Action-packed week ahead at Red Mile

Lexington, Kentucky…September 9, 2023…Harness racing’s Red Mile begins it’s Sunday-Monday-Tuesday week with an octet of stakes events on Sunday (Sept. 10), highlighted by a pair of $80,000 Kentucky Sire Stakes Championship Series events.

Three-year-old pacing fillies are featured in the fourth leg of this Championship Series and a budding rivalry between Twin B Joe Fresh (Roll With Joe), Strong Poison (Always B Miki) and Charleston (Downbytheseaside) are the headliners in this very talented sextet.

Twin B Joe Fresh, who has a chance to eclipse the million dollar mark in earnings with a win, has $964,178 in career bounty coming into the action and is the narrow 9 to 5 favorite on the morning line on the strength of a four race winning skein, including a lifetime best 1:48.2 performance over The Red Mile on August 8.

Since then, she’s traveled to the Poconos to win the $250,000 Lynch Memorial in 1:49.4 and then on to New York where she won a $107,000 Early Closing event at Tioga Downs in 1:51.3 highlighted by a final panel in a scintillating :25.4.

Twin B Joe Fresh is trained by Chris Ryder, who co-owns with Peter Trebotica, Barry Spak, and Dexter Dunn, who will be in the sulky on Sunday. And will leave from post two.

Strong Poison comes off a splendid 1:50 winning effort in her last start and has earned $581,135 to go along with a 1:48 mark at Hoosier Park in the $115,000 Nadia Lobell.

Owned by Burke Racing along with J and T Silva Stables LLC, Knox Services and Beasty LLC, this filly is trained by Ron Burke with her most recent win featuring a final half in :53.2 and last quarter in :25.3.

Yannick Gingras will be in her sulky from post one as the 5 to 2 second choice in the morning line.

Charleston, a $572,847 winner in her own right, has been chasing both Twin B Joe Fresh and Strong Poison in her last two starts and paced her last quarter in a “thoroughbred like” 25 seconds, missing by just a half length.

Brett Pelling trains for the Diamond Creek Racing and has, once again, engaged Tim Tetrick to handle her lines and is 3 to 1 on the line from post position three.

Cultured (Captaintreacherous), Zanatta (Stay Hungry) and Duchenne (Betting Line) complete this exceptionally talented field.

Sophomore trotting colts and geldings will be in the limelight in the companion $80,000 KYSS Championship Series with Hambletonian winner Tactical Approach (Tactical Landing) designated as the 5 to 2 morning line favorite, despite having drawn the outside post intros talented septet.

Trained by Nancy Takter for Robert Leblanc, John Fielding, Joe Sirocco and JAF Racing, Tactical Approach has banked $641,489 this semester to go along with a 1:50.3 mark, registered in the Hambletonian.

In his last start, Tactical Approach was gunned down in the final stages of a 1:50 mile, losing to French Wine by a half length. French Wine is not entered this time around so Ari Ferrari J (Walner) is listed as co-second choice at 7 to 2.

Ari Ferrari J  has four wins this year for trainer Tony Alagna, who conditions for owner Kenneth Jacobs, but is winless at The Red Mile thus far with a pair of second and a fourth in his last start after cutting much of the mile.

Dexter Dunn has the driving assignment from post one.

Also listed at 7 to 2 is Khaosan Road (International Moni) trained by Ake Svanstedt for Knuttson Trotting, Inc. and Little E LLC.

Coming into the action with a 3-2-3 scorecard in nine starts, Khaosan Road cut the mustard in his last start in the PASS Championship Final  before succumbing to French Wine late.

After a so-so two-year-old season earning $12,810, Khaosan Road has bounty of $258,746 this year and a mark of 1:52.1f.

Kilmister, Buckhead Ridge, Brodeur and Point Of Perfect round out the field.

Post time is 1:00 with a huge betting buffet available for all members and guests of the “Send It In Army.”

Low takeouts on exotic wagers and a $10,000 guaranteed pool on the Pick-4, with a 12% takeout, highlight the Sunday action.

Free program pages are also available at redmileracing.com.

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

by John Berry, for The Red Mile