On one of most beautiful evenings of The Red Mile meet to date, fans turned out to enjoy Sunday Night Lights, sponsored by Crawford Farms, on Sunday, Aug. 3. Those in attendance able to witness Yo Tillie and Sippinonsearoc display their prowess over the red clay in two $111,111 Kentucky Championship Series for sophomore female trotters and male pacers.
The 16-race card also included three $41,667 Kentucky Commonwealth Series first-round divisions, five $20,833 Kentucky Golden Rod Series divisions and three $13,889 Kentucky Wildcat Series divisions.
Todd McCarthy steered Yo Tillie to her eighth consecutive triumph for trainer Andrew Harris from post position five in a field of seven. The heavily favoured daughter of Tactical Landing-Consolidator allowed Pink Bomb (Andrew McCarthy) to establish splits of :28.3, :55.1 and 1:23.3 while trotting in third.
McCarthy decided to give Yo Tillie her cue heading into the drive for home and she responded with a final quarter panel in :27.2 to hit the line in 1:51.1. Stash Some Cash (Yannick Gingras) raced well to finish second with R Lady W closing (Scott Zeron) from last at the half-mile marker to come home third.
Bred by GBW Breeding Farms Inc. and Black Creek Farm, Yo Tillie improved her record to 17-13-1-1 and boosted her bankroll to $642,359.
The filly was purchased privately by her trainer, Bill Pollock and Bruce Areman from Verlin Yoder after completing her freshman campaign. She remains a perfect five-for-five for her new connections.
Yo Tillie paid $2.10 to win.
Sippinonsearoc annexed his second victory in 2025 in his eighth attempt and nearly reached his world record mark in a 1:48.4 effort for trainer Ron Burke as the favourite.
Leaving from post position six in the field of 11, Yannick Gingras and his charge decided they would take no prisoners and claimed the lead leaving the gate. The duo never relinquished that position as the world champion set fractions of :27.4, :55.2 and 1:22.1. Sippinonsearoc placed an exclamation point on the triumph with final quarter in :26.3 as he glided to the wire. Slight second choice Lite Up The World (James MacDonald) was second and Captain Artrurovico (Geremy Bobbit) rounded out the top three as the longest shot (151-1) on the board.
Bred by Trent Stohler Stable and Alesha Binkley, Sippinonsearoc is owned by Burke Racing Stable LLC, Weaver Bruscemi, R A S Racing and Knox Services Inc. The colt is now 19-8-4-2 with $934,382 in purse money, and he earned the title of the fastest two-year-old pacer in harness racing history nearly a year ago with a 1:48.2 triumph at this facility.
Gingras was responsible for guiding Harrisburg Heist ($5.40) to a 1:49.3 win for Burke in the Commonwealth Series for three-year-old male pacers. The son of Downbytheseaside-Cashaway is owned by Burke Racing, Knox Services Inc., Phillip Collura and Weaver Bruscemi.
In the first Commonwealth Series division for three-year-old trotting fillies Kadena (Andy McCarthy) put on a show from the nine-hole in the field of 10 for trainer Marcus Melander. The royally-bred daughter of Gimpanzee-Mission Brief went wire-to-wire en route to a new lifetime mark of 1:52.1. The filly paid $10.50 to win as the public’s third choice.
My Honor (James MacDonald) took the second division of the Commonwealth Series for filly trotters in 1:52.1, also a lifetime best. MacDonald advanced the daughter of Muscle Hill-Special Honor first up after the half and the filly pulled away from her rivals in the stretch to win by more than three lengths.
Trained by Ake Svanstedt, My Honor is trained by owned by two-thirds of her breeding connections — Brittany Farms and Marvin Katz. She paid $8.84 to win as the fourth choice.
Trainer Tony Alagna tripled on the Sunday card, sending out both Golden Rod winners in the three-year-old pacing colt division — Higher Ground (1:50.2; $12.24) with Scott Zeron up and Blue Onyx (1:50.3) at the command of Yannick Gingras.
Alagna's triple also included Rita Dawns Halo ($3.92), who prevailed in the first division of the Golden Rod Series for three-year-old trotting filles in 1:53.4 for driver Andy McCarthy
Dusty D Lite (Todd McCarthy; $5.72) won the second division of the Golden Rod Series for sophomore trotting fillies in 1:54.1 for trainer Carter Pinske, while Marcus Melander trainee Anativenewyorker (Dexter Dunn) won third division of this series for three-year-old filly trotters in 1:53.4.
Melander also tripled on the day courtesy Wildcat Series winner Molto Grande (Dexter Dunn; 1:55; $4.34). Nikki Strides (Pat Curtin; $4.34) captured the other split for sophomore trotting fillies, while Got Bourbon (Todd McCarthy; 1:52.2; $3.82) emerged victorious in the sole Wildcat division for three-year-old male pacers.
Live harness 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. Please be advised post times on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays are subject to change due to the fluctuations in extreme heat across the nation.
On Monday, Aug. 4, The Red Mile will host a 14-race card highlighted by two $80,000 USD first-legs divisions of the Kentucky Championship Series for three-year-old filly pacers and sophomore male trotters. There will also be three $30,000 USD Kentucky Commonwealth Series first-round divisions, five $15,000 USD first-round division of the Kentucky Golden Rod Series and two $10,000 USD first-round divisions of the Kentucky Wildcat Series.
On Tuesday, Aug. 5, the undefeated Brandon Blvd will contest the second $80,000 USD leg of the Kentucky Championship Series at The Red Mile. The 14-race card also includes two $30,000 USD second-round divisions of the Kentucky Commonwealth Series, three $15,000 USD second-leg divisions of the Kentucky Golden Rod Series and two $10,000 USD second-round divisions of the Kentucky Wildcat Series. All contests are for two-year-old male pacers.
(with files from The Red Mile)