The Red Mile will host Kentucky Super Night on Sunday (Sept. 17), with total purses of $1.7 million offered. Super Night features eight Kentucky Sires Stakes (KYSS) finals for two- and three-year-old pacers and trotters of both sexes. As a result of new KYSS conditions which went into effect this year that expanded eligibility and included an increase in purses, the four two-year-old finals will each be worth $250,000, while the three-year-old finals will be worth $175,000 each.

All four of last year’s two-year-old champions are back to defend their titles. They include the three-year-old colt pacer V Power, who won both his KYSS preliminaries and is riding a seven-race win streak heading into Sunday’s final. Dave Palone, harness racing’s all-time leader with more than 18,000 victories, will drive V Power for breeder/owner/trainer Donna “Lee” Gilfson-Eferstein.

Other returning champs include the three-year-old colt trotter Starlight AS, who also swept both his earlier KYSS legs, the three-year-old filly pacer In The Dark, who has a first and third in the preliminaries and the three-year-old filly trotter Sheas Victory, who finished second in the preliminaries behind fellow finalists Almondy AS and Cassandra AS, stablemates from the barn of the Paris, Ky.-based trainer Anette Lorentzon.

Full fields of 10 will go behind the gate in each of the two-year-old finals.

A competitive field in the filly trot includes Lily Stride, who captured both of her KYSS preliminaries after finishing third in the $330,800 Peter Haughton Memorial at the Meadowlands. The 10-filly race includes six others who won early KYSS legs: Zoe Bi, Top Expectations, Passionate Miss, Deschanel, Nixie Volo and Foxy Fantasy.

In the filly pace, Band Stand has been most impressive as she swept her way through three KYSS preliminary victories. Also in the race is Pure Paradise, who is a two-time winner in KYSS legs.

The field also includes Hurrikane Empress, who won the $100,000 New Jersey Sires Stakes final in July at the Meadowlands and is an example of the new conditions that allow for horses to have dual eligibility depending on where the mare resides and where the stallion stands stud duty.

Shakewhatmamagaveu, who was fifth in the $250,000 Ohio Sires Stakes final on Sept. 2 at Scioto Downs, also made the KYSS final.

The field for the two-year-old colt pace includes leg-winners Decoy, Gone Again, Grand Teton and Key Advisor. The two-year-old colt trot finalists include preliminary winners Hat Trick Habit, US Marshall, Dawson Springs, Haveitalltogether, Wolfgang and Cordoba Hall.

The Red Mile is also nearing the two-year anniversary of the opening of its new gaming parlor that houses 902 historical racing machines as well as a remodeled simulcasting area.

Post time for the first race on Kentucky Super Night is 7 p.m.

The clubhouse will be open for buffet dining, with reservations available by calling 859.255.0752.

(with files from KYSS)