Kentucky-breds approach $600,000 final battles at Red Mile

Lexington, KY — On Monday (Sept. 19) The Red Mile will host six $100,000 Kentucky Commonwealth Series Finals for freshman and sophomore female and male harness racing trotters and pacers on a 12-race card. Taurasi (Racing Hill-Voluminous) seeks to extend his winning streak to seven in the final for sophomore male pacers.

Taurasi has not tasted defeat since his debut at Oak Grove Racing and Gaming on June 27. He did not compete in the pari-mutuel ranks as a 2-year-old.

The gelding first visited the winner’s circle after annexing a non-winner’s event at the same facility on July 12. He collected a second victory at Oak Grove, won a qualifying race at The Red Mile and then swept all four of the Commonwealth series legs.

Taurasi and his pilot, Devon Tharps, will leave from post position two in the field of five. He is 3-2 on the morning line in the seventh race on the card.

Trained by Tony Alagna, the gelding races as a homebred for M T Pockets Stables and Victoria Howard. Taurasi’s record stands at 7-6-0-0 and he has earned $78,300 in purse money.

Hungry For Love seeks fourth consecutive win

Hungry For Love (Stay Hungry-Lover Of Art) and David Miller will leave from post position four in a field of five 2-year-old pacing fillies. Trained by Ron Burke, the filly is 8-5 on the morning line and places her three-race winning streak on the line in the first race on the card.

After placing sixth in the first $80,000 leg of the Championship series on Aug. 2, her connections opted for the Commonwealth series and the alteration has proved beneficial.

Bred by Brittany Farms, Hungry For Love was an $80,000 purchase by Thomas Dillon and Scott Dillon at last year’s Lexington Selected Year. She is a half-sibling to Rock Me Baby (Rock N Roll Heaven, $394,523), Art Scene (American Ideal, $558,434), Summer Charm (Bettor’s Delight, $422,238), Lyons Liberty (American Ideal, $108,955).

Hungry For Love’s resume stands at 8-5-1-0 and she has earned $95,000.

Just For Trix goes for fourth straight

Just For Trix (Trixton-Falling For Flori) will also be steered by D. Miller when he begins trotting from post position two in the event for male sophomore trotters. Trained by Mike Murphy, the colt is 3-2 on the morning line in a field of eight in the fourth race.

The colt was third in the first leg of this series on Aug. 8 and has been in the winner’s circle in the next three legs.

Bred by Kentuckiana Farms and Perry Soderberg, Just For Trix is the second foal out of his dam and her most successful. He is owned by James Wilson and Teri Jenkins.

The colt has earned $112,582 and has a record of 30-5-3-5.

Queen Of Success seeks a crown

Queen Of Success’ (Captaintreacherous-Cashaway)  path to the final for 3-year-old filly pacers has been consistent. She finished third in the first leg, won the second leg, and then was second in the third leg on Aug. 30. The filly won the fourth leg on Sept. 11.

The filly was assigned post position seven in the field of seven. Queen Of Success will have Andrew McCarthy in the sulky and is 3-2 on the morning line in the second race.

Trained by Alagna, Queen Of Success was bred by Brittany Farms and Marvin Katz. She is owned by Alagna Racing, Caviart Farms and Robert Leblanc.

The filly has banked $180,467 and her record stands at 20-7-4-2.

Tactical Approach plans on having his picture taken

Tactical Approach (Tactical Landing-Sarcy) and Yannick Gingras seek to return to the winner’s circle in the final for 2-year-old male trotters after two consecutive defeats. He began his career with victories in the first two legs of this series.

Trainer Nancy Takter then placed the colt in the third leg of the Championship series where he finished seventh behind Peter Haughton Memorial winner Kilmister. When Tactical Approach returned to the Commonwealth series for the fourth leg on Sept. 4, he finished fifth as the heavy favorite behind Espresso who is also in this field.

Tactical Approach was assigned post position five in the field of 10 and is 2-1 on the morning line in what is carded as the fifth race.

The colt was bred by Steve Stewart and Oakwood Farms. He was purchased for $85,000 at last year’s Lexington Selected Yearling Sale by John Fielding, Steve Heimbecker, Robert Leblanc, Joe Sbrocco and Jaf Racing.

Tactical Approach is a half-sibling to Kentucky champion Double Deceiver (Cantab Hall, $503,479). His record is 4-2-0-0 and he has collected $31,500 in purse money.

Railee Something plans to prove she is “something”

Railee Something (International Moni-Railee Priti) drew post position 10 in a field of 10 freshman trotting fillies which is carded as the ninth race. The filly will be driven by Dexter Dunn for trainer Chris Ryder and is 2-1 on the morning line.

The filly seeks to replicate what she accomplished at Oak Grove on July 17 when she captured the $100,000 Early Sire Stakes final. She then traveled to Lexington where she won the first two legs of this series, went off stride in the third leg, and rebounded to capture the fourth leg of the series.

Railee Something competes as a homebred for Ronald Mersky. She sports a resume of 9-5-1-1 and has banked $112,306.

The Red Mile also will offer a $10,000 guaranteed Pick-4 (races six through nine) in conjunction with the U.S. Trotting Association’s Strategic Wagering program.

Sire stakes action continues Tuesday (Sept. 20) with eight $50,000 finals of the Kentucky Golden Rod series finals for freshman and sophomore female and male trotters and pacers.

First post is 1 p.m. EDT.

For complete race entries, click here.

by Kimberly French, for The Red Mile