In a make-up session following Tuesday’s card getting washed out, driver Yannick Gingras swept the two $40,000 divisions of the Kentucky Championship Series for sophomores on Wednesday morning (August 11) at The Red Mile, winning the colt and gelding pace with Goldies Legacy and the filly pace with Blue Diamond Eyes.
Gingras asserted Goldies Legacy to the top following a :27.3 quarter and kept the tempo hot passing a :54.2 half. Exploit tracked the Always A Virgin gelding from the pocket as the field marched into the final turn in post position order. Komodo Beach came calling first-over passing three-quarters in 1:22.2 but fought with everyone except Goldies Legacy, who scooted clear from competition to post a 1:49.1 victory. Exploit finished a nose shy of Komodo Beach to take third while Toronto finished fourth.
Owned by Pollack Racing LLC and trainer Jeff Cullipher, Goldies Legacy won his fourth race from 15 starts this season and his sixth from 25 overall, boosting his earnings to $96,985.
Blue Diamond Eyes made a similar move to command in the filly pace, commandeering her competition moving to the half and holding them at bay to win in 1:50. Classicist rode the pocket to finish second while High Minded, who led the field into the first turn, settled for third. Tava rallied for fourth.
Winning her third race from nine starts this season and her eighth from 22 overall, Blue Diamond Eyes has banked $761,664 for owners Thomas and Scott Dillon. Ron Burke trains the Captaintreacherous filly.
Four More Years grabbed the lead to the quarter, raced shuffled to third and found room to rally and win the $20,000 Kentucky Commonwealth division for three-year-old pacing colts and geldings in 1:51.3. Dexter Dunn piloted the colt by Always B Miki for trainer Nancy Takter and owner Diamond Creek Racing to his maiden-breaking score.
Notorious Pink forged to the front passing the half and sped clear of her rivals to click a 1:49.1 mile in the $20,000 Kentucky Commonwealth split for three-year-old pacing fillies. Todd McCarthy sat in the sulky behind the Captaintreacherous filly for trainer Tony Alagna, who co-owns the filly through Alagna & Grant Stable along with Big Als Stables, Riverview Racing and Fodera & Head Stable.
Racing resumes at The Red Mile on Sunday (August 15) with the second preliminary of the Kentucky Championship Series for trotting freshmen. First-race post time is 1 p.m. (EDT).
(With files from The Red Mile)