Driver Andy Miller became the 21st driver in North America to win 10,000 races on Sunday (Aug. 20) at Red Mile.

Miller steered Samwise The Brave to the two-year-old trotting colt's his first career victory from four starts in 1:56.1 in a $15,000 third leg division of the Kentucky Golden Rod Series.

After recovering from an early break, Samwise The Brave took the lead at the half-mile marker from Six Pack Mack (Patrick Ryder) after a first panel in :29.1. It was all him and Miller from there. He set fractions of :57 and 1:26.1 en route to his first victory. The son of champions Greenshoe and The Ice Dutchess provided Miller with his milestone triumph.

Paying $7.06 to win as the public’s third choice, Samwise The Brave is conditioned by Andy’s wife, Julie. He was purchased for $150,000 at the 2022 Standardbred Horse Sale by Patrick Hoopes. The colt was bred by Coyote Wynd Farms.

Miller has been a staple in the harness racing industry for decades. He has earned more than $139 million from 64,484 trips to the post.

Karl Serves Notice He Is A Force To Be Reckoned With

Karl (Tactical Landing-Avalicious) absolutely rolled to victory from post seven for driver Yannick Gingras and trainer Nancy Takter in 1:52.1 in the Kentucky Sire Stakes division for two-year-old male trotters as the top choice at the windows. He paid $2.56 to win. Topmost (Chris Page) was second and Vocalize (Todd McCarthy) was third.

The colt was a $135,000 yearling purchase at the 2022 Lexington Selected Yearling Sale by his trainer, Christina Takter, Black Horse Racing, Crawford Farms Racing and Bender Sweden Inc. Karl was bred by Crawford Farms LLC.

Always B Naughty Rebounds In The Bluegrass

Always B Naughty (Dexter Dunn) out-finished favoured Strong Poison (Gingras) to win the second leg of the $80,000 Kentucky Sire Stakes for sophomore pacing fillies in 1:48.2.

The filly did not compete as a two-year-old but has illustrated her ability this season. She paced a :25.2 last quarter-mile to vanquish Strong Poison. Zanatta (Brian Sears) was third.

The daughter of Always B Miki and winner of the $114,777 Adioo Volo at The Meadows on July 29 collected her ninth win from 14 starts and has now earned $224,244 in purse money. Also trained by Nancy Takter, Always B Naughty was purchased by her conditioner, Let It Ride Stables, J L Benson Stables and R B H Ventures Inc. at the 2021 Lexington Selected Yearling Sale for $44,000.

International Law Remains Perfect In Kentucky Commonwealth Series

Pilot Atlee Bender and Erv Miller trainee International Law (International Moni-Love N Lindy) remained a perfect three-for-three after triumphing in the third $30,000 leg of the Kentucky Commowealth Series for two-year-old male trotters. Bred by K R Breeding LLC, International Law is owned by Ervin Miller Racing Stable, Douglas Overhiser, D And M Trading Ii and John Stefanos. International Law paid $5.42 to win.

Fly By (Scott Zeron) broke his maiden with a 1:53.4 victory for trainer Tony Alagna in the second $30,000 division of the Commonwealth Series for freshman trotting colts. The son of Chapter Seven-Fly Angel Fly paid $8.80 to win. Bred by Al Libfeld, Marvin Katz and Sam Goldband, Fly By was a $275,000 purchase at the 2022 Lexington Selected Yearling Sale by Marvin Katz, Al Libfeld and Pryde Stables.

Horizontal (Zeron), an older half-sibling to blossoming star Geocentric, won the second leg of the Commonwealth Series for sophomore filly pacers in 1:50.4 by a head. The daughter of Always B Miki out of the Somebeachsomewhere mare, Geometry, was bred by Diamond Creek Farm and is owned by Determination and trained by Linda Toscano. She paid $11.78 to win.

Mont Saint Michel Kicks Off Golden Rod Series With A Win

Mont Saint Michel (Dunn, $18.38) won the first division of the Golden Rod Series leg for freshman male trotters in 1:55.4.

Lockheed Martin (T. McCarthy, $3.40) won the other division for two-year-old male trotters in 1:55.

Keep My Secret (Tony Hall, $4.94) captured a division for sophomore filly pacers.

To All A Goodnight (Dunn, $19) won the second division for three-year-old filly pacers in 1:50.4.

(With files from The Red Mile)