June 15, 2026 • By Oak Grove Racing Publicity
A trio of 4-year-olds enter the third round of the Kentucky Sire Stakes summer series, slated for Monday (June 15) at Oak Grove Racing, Gaming & Hotel, aiming to complete sweeps of the preliminaries.
Two of the aforementioned three are pacers from the Ron Burke stable — Harrisburg Heist and Captain Arturovico — while the other is the Chris Beaver-trained trotter Gimpanzee Dancer.
After being just edged by Higher Ground in his 4-year-old debut, Harrisburg Heist has reeled off four straight wins, including his seasonal-best 1:48.4 score in the KYSS spring series final on Oak Grove Trotting Derby Day, May 16. Since the current series began, the Downbytheseaside-Cashaway gelding posted front-stepping scores at odds of less than 1-10, using matching :26.2 closing quarters to seal victory on both occasions. Ronnie Wrenn Jr. will drive Harrisburg Heist, who has been installed as the 2-5 morning line favorite, from post 4 in the second $50,000 division for male pacers, carded as Race 6 — the start of the $1 Early Pick 4.
Harrisburg Heist’s stablemate Captain Arturovico likewise won both preliminaries to date in the current series, and he has been installed as the 7-5 early choice in the first $50,000 male pacing split, carded as Race 2. After rallying from off the pace for third in the spring series final, the Captaintreacherous-Tillikum gelding used speed and pocket tactics to claim victory in both legs. Dexter Dunn takes over the lines of Captain Arturovico, who will start from post 2.
Gimpanzee Dancer, like Harrisburg Heist, puts a four-race win streak on the line in the first male trotting division, carded as Race 4. A 1:51.3 winner in the spring series final, the Gimpanzee-Weslynn Dancer entry reeled off odds-on victories in both preliminaries to date in the current series. Andy McCarthy is back aboard the even-money early favorite after teaming with him in two of his last three wins, and the pair will start from post 5.
Spring series champ Three Times Bettor will look to rebound in the lone division for pacing mares, carded as Race 12. The Brett Pelling-trained daughter of Bettor’s Delight-Three Times A Lady uncorked an eight-race win streak that snapped last time when she had no response to a far-turn blitz and faltered to finish fourth. Dexter Dunn, who handed over the lines last time while away competing in Sweden, returns to drive the 2-1 morning line favorite out of post 7.
The trotting mares also spar in a single dash, carded as Race 8. Luc Blais pupil Lasting Dream earned morning-line favoritism at 2-1 following her headstrong 1:52.1 victory at second asking in the most recent preliminary. Daniel Dube comes back to town to drive the daughter of Cantab Hall-Dream Together from the pylon post, just one slot inside of surprise KYSS spring series winner Aperfect Annie and two slots inside of R Dutchess, the second choice on the morning line who won in the first preliminary of the summer series. Todd McCarthy drives Aperfect Annie for trainer Carter Pinske while Tim Tetrick steers R Dutchess for trainer Tyler Butenschoen.
Tuesday’s (June 16) program of 13 races features three $30,000 Open Handicap events, and both programs feature a 20-cent Pick-5 (Races 1-5) and two $1 Pick-4s (Races 6-9 and 10-13), all with a 15% takeout. First post both days is 2:10 p.m.
