On Sunday, July 28 and Monday, July 29, The Red Mile hosted 32 pari-mutuel miles with 17 stakes contests. The highlights of the second week of the meet over the one-mile red clay oval included Quebec native and U.S. Hall of Famer Yannick Gingras collecting his 9,000th career triumph behind Steely Knife for none other than longtime partner and fellow U.S. Hall of Fame member Ron Burke.

In the ninth event on Monday afternoon, heavily favoured Steely Knife and sliced through the field to provide his driver the milestone victory in 1:52.3. The three-year-old son of Always B Miki-Cuts Like A Knife is owned by Burke Racing Stable, Knox Services Inc., Phillip Collura and J&T Silva-Purnel & Libby.

Steely Knife increased his bankroll to $158,899 and the colt now possesses a lifetime record of 4-8-4 in 23 starts. This historic victory was his second this season. He paid $2.88 to his supporters.

Gingras was at 8,997 wins to start the day and won two Golden Rod Series divisions earlier on the card.

Blank Leads the Way in Kentucky Sire Stakes Championship Series Division

On Sunday, Blank (Dexter Dunn) reigned supreme in the first 2024 edition of the Kentucky Sire Stakes Championship Series (KYSSC) for conditioner Marcus Melander. The two-year-old son of world champion and three-time Breeders Crown winner, Gimpanzee and the Muscle Hill mare, Cover Girl, tussled with Landing On Time (Scott Zeron) in the stretch to stop the clock in 1:59 at odds of more than 15-1. Jeffrey J (Todd McCarthy) was right behind to take third in the $111,111 contest.

Blank is owned by S R F Stable and Holly Lane Stud East LTD. The colt is now perfect in his young career with one win from one start. He was bred by Diamond Creek Farm and paid a healthy $33.64 at the windows.

Luna Lovegood, Yo Tillie Capture $111,111 Sire Stakes Divisions

On Monday, Luna Lovegood (Dunn) provided sire Gimpanzee with another winner and Melander with another stakes score in the Bluegrass in the KYSSC division for freshman pacing fillies.

Luna Lovegood, who is out of Southwind Venus and a half-sibling to Hambletonian Oaks finalist Miss I La, shrugged off a bid from Barclay (Ake Svanstedt) to break her maiden in 1:55.4. The filly established fractions of :29, :57.3, and 1:27.2 as the leader right from the beginning of the race. Divine Thing (David Miller) was third.

The winner paid a generous $25.8 to those her wagered upon her.

Luna Lovegood is owned by Holly Lane Stud East LTD. She was bred by Blue Chip Farms and Stefan Melander. She was sold for $100,000 under the name Witness Blue Chip at last year’s Standardbred Horse Sale.

Yo Tillie (Verlin Yoder) improved her record to a perfect five-for-five in the second KYSSC division for two-year-old filly trotters. The daughter of Tactical Landing-Consolidator went right to the front and established fractions of :28.1, :56.1, and 1:25.1 en route to defeating Aperfect Annie (T. McCarthy). Stacking Green (Gingras) nabbed the show spot.

Owned and trained by her driver, Yo Tillie captured the $136,986 Kentucky Sire Stakes Final on July 14 at Oak Grove Racing and Gaming. She has now amassed $185,007 in purse money tripped the timer in a career best 1:53.4.

The filly was bred by GBW Breeding Farms Inc. and Black Creek Farm.

Yo Tillie paid $6.46 to win for her efforts.

Kadena Highlights Kentucky Commonwealth Series Victors

On Monday, Kadena, another daughter of Gimpanzee, debuted a winner in one of six divisions of the Kentucky Commonwealth Series over two days.

What is special about this young lady? Her dam is world champion, Mission Brief, and the filly sold at last year’s Lexington Selected Yearling Sale for $800,000 equaling the highest price tag ever for a yearling trotting filly.

With Dunn again holding the lines for M. Melander, Kadena was content to allow Gymboree (Anthony MacDonald) take command. The filly sat in fourth while that rival established fractions of :28.3, :59.4 and 1:30 turning for home. That is when Kadena and her driver decided it was time to make a statement and surged home through the lane to win in 1:58.1 in her very first attempt. Ms. Prada (Gingras) was second and Dreams Come Easy (Svanstedt) was third.

Owned by Jeffrey Snyder and S R F Stable, was bred by Mission Brief Stable.

The filly who has high expectations paid $7.32 to win.

The other winners of this series for freshman colt and gelding trotters were Big Shoes (Gingras) who paid $8.54. Go Dog Go (T. McCarthy) with a win price of $20.10 and Chat Room (T. McCarthy) who offered $6.42 for a $2 wager.

The Commonwealth winners for the two-year-old trotting fillies were Best Friends Girl (David Miller) ($6.30) and Get It All (Zeron) ($16.52).

Live racing continues at The Red Mile on Tuesday (July 30). The 18-race card includes one $80,000 USD division of the KYSSC for two-year-old filly pacers, four $30,000 USD divisions of the Commonwealth Series and six $15,000 USD divisions of the Kentucky Goldenrod Series in addition to a $10,000 USD ldivision of the Wildcat Series.

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(With files from The Red Mile)