On Monday, July 28, freshman male trotters take center stage at The Red Mile with two $80,000 USD divisions of the first leg of the Kentucky Championship Series, three $30,000 USD first-round dashes of the Kentucky Commonwealth Series, two $15,000 USD first-round divisions of the Kentucky Golden Rod Series, and two $10,000 first-round splits of the Kentucky Wildcat Series. These colts and geldings seek to join last year’s Kentucky champion, Super Chapter, to go down in the red clay oval’s vaunted history books.

Once again, pedigree power is on display as seven talented males will be on the gate for first-round action in the Kentucky Championship Series. San Patricio (Tim Tetrick) will leave from post three for conditioner John Butenschoen and is 7-2 on the morning line in the sixth race on a 14-race card.

The son of Swan For All-Kaikoura is 3-2-0-1 in his fledgling career and enters this event off a third-place finish in the $136,986 Kentucky Sire Stakes Final for this division contested at Oak Grove Racing, Gaming and Hotel on July 14 as the public’s second selection. Bred by Tony Holmes and Walter Zent, San Patricio is the first foal out of his dam, who is a half-sibling to Fast As The Wind (Cantab Hall, $885,174) and Evening Stroll (Cantab Hall, $147,467). Kaikoura is also a half-sister to Windy Corner (Yankee Glide, $207,576).

Wind Stroll (Muscle Mass), Kaikoura’s dam, is a half-sister to world champion Guccio (Yankee Glide, $1.02 million), Lagerfeld (Yankee Glide, $809,872), Grizz Wyllie (Father Patrick, $130,869) and Admiring (Walner, $184,254). She is a full sister to Tosca ($129,806).

San Patricio was purchased privately by his breeder, Michael Holmes, June Zent, and Timothy Thornton. The gelding has a lifetime mark of 1:56.1 and has earned $50,999 in purse money.

San Patricio, however, has some other regally bred rivals to trot past. Silverstein (David Miller) will commence his mile from post six for trainer Matthew Burkholder and is 9-2 on the morning line.

By Chapter Seven and out of Shining Brightly (Muscle Hill), the colt possesses a resume of 3-0-2-0 and has earned $50,501. His dam is a daughter of On The Bright Side (Cantab Hall, $270,807) and a full sister to Bright Side Up ($118,065), as well as a half-sibling to Sunshine Delight (Credit Winner, $354,847). Silverstein’s third dam is dual Dan Patch Award winner Passionate Glide. Silverstein was bred by Brittany Farms and was purchased for $80,000 USD at the 2024 Lexington Selected Yearling Sale by Dark Horse Farm.

Neighver Punt (Dexter Dunn) is 5-2 on the morning line and drew post five. The son of Bar Hopping-Twice Is Right is conditioned by Marcus Melander. The colt captured his debut at Pocono Downs on June 30, then was second at The Meadowlands on July 18 to It Could Be Worse. Neighver Punt has earned $25,007 and is the fifth foal from his dam of racing age. All are winners. Twice Is Right (Donato Hanover) is a half-sister to Temporal Hanover (Walner, $991,847) and Hill Street (Muscle Hill, $150,797). Sold under the name Bourbon Smoke at last year’s Lexington Selected Yearling Sale, Neighver Punt was purchased for $33,784 by Courant Inc.

Exactly (Mattias Melander) was slotted in post three for the first of three Kentucky Commonwealth Series divisions. The son of Bar Hopping-Gracefilly Hanover is 7-2 on the morning line for Mattias’ brother, Marcus, in the first race of the day. The colt is 3-1-1-0 and has earned $40,911. He was bred by Al Libfeld and Marvin Katz and was a $243,243 Lexington Selected Yearling Sale purchase by Mantorp LLC, Heights Stable, Joseph King, and K Kjellgren Livs AB Inc. His dam, who is by Chapter Seven, is a half-sibling to Game On Hanover (Donato Hanover, $129,268), Goosebump Hanover (RC Royalty, $256,520), Hambletonian champ Perfect Spirit (Andover Hall, $653,919), and Gates Hanover (Walner, $126,597).

In the second Commonwealth division, which is Race 3, Lethal Legacy (Todd McCarthy) was assigned post three and is 9-2 on the morning line for trainer Carter Pinske. The son of Muscle Hill-Lady Lakewood is 2-0-1-1 and has collected $20,185 in purse money. Bred by James Wilhite Jr., Lethal Legacy was a $189,189 selection for his trainer’s stable and Hazy Holdings LLC. Lady Lakewood (Kadabra) is also responsible for producing Selfie Queen (Muscle Hill, $481,982). Her second dam is dual Dan Patch Award-winner and O’Brien Award victress Cameron Hall (Garland Lobell, $2.13 million).

In the seventh race, An Honest Buck (Tetrick) will begin his mile from post six in a field of eight and hails from the shedrow of Scott Di Domenico. The son of International Moni-Honorable Daughter is 5-2 on the morning line. The gelding is 2-1-0-0 and has earned $20,548. An Honest Buck is out of world champion and Dan Patch Award winner Honorable Daughter (Malabar Man, $979,236). He is a half brother to Honor And Serve (Donato Hanover, $444,032), Honor Above All (Muscles Yankee, $226,484), Bet Big On Blue (Muscle Hill, $133,449) and Worthy Of Honor (Cantab Hall, $311,529). Sold for $86,111 at last year’s Lexington Selected Yearling Sale as Ive Got People, An Honest Buck was bred by Carter Duer. He is owned by Joe Faraldo and Triple D Stables Inc.

The two divisions of the Golden Rod Series and two divisions of the Wildcat Series possess their own entrants with possible star quality.

The Golden Rod legs, which are Race 2 and 5, have nine- and 10-horse fields, while the Wildcat Series, Races 9 and 12, feature fields of seven and eight horses. 

(The Red Mile)