Big upset by Overpayment at The Red Mile

Lexington, KY — On Monday (Sep 09) Overpayment (Nuncio) sprung the upset at odds of 45-1 to win the $35,000 third leg of the Kentucky Sire Stakes for 4-year-old male pacers by a head. Railee Something outlasted Canterbury Hanover by a neck to score as the heavy harness racing favorite in the Kentucky Sire Stakes for 4-year-old female trotters at The Red Mile.

Bestfriend Volo (Marvin Luna) was widely backed by the public to collect his fourth consecutive victory and fifth from his last six starts, but a miscue behind the gate opened the door for an upset in this event.

Overpayment (Trevor Smith) went straight to the top from post position seven to set the first split of :28.3. That’s when second selection Drink Up Drink Up (Andy Miller) overtook his rival with a half-mile in :55.4 and three-quarters in 1:24.2. Overpayment was perfectly placed in second as Bestfriend Volo was last until the three-quarter pole prior to moving into sixth.

Turning for home, Drink Up Drink Up began to tire as Overpayment was loaded with pace. Bestfriend Volo, however, was far from done. The gelded son of Walner was third at the top of the stretch and was gaining on Overpayment with every stride. Despite a ferocious final panel that was nearly a full second swifter than the victor, Bestfriend Volo fell a head short. Drink Up Drink Up held for third in the 1:52.3 mile.

A son of Nuncio-Two Zuzim, Overpayment entered this race off a fifth-place finish in the second leg of this series behind Bestfriend Volo, but had captured two of his last three starts.

OVERPAYMENT REPLAY

Trained by Jeff Smith, Overpayment is now 46-11-8 for his career and has earned $153,074. He just established his lifetime mark of 1:51.4 on Aug. 2 at Eldorado Scioto Downs.

The gelding was bred Russell Williams and is a half-brother to Yucatan Party Man (Credit Winner, $293,392). He was a $10,000 yearling at the 2021 Standardbred Horse Sale and was purchased privately last June from Stephen Palermo by Bet The House LLC.

Overpayment provided $93.78 to his supporters.

Railee Something (Tyler Smith) fended off the advance of Canterbury Hanover (Tony Hall) to notch her second consecutive win and fourth in her last five starts in 1:53. Dellarose (Luna) was third.

The daughter of International Moni-Railee Priti wanted to be on the engine right from the beginning of the mile. Railee Something set fractions of :28.1, :56.2 and 1:24.4 with Canterbury Hanover right behind her in second. When Hall pulled his mare from the pocket in the drive to the line, Railee Something had enough left to deny her rival a trip to the winner’s circle.

Trained by Roger Cullipher, the mare was bred and is owned by Ronald Mersky. The Pennsylvania champion was third in the $600,000 Breeders Crown for her age, sex and gait last year and has competed with the best in her division. Railee Something was actually the favorite in last year’s $500,000 Hambletonian Oaks.

RAILEE SOMETHING REPLAY

The mare increased her bankroll to $840,436 and her resume now stands at 40-16-13-4.

Railee Something offered $2.10 at the windows.

Racing continues Tuesday (Sept. 10) at The Red Mile with a first post of 1 p.m. as the facility gears up for the eight $400,000 Kentucky Sire Stakes Championship Series finals on Sunday (Sept. 15) with a first post of 5:05 p.m.

To receive free program pages to handicap the track with the lowest takeout in the sport, visit here.

For complete race results, click here: US Trotting results.

by Kimberly French, for The Red Mile