On Monday, Sept. 1, Carve collected her first career victory in the $109,589 fourth leg of the Kentucky Championship Series for freshman filly trotters in 1:52.3 at The Red Mile.
The 12-race holiday card included fourth round divisions of the Kentucky Commonwealth Series, Kentucky Golden Rod Series and Wildcat Series with two-year-old filly trotters at the forefront.
Carve Breaks Her Maiden In Championship Series
For Carve, it was the seventh time that was a charm, as the daughter of Captain Corey-Alpine made her first appearance in the winner’s circle with driver Andrew McCarthy. Longshot Country Glide (David Miller, 58-1) was second and another horse dismissed by the majority of the public, Naked And Famous (Todd McCarthy, 33-1), completed a very healthy trifecta.
Trained by Noel Daley, Carve had four consecutive seconds after her debut prior to finishing third last week in this series behind Leading Lady (Yannick Gingras) and Jailbird Jog (Tim Tetrick).
Today, she enjoyed a garden trip to place that elusive first win in the column.
Leaving from post position five, Carve and Andrew McCarthy sat in second for most of the mile as Country Glide assumed command immediately upon leaving the gate. That foe established splits of :27.4, :56.1 and 1:24.3 with McCarthy waiting for the right moment to pop the pocket as the field was heading home.
Bred by Diamond Creek Farm, Carve’s owners/lessee(s) are Patricia Stable, L A Express Stable and Sjoblom Racing.
The filly was originally purchased for $229,730 by Kemppi Stables Oy Inc at the 2024 Lexington Selected Yearling Sale.
Selected as the public’s third choice, Carve paid $10.48 to win.
She has banked $146,985.
Creator, Zaheera Annex Their First Career Wins In Commonwealth Series
After snaring the show spot in all three of her previous starts, Creator and Dexter Dunn hit the line in front in 1:54 for trainer Marcus Melander in their fourth pari-mutuel engagement. Alberta V (Yannick Gingras) was second and Pub Party (Tetrick) was third. Heavy favourite Lainey W broke stride and finished last in the field of eight.
Bred by Diamond Creek Farm and Order By Stable the daughter of Walner and the French mare Hanna Bourbon went through last year’s Lexington Selected Yearling Sale ring for $256,757. She is owned by Creator Stable.
The filly provided $14.78 at the windows as the second betting choice. She has earned $51,513 in purse money.
Zaheera, driven by Andrew McCarthy, held true to the theme of the day, breaking her maiden in her fifth trip to the post after being second best in four miles in 1:54.3. Lindy In My Dreams (Dunn) was second and Heart For Two (Gingras) was third.
Like Carve, Zaheera is conditioned by Daley. The daughter of Gimpanzee-Tiffany Dany It was bred by Lina Alm and selected privately by Allister Stables, Harbor Racing Stable, her trainer and Sjoblom Racing.
The filly paid $3.62 to those who supported her and has amassed $55,060 in purse money.
Zeron And Miller Double Up In Golden Rod And Wildcat Series
Scott Zeron steered R Zee ($7.88) to his first stakes win in 1:56.2 for trainer John Butenschoen in the first division of the Wildcat Series. His second score came with Antebellum ($36.58) in the fourth division of the Golden Rod Series in 1:55 for Gregg McNair.
Andy Miller’s first visit to the winner’s circle came with Julie Palema ($13.54) in 1:56 for his wife Julie in the second division of the Golden Rod. He was right back in the same position in the following race with Clemency ($60.58) for trainer Carter Pinkse in 1:55 in the third division of the same series.
Out The Window ($12.20) was one of three stakes winners on the day for Andrew McCarthy, scoring in 1:56.1 in the first division of the Golden Rod Series.
Favoured Respect N Honor was guided to the line in 1:56.2 by Todd McCarthy for Richard “Nifty” Norman in the second Wildcat Series division.
On Tuesday, The Red Mile will host the $80,000 USD fourth leg of the Kentucky Championship Series for sophomore male pacers, which the industry often refers to as the “glamour boy” division. This edition is not without some serious horsepower as world champion Sippinonsearoc enters on a three-race win streak yet has his hooves full with a talented field of eight rivals.
Racing will continue through Sunday, Oct. 5, following a Sunday through Wednesday schedule. Post time is 5:05 p.m. on Sundays and 1 p.m. on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays throughout the meet.
(With files from The Red Mile)