Trotting sophomores take Kentucky Championship spotlight Tuesday

LEXINGTON, KY— Kentucky Championship Series harness racing action continues into the Tuesday (Sept. 7) program with a pair of $40,000 fourth-preliminary divisions for trotting sophomores – one for the colts and geldings and one for the fillies.

Colts and geldings kick off the card with a reinvigorated Venerate looking to again one-up Really Fast. The colt by Love You outsprinted the odds-on choice in the third preliminary to win by a head in 1:52.2 but now has a post disadvantage on the morning-line favorite. Andy Miller steers the Julie Miller trainee from post 5 while Dexter Dunn gets the call on Really Fast for trainer Nancy Takter from post 2.

The early daily double finishes with the filly split, where Darlene Hanover joins the Kentucky Championship competition following wins in the $250,000 Delmonica Hanover at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono and in the $140,000 Zweig Filly Trot at Vernon Downs. Todd McCarthy pilots the Brett Bittle trainee, listed as the third choice on the morning line at 4-1, from post 6. Empressive Hill, who enters off consecutive wins in the series, scores from post 3 for trainer-driver Jordan Derue in a field which also includes Beltassima, the 5-2 morning line favorite making her second start off a sick scratch for driver Andrew McCarthy and trainer Tony Alagna.

Alongside the Championship action, the 11-race card features two $20,000 divisions of the Kentucky Commonwealth Series – one for colts and geldings and one for fillies. First-race post time is 1 p.m. (EDT).

For full race entries, click here.

by Ray Cotolo, for The Red Mile