$3.4 million is richest Sire Stakes day ever

Lexington’s Red Mile, known for its speed since its inception back in 1875, is setting new harness racing records in yet another arena.

With $3,400,000 up for grabs in Sunday’s Championship Series and Commonwealth Series Finals, it’s the most purse money up for grabs in any Sires Stakes competition ever in North America as The Commonwealth of Kentucky moves to the front in enhancing agriculture in the Bluegrass State—especially the horse industry.

As Red Mile Spokesman Gabe Prewitt said, “Besides our American flag, if we had a Red Mile flag up, it would be blue, red and green, with the ‘blue’ for our “Bluegrass State,” the ‘red’ for “The Red Mile” and the ‘green’ for the unprecedented purse money being offered.

And the $3.4 million on Sunday is only part of the story as there will be 10 $100,000 Class “B” finals on Monday and a similar number of $50,000 Class “C” finals on Tuesday bringing the total over $5 million—this in addition to the $80,000 multi-leg events already contested.

With the new energized environment in the Bluegrass State, Kentucky has become THE hotspot for racing and yearling sales.

Those few who had the foresight to see that energizing taking place just a couple of years ago have a chance to benefit greatly on Sunday with eight $400,000 events taking place in their respective Championship Series Finals for the two- and three-year-olds and a pair of $100,000 events in the Commonwealth Series Finals.

Not only are the purses astronomical, but there are also only two races with full fields of 10 with just five entered in the $100,000 Commonwealth Series Final for two-year-old pacing colts and geldings and just six entrants in the $400,000 Championship Final for three-year-old trotting fillies. The $100,000 Commonwealth Series for sophomore trotting fillies has a septet of starters.

The Sunday festivities begin at 1:00 with the $400,000 Championship for three-year-old pacing fillies.

The race has Boudoir Hanover (Captaintreacherous), the fastest of the group with her 1:48.3 mark and $281,167 already on her resume in 10 starts. The Tony Alagna trained filly will be handled by Todd McCarthy and has a 5-2-0 scorecard and will be facing another sub-1:50 performer, Always Gonna B You, a daughter of Always A Virgin with a mark of 1:49.4s and $147,900 on her 12-4-5-0 scorecard. David Miller will be in the bike for this Joe Holloway trainee.

Also, of note in the talented, consistent field is Msdinosis Bluegrass (Jk Endofanera) who, in 16 starts, is 5-5-4 with $111,335 in the bank. Dexter Dunn will be in her sulky for trainer Donald Brock.

Don’t Fence Me In (Captaintreacherous, 1:50.3f—$136,402), Lookatmyrapsheet (Bettor’s Delight, 1:50.1—$82,800) and Beyond The Sea (Downbytheseaside, 1:53.4s—$35,315) are also in that contest.

The $400,000 Championship for three-year-old trotting fillies features the fastest of the group, Eternal Lee (Southwind Frank, 1:51—$146,575) along with the richest, thus far, Bare My Soul (Chapter Seven, 1:52.1—$192,238)—the latter trained by Linda Toscano. The Dan Daley trained Yanaba (Trixton) has banked $146,475 with a consistent 4-3-4 scorecard in her 14 starts and yet another $100,000 winner, Selfie Queen, is trained by Nancy Takter and owns a 1:51.1 mark.

Eternal Lee will be driven by Andrew McCarthy, Bare My Soul will have Yannick Gingras in her bike, Yanaba will have the driving services of Brian Sears and Selfie Queen will handled by Dexter Dunn.

Two-year-old trotting colts and geldings are in the spotlight next in this $400,000 event with the Chapter Seven colt Kilmister looking to rebound for an early miscue in his last event, which interrupted a five-race winning skein. Kilmister, trained by Marcus Melander, has banked $249,035 this semester and will see Brian Sears handling his lines.

The sophomore pacing colts and geldings are up next with the field of eight sporting a trio of sub-1:50 performers—Pebble Beach (Downbytheseaside, 1:49.4s), I Did It Myway (Captaintreacherous, 1:48.1) and River Ness (Hunstville, 1:49.4).

While Pebble Beach has banked almost $600,000 this season, and is closing in on $1 million lifetime, I Did It Myway has kept that one at bay in his last three starts with winning miles in 1:48.2, 1:48.3 and 1:48.2—each of those miles showing :26 or :26.1 final quarter speed.

