On Monday (Aug. 12), each $111,111 second leg of Kentucky Sire Stakes Championship Series action at The Red Mile went right down to the wire and saw last week’s victors settling for second place.

Nuclear defeated Bettor Is Nice by a nose in the division for three-year-old male pacers while Aperfect Annie overhauled the unbeaten Yo Tillie by a neck in the division for freshman filly trotters.

Despite his triumph last week and his status as a defending Kentucky champion, Bettor Is Nice (Andrew McCarthy) did not go off favoured in this event as that distinction went to Nuclear (Dexter Dunn).

Neither horse did their best work early as Dancin Champion (David Miller) led the field of six through fractions of :27.1, :55.3 and 1:23.3. Nuclear was pacing along in third for most of the mile with Bettor Is Nice right on his heels in fourth.

When it came time to turn for home, both horses kicked into gear and Nuclear was second by a nose, with Bettor Is Nice third by a head.

The duo battled all the way down the stretch with Nuclear prevailing by the scantest of margins in 1:50.1. It was the son of Always B Miki’s second win of the season from seven starts. Copperfield (Todd McCarthy) closed to be third.

Trained by Joe Holloway, Nuclear has now banked $184,276 and has a career slate of 17-4-2-3. The gelding was sold at the 2022 Lexington Selected Yearling Sale under the name Jus Wanna B Miki to Val D’ Or Farms.

Nuclear was bred by Roll The Dice Stable. He is a full sibling to Cantgetuoutamymind ($159,271).

He paid $3.80 at the windows.

Aperfect Annie (T. McCarthy) used a :27.4 final quarter mile to overtake the previously perfect Yo Tillie (Verlin Yoder) to break her maiden in 1:54. Spicy Nice (A. McCarthy) was third.

Leaving from post position eight in the field of nine, Aperfect Annie assumed command through the first quarter-mile in :28.1. Then it was Yo Tillie’s turn to take the lead. She established fractions of :57.1, and 1:26 with Aperfect Annie poised to pounce in second, then third and then back to second at the top of the lane.

A resolute Yo Tillie may have felt the effects of a slightly adventurous beginning and her last panel of :28 saw her come up just a bit short of maintaining her unblemished record.

Aperfect Annie is a daughter of Googoo Gaagaa-Asixpacfromperfect and is conditioned by Carter Pinske. Her resume shows 4-1-3 after turning the tables on her foe from the results in the first leg of this series.

The filly has now earned $130,519 for Pinske Stables, Melvin Hartman and Andray Farm. She was bred by Robert S. Detweiler and sold for $77,000 at last year’s Lexington Selected Yearling Sale.

Aperfect Annie is a half-sibling to Aperfectyankee (Yankee Glide, $588,017) A Perfect Gem (Yankee Glide, $192,986) and A Perfect Helen (Father Patrick, $187,530).

The filly provided her supporters with a $11.58 payout.

Deju Blue, Atlantas First Foal, Breaks Maiden in Commonwealth Series

When you are the offspring of two Hambletonian winners and world champions, naturally there are high expectations. It took Deja Blu (Yannick Gingras) three attempts to collect her first win, but it appears a relocation from the East Coast to the Bluegrass was the change of scenery the filly required to collect her first victory in the second $41,667 leg of the Commonwealth Series for freshman filly trotters.

Longshot Mimosatomartini S led the field the eight through the first split in :28.4 with Deju Blu in third. After the first quarter of the contest, Tim Tetrick put favored Swoop on the lead. That filly set fractions of :57.3 and 1:26.2 while Deju Blu sat the pocket. As Swoop began to tire on the way home, Deju Blu rolled by and held off the late advance of Dreams Come Easy (Ake Svanstedt) to stop the clock in 1:54.1. Swoop held for third.

Deju Blu is sired by the incomparable Muscle Hill. The filly was bred by Crawford Farms Racing, Brad Grant and Howard Taylor. She is co-owned by her breeder and Thomas Pontone.

Deju Blu paid $6.56 to win for trainer Nancy Takter.

Favoured Women Layer (T. McCarthy) won the second leg of the $41,667 Commonwealth Series for sophomore male pacers by a neck in 1:49.3.

Moni Multiplier (T. Tetrick) took the second division for two-year-old trotting fillies in 1:55.4, while Knghtstlkrs Pistol (D. Miller) captured the third division for freshman filly trotters in 1:55.

Racing continues at The Red Mile on Tuesday (Aug. 13) with the Hambletonian champion Karl’s seasonal debut in Kentucky in the second $80,000 USD leg of the Championship Series for three-year-old male trotters. The 20-race card also includes two $30,000 USD second leg divisions of the Commonwealth Series. Six $15,000 USD events of the Kentucky Goldenrod Series and two $10,000 USD contests of the Kentucky Wildcat Series. First post is 1 p.m.

(With files from The Red Mile)