American Power emerged victorious from his first start since competing in the Hambletonian and Miss Jum Jabber returned after skipping the second leg to score in their respective $111,111 third-preliminary dashes of the Kentucky Championship Series on Monday afternoon (Aug. 31) at The Red Mile.
American Power marched from off the speed after parking the mile and swept to a 1:50.4 win as the even-money choice in the Kentucky Championship Series division for trotting glamour boys.
Leaving from post nine, driver Dexter Dunn sent American Power as nearly everyone fired off the car, forcing Dunn to have to ease into a spot off the speed rounding the first turn. Dunn slotted into a third-over position while It Could Be Worse (driven by Tim Tetrick) blitzed up the rim to grab control through a :27.3 first quarter. Captain Naughty (Yannick Gingras) towed the outer tier forward and brushed to the top through a :55.1 half, leaving Spencer Hanover (Mattias Melander) uncovered to the last turn with American Power on his back.
Spencer Hanover edged to within a length of the leader by three-quarters in 1:23.3, at which point Dunn flipped his charge outside and set down for the stretch drive. American Power pushed past his rivals in the lane to grab victory by 1-1/2 lengths with It Could Be Worse edging out from a pocket ride for second. Captain Naughty held third and longshot Lucchese (Joe Bongiorno) closed from third over for fourth.
Marcus Melander trains American Power, a colt by Walner-Ariana G, for owner M Biasuzzi Stable Inc of Pompano Beach, FL. The colt won his fifth race from nine starts this season and his eighth race from 21 starts in his career, earning $632,386. He paid $4.34 to win.
Miss Jum Jabber (Andy McCarthy) vaulted from a pocket ride earlier in the card with a :25.4 final quarter in a :52.3 back half to win the Kentucky Championship Series division for sophomore pacing fillies.
McCarthy planted on the back of pacesetter Topville Lucky (Todd McCarthy), who carved a clip of :28.4, :56 and 1:22.3 to ready for the final-quarter sprint. Andy McCarthy angled outside spinning for home and overhauled Topville Lucky in the lane to win by 1-1/4 lengths with Shes A Bulldog (Yannick Gingras) giving chase in third and Seaside Charm (Tim Tetrick) checking in last of the four.
Brett Pelling trains Miss Jum Jabber, a filly by Bettors Wish-Treacherous Reign, for owner Pelling Racing LLC of Creamridge, NJ. The filly won her 10th race from 12 starts this season and has now banked $299,918. She paid $2.52 to win.
Inverness Ave (Tim Tetrick) tipped from a pocket trip and edged by odds-on leader Untouchable As (Tony Hall) for a neck win and to post the fastest win of the two $41,667 Kentucky Commonwealth Series divisions for sophomore trotting males with a 1:51 effort. Ernie Gaskin conditions the gelding by Helpisontheway-Arvika.
Zidane Kemp (Joe Bongiorno) converted a pocket trip to win the other dash by 2-1/4 lengths over first-up Lindy Living (Dexter Dunn) in a 1:51.3 mile. Inverness Ave paid $9.36 to win and Zidane Kemp returned $6.62.
Sophomore pacing fillies competed in a single $41,667 division of the Kentucky Commonwealth Series late in the card. Atte Station (David Miller) rallied from near last to clinch victory over pocket-rallying Gracious (Todd McCarthy) by three-quarters of a length. Brian Brown trains the daughter of Captaintreacherous-Amazing Alexa who paid $35.48 to win.
Randy Jerrell pupil Deuce Pop (Todd McCarthy), who won the faster of the two $20,833 Kentucky Golden Rod divisions of the day, also recorded his sixth straight victory when rallying as the 2-1 favorite in a lifetime-best 1:52.2. mile. The other Golden Rod split for sophomore trotting colts belonged to Chapel (Todd McCarthy), scoring in 1:52.3 for trainer Annette Lorentzon.
The two Golden Rod splits for sophomore pacing fillies went to Naughty Beauty (Yannick Gingras, $10.92) in 1:49.3 for trainer Andrew Harris and Shes A Rich Girl (Tim Tetrick, $11.82) in 1:50.1 for Linda Toscano.
In $13,889 Wildcat Series action, Bourbon Road (Dexter Dunn, $7.22) took the lone colt trot split in 1:54.4 for Marcus Melander, while the lone filly pace division went to Vainglorious (Andy McCarthy, $2.82) for trainer Tahnee Camilleri.
Live harness racing action resumes at The Red Mile on Tuesday (Sept. 1) with a 12-race card headlined by the $80,000 USD Kentucky Championship Series fourth preliminary for two-year-old pacing colts and geldings. First-race post time is 1 p.m. (EDT).
(With files from The Red Mile; photo of American Power)