On Sunday (Sept. 18), The Red Mile hosted the most lucrative card in its history with eight $400,000 Kentucky Championship Series finals for freshman and sophomore female and male trotters and pacers and two $100,000 Kentucky Commonwealth Series finals for sophomore trotting fillies and male freshman pacers. Favourites provided their supporters with winning tickets but there were plenty of surprises on the 10-race card.

 

 

I Did It Myway tossed down a :25.2 final quarter to best defending Kentucky champion Pebble Beach in 1:48.4 for the third consecutive occasion to claim championship honours in the Bluegrass.

 

Dancin Sancho laid down the opening splits of :27 and :55 before River Ness and Yannick Gingras decided it was time to lead the field. River Ness established the third fraction of 1:22.4 with I Did It Myway and Pebble Beach biding their time in sixth and fifth.

 

Pebble Beach and Todd McCarthy were in second at the top of the lane, but I Did It Myway and Andrew McCarthy were right there in third. I Did It Myway did it again and outpaced Pebble Beach to wire despite a :26.1 final quarter from the North America Cup winner. Caviart Camden (Dexter Dunn) was an extremely respectable third with his own :26.1 last quarter.

 

Trained by Tony Alagna, I Did It Myway is a son of Captaintreacherous-Flyme To The Moon and has now earned $583,708 from a record of 21-11-1-3. This was his fourth consecutive win. The colt was bred by Joe Sbrocco and is owned by Country Club Acres, Sbrocco, Don Latore and Alagna and Fodera Racing.

 

I Did It Myway paid $3.04 to win to his supporters.

 

Boudoir Hanover and Todd McCarthy took the lead before the half-mile marker and never relinquished it to collect the filly’s fourth consecutive victory in 1:49.2. Lookatmyrapsheet was second and Dont Fence Me In was third.

 

Trained by Alagna, the daughter of Captaintreacherous-Bedroomconfessions left from post five and sat behind Lookatmyrapsheet through the first split in :26.3. Shortly thereafter, Boudoir Hanover took control and clicked off fractions of :54 and 1:21.4 in progress to victory.

 

The filly was bred by Riverview Breeding and Visionary Breeding. She is owned by Riverview Racing, Alagna Racing, Caviart Farms, D. Plouffe and S. Head. Boudoir Hanover’s record is 22-8-5-2 and she has banked $726,649.

 

She paid $2.46 to win as the favourite.

 

 

Branded By Lindy and driver Yannick Gingras trotted a :26.3 final quarter to give Rebuff the cold shoulder in 1:50.3. Defending Kentucky champion Double Deceiver was third.

 

Fast As The Wind went right to lead and set fractions of :27.2, :55.3 and 1:23.3 with Branded By Lindy in sixth and Rebuff in fifth until the three-quarter pole. That is where Rebuff moved into second and Branded By Lindy into fourth. Rebuff took the lead at turning home for home but Branded By Lindy was right there. Branded By Lindy outsprinted Rebuff to the wire with Double Deceiver remaining in third after being second for the first half of the contest.

 

Trained by Domenico Cecere, Branded By Lindy is a son of Chapter Seven-The Lindy Label. The colt competes as a homebred for Lindy Farms. Branded By Lindy has a record of 20-10-2-4 and he has banked $544,769. This was his second win on the season after finishing third twice and fourth in this series.

 

He paid $11.32 to win and the final time was a lifetime mark.

 

Andy Miller and Date Night nosed out favoured Selfie Queen to collect their championship in 1:50.4. Adore Me was third.

 

Date Night established the first fraction of :27.3, but Selfie Queen moved to the lead before the half, which was timed in :55.1. Selfie Queen set the third split of 1:23.1 and it took every inch of the stretch for Date Night to put her nose in front. Adore Me closed stoutly for third.

 

Date Night is a daughter of Bar Hopping-Nightsthatneverend. This was her first win of the season from eight starts after she was undefeated in seven starts at two. The filly’s record is 15-8-3-0 and she has banked $419,377. Date Night competes as a homebred for Marvin Katz and Sam Goldband and is trained by Julie Miller.

 

She paid $6.14 to win as the second choice on the toteboard.

 

 

French Wine and Andy Miller handed Peter Haughton Memorial victor Kilmister his second defeat with a 1:53 mile. Art Ferrari J was second with Kilmister in third.

