Favorites win $80,000 KY Championship Series legs

The harness racing favorites held up well at the Red Mile on Monday (Aug. 8) as all three $80,000 divisions of the Kentucky Championship Series were won by the racing fans top choices.

The action began in the 3^rd race $80,000 first leg for three-year-old trotting colts and geldings as Double Deceiver (Cantab Hall) and driver David Miller worked out a perfect second-over trip behind Golden Wall As (Tony Hall) and then outkicked Majectic J (Todd McCarthy) in the stretch to win with ease by two and one-quarter lengths in 1:51.4. Golden Wall As was third.

DOUBLE DECEIVER REPLAY

It was a lifetime mark and the second straight win for Double Deceiver. The three-year-old gelding is trained by Carter Pinske and is owned by the Pinske Stable and Maknna Pinske. Double Deceiver now sports three wins and three second place finishes in just six starts this year. He paid $2.44 to win.

The next two $80,000 divisions were the second leg for two-year-old trotting colts and geldings.

The 5^th race saw French Wine (Bar Hopping – Creamy Mimi) and driver Andy Miller come first-over before the three-quarters after pacesetter Bourbon Courage (Trace Tetrick), wearing him down to take the lead and then holding off a late charge by Kimmeridgian (Ake Svanstedt) to win by three-quarters of a length in 1:53.3. Point Of Perfect (Yannick Gingras) was third.

FRENCH WINE REPLAY

Trained by Julie Miller for the Andy Miller Stable, Daniel Plouffe, Jean Plouffe and the One Legend Stable, Inc., it was a lifetime mark for French Wine and the third straight win for the colt. He has now won three of his four lifetime starts and paid $3.86 to win.

The seventh race was the second colt division and Dire Straits (Muscle Hill – Southwind Cocoa) and trainer-driver Mattias Melander were able to barely wire the field, holding off the pocket-sitting Ari Ferrari J (Dexter Dunn) to win by a head in 1:53.2. Excalibur Bi (Corey Callahan) had come first-over in the backstretch and finished third.

DIRE STRAITS REPLAY

It was a lifetime mark and the second straight win and third triumph in just four lifetime starts for Dire Straits. The colt is a homebred, bred and co-owned by Richard Gutnick with Thomas Pontone and Gary Cocco. He paid $4.16 to win.

For complete race results, click here.

by Steve Wolf, for Harnesslink