The Red Mile returned to the scene with 31 races between the Sunday (Aug. 4) and Monday (Aug. 5) card, highlighted by the triumphant return of Kentucky champion Better Is Nice and the bluegrass debut of Super Chapter as each horse reigned supreme in the first legs of their respective $111,111 Kentucky Sire Stakes Championship Series (KYSSCS) legs.
Steered by Andrew McCarthy, Better Is Nice collected his second victory of 2024 for conditioner Tony Alagna while lowering his lifetime mark to 1:49.3. The son of Bettors Wish-Thatsoveryverynice, left from post position three and was content to remain in that location while Courtship (Andy Miller) led the field of six sophomore male pacers through early splits of :27.3 and :54.2.
By the three-quarter mile marker, McCarthy and his charge decided to make their presence known and assumed command with a 1:21.4 panel. As they strode for home, Copperfield (Todd McCarthy) gave chase, but it was in vain as Better Is Nice outlasted his rival by three-quarters of a length. Favoured Nuclear (Dexter Dunn) came home with a rush but was third best.
Owned by his conditioner, Pryde Stables Inc. and Birnam Wood Farms, Better Is Nice has now earned $713,159 from 20 career trips to the gate. The colt is 9-2-2-2 on the year.
Better Is Nice paid $8.34 to win.
In the second KYSSCS division on Sunday for freshman male pacers, Sippinonsearoc (Yannick Gingras) prevailed over Louprint (Ronnie Wrenn Jr.) by a neck in 1:50.1. The son of Downbytheseaside-Queen Anne M is now a perfect three-for-three in his young career for trainer Ron Burke and established a new lifetime mark.
The Real Thing (Dunn) took control to top the field of eight through a first quarter-mile in :28. That was when Gingras placed his pupil on the lead and gave him ample rein to continue strongly to the wire. Sippinonsearoc led through splits of :55.4 and 1:24.1. Louprint, also trained by Burke, closed strongly to give his barn mate all he could handle and came up just short as the post time favourite. Blue Onyx (Andy Miller) held third.
Owned by his trainer, Weaver Bruscemi, R A S Racing and Knox Services Inc. Sippinonsearoc was a $77,000 purchase at the 2023 Lexington Selected Yearling Sale.
The colt is the second foal out of his dam, who banked $374,337 on the racetrack.
Sippinonsearoc paid $6.10 to his supporters.
On Monday, two $111,111 divisions of the KYSSCS were contested for freshman and sophomore male trotters. Super Chapter (Dunn) demonstrated he may be one to watch as the fifth foal out of world champion Lifetime Pursuit, improved his record to three wins from four starts as the public’s choice.
Super Chapter trotted in third position for the first split of the contest after beginning his journey from post position nine in a field of nine. Landing On Time (Scott Zeron) went to the front and clicked off a fraction of :28.2 for the first section of the mile. Dunn pulled the son of Chapter Seven prior to the half-mile marker and the colt responded with a :56.4 half-mile.
With Landing On Time unable to stay on stride, Chat Room (Gingras), who was also in close proximity, made his bid as the horses approached the wire, but was unable to surpass the winner who stopped the timer in 1:53. Jeffery J (A. McCarthy) recovered from a break to round out the trifecta.
Owned by Jeffrey Snyder and Arthur Pronti, Super Chapter was a $300,000 selection at last year’s Standardbred Horse Sale. He is the first winner from the 2014 Hambletonian Oaks champion.
Super Chapter paid $3.50 to win.
The day’s other KYSSCS division for three-year-old male trotters belonged to longshot Luke The Spook (Mattias Melander) as the son of Greenshoe hit the line in a new lifetime best of 1:54. His :26.2 final fraction was enough to track down the front-running Bright Star (Dunn). Ways N Means (David Miller) came back after leading early in the event to snare the show spot.
The above mentioned Ways N Means snatched the lead from the beginning of the mile and left the field of eight in his wake through a :28.4 quarter-mile. Bright Star, however, had other ideas and overtook Ways N Means before the half-mile in a :57.3.
Luke The Spook commenced his journey from the rail and actually went off stride prior to the start. Trailing in seventh, then eighth, the colt and his pilot advanced into third around the final turn. The colt was resolute and was best by three-quarters of a length following his stretch-rally.
Luke The Spook provided trainer Marcus Melander with a sweep of the male KYSSCS trotting events on Monday as he is also responsible for Super Chapter.
Paying a generous $68.64 at the windows, the son Greenshoe-Noblesse Blue Chip has now earned $150,320 in purse money and improved his career record to 14-5-3-1. He had one victory from five starts last year. Luke The Spook competes for AM Bloodstock who also bred the colt.
Live racing continues at The Red Mile on Tuesday (Aug. 6). The 18-race card includes the first $80,000 USD leg of the KYSSC for three-year-old filly pacers. First post is at 1 p.m.
(The Red Mile)