 

French Wine sat in sixth for three-quarters of the mile while Excalibur B and Kimmeridgian exchanged blows through fractions of :28, :55.3 and 1:25.1. Excalibur B regained the lead from Kimmeridgian heading for home with French Wine in third and Kilmister in fourth. Art J Ferrari was in sixth. French Wine had the jump on his foes and came home in front.

 

A son of Bar Hopping-Creamy Mimi, French Wine was bred by Marvin Katz and Al Libfield. He is owned by Andy Miller Stables, Daniel Plouffe, Jean Christophe Plouffe and One Legend Stable. Trained by Julie Miller, French Wine established a new lifetime best with his win. His record now stands 8-4-1-2 and he has earned $366,033 in purse money.

 

The colt paid $17.54 to win.

 

Special Way and Ake Svanstedt led from gate to wire to record her fourth consecutive win and sweep of this series in a lifetime best of 1:52.2. Walner Payton closed strongly for second with Life Itself trotting in third.

 

Svanstedt, who trains the daughter of Walner-Special Hill, immediately placed the filly on the lead. Special Way clicked off fractions of :29.1, :57.1 and 1:25. She, however, battled with Life Itself into the stretch. She withstood a :26.4 final quarter from Walner Payton to achieve victory.

 

Special Way races as a homebred for Brittany Farms, Marvin Katz and Al Libfield. She sports a resume of 6-4-1-0 and boosted her bankroll to $325,975.

 

Special Way paid $3 to win as the favourite.

 

 

Confederate overcame post nine to best Bamboozler in 1:49.2. Blue Lou was third.

 

Bamboozler took control from the start while Confederate and Tetrick sat in seventh for the first three-quarters their rival was on the lead. Tetrick allowed his horse to work into second position with a quarter-mile to go and he placed Bamboozler in his rear view mirror heading for the finish line. Blue Lou closed from sixth to be third.

 

Confederate is a son of Sweet Lou-Geothermal that races for his breeder Diamond Creek Farm. He is conditioned by Brian Brown. The colt paced in a lifetime best. His record is now 5-4-0-1 and this was his fourth consecutive win since his debut. Confederate has earned $296,200.

 

He paid $2.44 to win as the favourite.

 

Twin B Joe Fresh and Dexter Dunn sailed by Strong Poison to collect her second state championship in 1:49.2. Zanatta was third.

 

Strong Poison took control from the start and paced splits of :28, :55 and 1:22.2 while Twin B Joe Fresh sat in fourth until she was given her cue by Dunn travelling to the finish line. He pulled and she responded to place herself in second for the last quarter-mile. The daughter of Roll With Joe-Fresh Breeze turned it on and came home in :26.1.

 

Trained by Chris Ryder, Twin B Joe Fresh is now a champion in New York and Kentucky, as well as staking her claim as a divisional leader. Bred by Brittany Farms, the filly is owned by her trainer, driver, Peter Trebotica and Barry Spak.

 

Twin B Joe Fresh paid $2.56 to win as the favourite.

 

 

Cannibal and Yannick Gingras put away favoured Combustion in the drive to the wire and fended off a closing Kaptain Karlos to win the Commonwealth final for two-year-old pacing males by a neck in 1:50.2. Combustion was third.

 

Combustion set the tone from the outset with fractions of :27.2, :55 and 1:22.4. Cannibal was in the pocket and simply pulled it to cross the finish line in front.

 

Trained by Nancy Takter, Cannibal is a son of Sweet Lou-No More Losses and races as a homebred for Diamond Creek Farm. The colt has a record of 5-3-1-1 and a bankroll of $83,600.

 

Cannibal paid $6.64 to win as the second choice.

 

Rock A Bye Lindy and Tim Tetrick nosed out favoured More Than Ever to win the Commonwealth final for sophomore trotting fillies by a nose. Those Blues was third.

 

The daughter of Muscle Hill-Lindys Lullaby sat right behind More Than Ever in fifth through three-quarters of the mile and outdueled the other filly to the wire.

 

Rock A Bye Lindy is trained by Domenico Cecere and is a homebred for K R Breeding. This victory was the filly’s maiden breaking score. She now sports a record of 6-1-0-3 and has earned $60,800 in purse money.

 

Rock A Bye Lindy paid $46.64 to win.

 

Sire stakes action continues at The Red Mile on Monday (Sept. 19) with the Commonwealth Series finals and on Tuesday (Sept. 20) with the Golden Rod Series finals for freshman and sophomore male and female trotters and pacers. First post is 1 p.m. (EDT).

 

(The Red Mile)