Carbon Fiber found a perfect trip from the pocket behind quick fractions and capitalized for a track-record victory in the $112,676 Kentucky Sire Stakes (KYSS) final for two-year-old trotting males on "Tuesday at the Trots," July 14 at Oak Grove Racing, Gaming & Hotel.
Leaving from post five, driver Yannick Gingras tucked Carbon Fiber into second as Delivery Boy (Dewayne Minor) rolled out of post four for the lead and scorched the track to a :26.3 first quarter and :54.4 half. Delivery Boy continued on the lead to three-quarters in 1:23.3 all while Gingras readied his charge for an attack in the last turn. Carbon Fiber lifted from second spinning for home and easily edged past the tiring leader through the lane to register a 2-3/4-length win in a 1:53 mile. Special Day (Andy McCarthy) tracked the top two throughout to take second while Delivery Boy tired to third.
Ron Burke trains Carbon Fiber, a gelding by Gimpanzee-Brunella, for owners Burke Racing Stable LLC, Phil Collura, Knox Services Inc. and Frank Baldachino. The gelding won his second race from three starts and has now earned $94,793. His 1:53 mile, a lifetime best, also lowered the track record at Oak Grove for two-year-old trotting geldings from 1:55.1, a mark set in 2022 by Yo Lucky Moni. Carbon Fiber's mile is also the fastest ever trotted at Oak Grove by a two-year-old, beating the 1:53.2 mark set by Endurance (2025) and Allegiant (2023), the latter of whom set the overall world trotting record when winning the Elitloppet earlier this year. Sent off as the 2-1 second choice, Carbon Fiber paid $6.10 to win.
Zephyr Kemp rallied from a second-over trip to score in the $112,676 KYSS final for three-year-old trotting colts and geldings, completing a training grand slam for Marcus Melander on the 15-race card. With the other even-money choice Kaizen (Markus Niklasson) breaking stride rounding the first turn, favourite Zephyr Kemp planted into fourth as Midwind Chimp (Scott Zeron) dashed to the lead in a :27.1 first quarter. Dexter Dunn stayed put with Zephyr Kemp through a :56.3 half and fished cover from Onemorenkickmeout (Atlee Bender) to the backstretch to take a striking position nearing three-quarters in 1:24.3. Zephyr Kemp fanned off Bender's helmet rounding the last turn and strode to the front under confident handling, cruising to the beam a 1-1/4-length winner in a career-best 1:52. Zidane Kemp (Tim Tetrick) scurried wide through the turn and down the centre of the track to grab second with Midwind Chimp third.
Zephyr Kemp, a colt by Calgary Games-Southwind Adele, is owned by Kemppi Stables Oy Inc., Suojalampi Stable Inc., PCW Racing LLC and Sjoeblom Racing Inc. He won his third race from six starts this season and his sixth race from 16 starts in his career, bringing his bankroll to $281,853. He paid $4.14 to win.
Melander's grand slam on the day began with a natural hat trick through three $70,423 KYSS "B" divisions. He won the first two-year-old trotting filly dash with A Million Reasons (Dexter Dunn, 1:57, $2.28), the second two-year-old trotting male split with Kaws (Scott Zeron, 1:56.3, $6.12) and in the first division for three-year-old trotting fillies with Art Of The State (Scott Zeron, 1:53.3, $9.94). The trainer has 63 wins from 206 starts this season for a win rate of 30.6 per cent.
Gingras doubled in KYSS final action with a win behind Petter Engblom trainee Heart Of Secret in the $112,676 KYSS final for two-year-old trotting fillies. Heart Of Secret sped for the lead to a :26.4 first quarter and cruised through middle-half panels of :56.4 and 1:25.1 before spurting away for a 4-1/4-length win in 1:54. Merry Zee (Dexter Dunn) finished second, and Luxe Lindy (Tyler Miller) emerged from off the speed for third.
A filly by Gimpanzee-House Music Fr, Heart Of Secret remained unbeaten from two starts and has now banked $84,909 for owners Follow Me Stable LLC and Engblom Farm LLC. She paid $4.32 to win.
Avenzee (Tim Tetrick) landed a 10-1 upset in the $112,676 KYSS final for three-year-old trotting fillies when capitalizing on a stalking trip and from the early break of 1-9 favourite Crossover (Dexter Dunn). Tetrick positioned his charge into third behind Degas (Yannick Gingras), who settled for the pocket through a :27.2 first quarter as Country Glide (Andy McCarthy) brushed forward. Country Glide took the field by the half in :55.4 and strode unpressured up the backstretch towards three-quarters in 1:24.1, but Degas began creeping off the pylons around the last turn with Avenzee following suit. Degas laid aim on Country Glide rounding the bottom corner and struck the lead while Avenzee fanned three-wide and gathered the strongest momentum late, towering past Degas in the closing strides for a length win. The 1:52.4 mile was a lifetime-best effort for the winner. Decreed (Atlee Bender) rallied for third.
Tyler Butenschoen trains Avenzee, a filly by Gimpanzee-Avenir, for owners Harmony Oaks Racing Stable Inc., Heritage Standardbreds and M And L Of Delaware LLC. She won her third race from eight starts this season and from 15 starts in her career, raising her earnings to $161,872. She paid $22.46 to win.
Oak Grove hosted six other $70,423 KYSS "B" divisions on the 15-race card. Nights In Miami (Marvin Luna, 1:55.1, $4.56) won the other split for freshman trotting males, London Bi (Scott Zeron, 1:57, $6.70) and Twinkle Toes Dolan (Andy McCarthy, 1:55.3, $4.68) won the other dashes for freshman trotting fillies, Confident Volo (Joey Putnam, 1:52.2, $22.50) and Maga Hill (Tim Tetrick, 1:53, $31.52) won the pair of races for three-year-old trotting males and Vicenza (Todd McCarthy, 1:54.4, $89.98) won the other split for sophomore trotting fillies.
Live racing at Oak Grove concludes for the 2026 season on Wednesday with a 14-race card featuring seven total divisions of KYSS including a pair of $80,000 USD finals for pacing sophomores. Wednesday's card also features a $2,904.97 carryover in the $1 Pick 5, which starts in Race 1 and has an estimated pool of $10,000. All multi-race wagers, which are offered at a 15 per cent takeout, are additionally mandatory payouts for the closing-day card.
(Oak Grove)