I Did It Myway is trained by Tony Alagna and has Andrew McCarthy listed to drive while Pebble Beach is conditioned by Noel Daley, who has engaged Todd McCarthy in the sulky.

With $400,000 on the line in the race for the three-year-old trotting colts and geldings, the lightly raced Rebuff (Muscle Hill) with only six starts this season—has the rare feat of a trotting mile under 1:50—his being 1:49.4—which has led to seasonal earnings of $189,175, thus far. Lucas Wallin trains him. Tim Tetrick will be in the bike.

The richest performer in the field this season is Double Deceiver (Cantab Hall), trained by Carter Pinske. With a 5-3-0 scorecard in nine starts, he’s banked $258,853 to go along with his splendid 1:50.2 mark and will be driven by David Miller.

The next event on the Sunday program is the $100,000 Commonwealth Final for two-year-old pacing colts and geldings with the undefeated Combustion (Captaintreacherous) —four-for-four— highlighting the quintet in this field.

Getting somewhat of a late start, he, seemingly was brought along slowly and made his first pari-mutuel start at Pocono before traveling to The Red Mile and winning three straight in the Commissioner Series—the last two in 1:50.4.

He has amassed $51,500 in his brief career for trainer Brett Pelling, who has named Todd McCarthy to try and extend his winning streak.

Two-year-old trotting fillies will be in the limelight in this $400,000 Championship Final, which is deemed a wide-open affair with Walner Payton (Walner) arriving as the top earning filly in this field of nine with $186,200—less than $1,000 more than Mambacita (Tactical Landing) with $185,312.

Both have marks within a fifth-of-a-second (Walner Payton at 1:54.1 and Mambacita at 1:54.2) but the filly with the fastest mark is Special Way at 1:52.2.

Meanwhile, Wind Chime has the most wins—four—and looks to regain her form of earlier in the season.

Walner Payton is trained by Chris Ryder while Mambicita has the training services of Tony Alagna, as does Wind Chime. Special Way, by the way, is trained by Ake Svanstedt.

Walner Payton will have Dexter Dunn in her sulky, while David Miller will handle the chores back of Mambacita. Todd McCarthy will handle Wind Chimes.

The full field event for the $400,000 Championship for two-year-old pacing fillies features Twin B Joe Fresh (Roll With Joe), fastest juvenile pacer regardless of sex and under the conditioning of Chris Ryder.

This filly has earned $264,412 in her seven starts this year with her 1:48.4 mile—an astounding two move mile highlighted by a :26.1 finale.

Since that epic mile, she has travelled to New York to capture the $200,000 Sire Stakes Final and back to The Red Mile for Sunday’s Championship event. Dexter Dunn will drive.

Yet another sub-1:50 performer in the field is Strong Poison (Always B Miki), who has four wins and $144,000 in the books to go along with her 1:49.3 mark. This Ron Burke trainee will have Yannick Gingras in the sulky.

A great Sunday finale awaits, as well, as two-year-old pacing colts and geldings will be in action going for the major share of that $400,000 prize.

There are a pair of sub-1:50 juveniles in this one—Kopi Luwak (Stay Hungry, 1:49.2) and Confederate (Sweet Lou, 1:49.3) and another, Blue Lou (Sweet Lou) — maybe named after the famous 1930’s song by Chick Webb — just one tick away.

Kopi Luwak, trained by Tony Alagna, has earned $65,000 in his four starts while Confederate has banked $96,200 under the handling of Brian Brown.

Blue Lou is trained by Nancy Takter and has $91,550 under his girth.

Kopi Luwak will be handled by David Miller, Confederate will be driven by Tim Tetrick and Blue Lou will feature Andrew McCarthy.

Gabe Prewitt summed it up best by saying, “This is a step—hopefully of many—that will help the industry move forward and lead us to more participation by current owners and initial participation by first time owners. This season has been an encouraging one for our participants at the mutuel windows since we’ve put hundreds of thousands of dollars back in their pockets with our new breakage rulings. And that is what we need, progress in all areas of the sport!”

The weather forecast for Sunday is Sunny and warm with his temperatures in the mid-80’s…perfect weather for some world records!

For complete race entries, click here.

by John Berry, for Harnesslink