The Red Mile will host four $35,000 USD first round legs of the Kentucky Sire Stakes Series for four-year-old male and female horses of both gaits over the red clay oval on Monday, July 21 and Tuesday, July 22.
Monday's first division, which is carded as the first race, features five four-year-old female pacers. Bath Bomb (Andrew McCarthy) will leave from post position four for conditioner Per Engblom. The daughter of Lather Up-Sangaal is 8-5 on the morning line.
Owned by Morrison Racing Stables, Bath Bomb has compiled a 2025 resume of 9-7-1-1 and collected $345,148 in purse money. She also has proved she enjoys competing in the Bluegrass State as the mare captured both Kentucky Sire Stakes finals at Oak Grove Racing, Gaming and Hotel in May and June. Bath Bomb enters this contest after a second-place finish in a $54,795 Open at the same venue on July 13.
Unraced at two, the mare has earned $495,523 in her career with a record of 24-10-4-4. Bath Bomb established her lifetime mark of 1:49.4 when she crossed the finish line first in the Kentucky Sire Stakes final on May 11.
The second division for male pacers, carded as race six, offers a field of five, where post four starter Women Layer (Todd McCarthy) is a stand-out at even money on the morning line. The Virgil Morgan Jr. pupil is a perfect seven-for-seven in 2025.
Like Bath Bomb, Women Layer swept both Kentucky Sire Stakes finals at Oak Grove. The gelded son of Sweet Lou-Loreenas Ruffian sports a mark of 1:49.2 earned at that facility on June 2 and then repeated on June 16 and June 24.
The bay gelding has amassed $343,906 in 2025 and $866,791 lifetime. Women Layer has a lifetime record of 28-19-5-2 and won the Kentucky Sire Stakes final at Cumberland Run last year shortly after joining Morgan Jr.’s barn, in addition to seconds in the Kentucky Sire Stakes Championship, Tattersalls Pace and a division of the Bluegrass Stakes while under the care of Brett Pelling.
The gelding is owned by Let It Ride Inc., Douglas Overhiser, Jeff Fought Racing and Larry Wills.
On Tuesday, four-year-old trotters take centre stage, with males the first to appear on the track in the second race. This event has an intriguing field of eight with the 2025 debut of Vic Zelenskyy (Dexter Dunn). The son of Greenshoe-Mission Brief has always been highly regarded, which is no surprise based on his pedigree, but has failed to put it all together for trainer Marcus Melander.
Despite not competing since a break in his Breeders Crown elimination last year, the stallion is 5-2 on the morning line. He will begin his mile from post position five.
Vic Zelenskyy demonstrated his potential last season and did capture his Kentucky Futurity elimination. He also was second in a division of the Bluegrass Stakes, so he appears to enjoy The Red Mile as four of his five wins have occurred in Lexington.
Owned by S R F Stable and Holly Lane Stud East Ltd., the stallion has earned $130,339 and has a record of 14-5-2-0. He was a $550,000 purchase at the 2022 Lexington Selected Yearling Sale.
In the fifth race, the mares have their opportunity to shine with Black Velvet As (Tony Hall) at 2-1 on the morning line in the field of nine. The daughter of Archangel-Provide As enters this event off a victory at 14-1 over defending champion Woman Of Passion in the Kentucky Sire Stakes final at Oak Grove on June 24.
Trained by Anette Lorentzon, the mare has earned $208,724 this year and $333,158 lifetime. Her record is 9-3-2-2 in 2025 and 23-6-6-2 overall.
Black Velvet As will leave from post position six and possesses a mark of 1:52.4 trotted in her last event. The mare competes as a homebred for ACL Stuteri AB.
Racing will continue through Sunday, Oct. 5, following a Sunday through Wednesday schedule. Fans and horsemen can look forward to 5:05 p.m. post times on Sundays, and 1 p.m. post times on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays throughout the meet.
(With files from The Red Mile)