Although weather caused an adjustment to post times on Monday (July 28), Kentucky Sire Stakes action is only turning up the heat at The Red Mile. Silverstein and Endurance delivered as the favourites in their respective $109,589 first round legs of the Kentucky Championship Series for freshman male trotters.
The Lexington oval also hosted three $41,096 first round legs of the Kentucky Commonwealth Series for the same age, gait and gender, in addition to two first $20,548 legs of Kentucky Golden Rod Series and two $13,699 first round divisions of the Kentucky Wildcat Series.
Silverstein (David Miller) fended off the late advance of foe Impossible Bi (Marcus Miller) in 1:53.2 for trainer Mathew Burkholder. Neighver Punt (Dexter Dunn) came home third.
Leaving from post position six in the field of seven, Silverstein led his rivals through a first quarter in :28.4. Neighver Punt determined it was time for him to go through top and established a half-mile fraction of :57.2 while Silverstein was content in the pocket.
Neighver Punt went to the three-quarter pole in 1:26.1 with Silverstein biding his time. He surged past at the top of the lane, rebuffed the closing Impossible Bi and stopped the clock in a new lifetime mark of 1:53.2.
Bred by Brittany Farms, Silverstein broke his maiden in his fourth attempt. His resume is now 4-1-2-0 and the son of Chapter Seven-Shining Brightly has earned $105,296.
Silverstein was purchased for $80,000 USD at the 2024 Lexington Selected Yearling Sale by Dark Horse Farm LLC.
The gelding provided $5.02 to those who selected him.
Endurance (Andrew McCarthy) powered away from It Could Be Worse (Scott Zeron) in deep stretch to capture the second division of the Kentucky Championship Series in a lifetime best 1:52.3. Yo Billie (Verlin Yoder) rounded out the trifecta.
Conditioned by Christopher Beaver, Endurance is a son of Captain Corey-Love Session. The colt began his mile journey from post position one and sat in third while Royal Captain (Tyler Jones) set the initial split of :28.1., followed that up with a half in :55.1 and three-quarters in 1:24.4.
When they rounded the final turn for home, Endurance (pictured above) decided it was time for him to assert his authority and took the lead by a head. It Could Be Worse closed from fifth and Yo Billie from sixth but neither horse possessed enough momentum to hit the wire first.
Bred by Steve Stewart and Martti Ala-Seppala, Endurance improved his record to 4-3-0-0 and has amassed $154,699 in purse money.
He was purchased by his trainer, Bill Manes, Leo Fleming and Mark Moger for $14,000 USD at last year’s Lexington Selected Yearling Sale.
Endurance paid $4.10 to those that placed him on their tickets.
Onassis, Nofreak Volo, Requiem have their pictures taken in Commonwealth Series
Onassis and Yannick Gingras upheld their favouritism with a victory in 1:55.2 over Express Train (Todd McCarthy) and Exactly (Mattias Melander) in the first division of this series for trainer Nancy Takter.
The son of Greenshoe-Sherrys Lady broke his maiden in his third attempt and his record now stands at 3-1-1-1 with a bank account of $26,713.
Onassis was bred by Coyote Wynd Farm and was purchased for $130,000 USD at the 2024 Lexington Selected Yearling Sale by Melco Devim Inc., Joe Sbrocco and JAF Racing LLC under the name The Green Hornet.
Nofreak Volo (Tim Tetrick) outlasted Legal Legacy (T. McCarthy) by a neck in 1:54.3. Bricco (David Miller) followed the top two to the wire to come in third.
The son of Father Patrick-No I’m Not wired the field of seven from post position five to collect his first win from three starts. The colt now has a resume of 3-1-1-0 for trainer John Butenschoen.
The gelding was bred by Kentuckiana Farms and Jorgen Jahre Jr. He became the property of Harmony Oaks Racing Stable Inc., In Over My Head Stable, VIP Internet Stable and Kentuckiana Racing Stable after they signed a check for $20,000 USD at last year’s Lexington Selected Yearling Sale.
Nofreak Volo paid $4.78 for his first triumph.
Requiem (D. Miller) pulled a mild upset in the third division of this series defeating An Honest Buck (Tetrick) and favorite Stormy Seas (Dunn) in 1:55.1 for his first win in his third start.
The colt, who was bred by John Schmucker, Sunset Stables LLC and Whiskeyontherocks Racing, was taken home for $45,000 USD by Dark Horse Farm LLC. He is conditioned by Mathew Burkholder.
Requiem has now amassed $33,609 in purse money with a record of 3-1-0-2.
He paid $17.70 to win as the fifth longest shot in the eight-horse field.
Golden Rod and Wildcat Series hold to form
Magical Six Pack (D. Miller) was one of three winners in sire stakes competition for his pilot. The son of Six Pack-Magical Valentine is trained by Randal Jerrell and passed the finish line in 1:55.2.
He was bred by M T Pockets Stables and Victoria Howard.
Magical Six Pack is owned by Enlow Racing. His record is now 9-5-1-1 and he has earned $54,649.
The colt paid $7.84 to win as the public’s second choice.
Drinking Problems (Gingras) came home in 1:56.3 to win by a neck from the Takter barn. The son of Bar Hopping-Designed To Be was the third choice in the field of 10.
The colt broke his maiden in his second career start and now has earned $20,959.
(With files from The Red Mile)