The Red Mile will host six $100,000 USD Kentucky Commonwealth Series finals for freshman and sophomore participants on Monday, Sept. 16. The return of Rose, now a Pennsylvania champion, to the Bluegrass State is a highlight of Monday’s 17-race card.
Rose, a daughter of Sweet Lou-Rosemary Rose, will have the regular pilot Yannick Gingras in the sulky when she leaves from post position three in the field of six in the Commonwealth Series final for two-year-old filly pacers.
The Ron Burke trainee is 3-5 on the morning line and simply towers above her foes. Her lifetime mark of 1:50.2 is tied with stablemate Looksgoodinloulou, who competes in the $400,000 USD Kentucky Sire Stakes Championship Series final on Sunday, Sept. 15, as the best in the land this season for freshman filly pacers. Rose's lifetime mark is a track record at The Meadows. She is also the only entrant in this field with more than one win on her resume; she has four in a row and five overall from six races. The filly has banked $334,819.
Rose is the first foal out the hard-knocking Rosemary Rose (sired by Foreclosure N, career earnings of $620,209). Her dam is a half-sibling to Pan From Nantucket (No Pan Intended, $570,801) as well as Rockathon (Pet Rock, $729,792).
Rose is co-owned by Burke Racing Stable, Weaver Bruscemi, Jack Piatt III and Larry Karr. She was bred by Burke Racing Stable, Jason Melilo and Weaver Bruscemi.
Gingras will also be at the controls for heavy morning line favourite Fusion in the $100,000 USD final for two-year-old male pacers. The son of Always B Miki-Pure Country may not be as accomplished as Rose at this stage in his career, but the colt most certainly has the pedigree to be a superstar.
Trained by Nancy Takter, Fusion will leave from the rail in the field of six and will be competing for his fourth win in five starts at morning line odds of 1-2. His only defeat was by American Son in the second leg of this series.
Fusion is the third foal out of three-time Dan Patch Award winner Pure Country, the first female pacer to collect U.S. accolades as a freshman, sophomore and older mare. Pure Country, a daughter of Somebeachsomewhere-Western Montana, also earned two Breeders Crown trophies and $2.6 million.
Fusion is owned by Diamond Creek Racing. The facility’s breeding operation produced him.
Yannick G Kemp seeks his third consecutive victory in two-year-old male trot final.
After an off-the-board finish in the $333,333 New Jersey Sire Stakes final on Aug. 3, Yannick G Kemp has reeled off two consecutive victories in this company and class in Lexington. The son of Walner-Southwind Adele posted his lifetime mark of 1:53.4 in his last engagement on Sept. 1.
Yannick G Kemp will have Peter Wrenn holding the lines when he begins trotting from post position seven in the field of 10. The colt is 8-5 on the morning line for trainer Nifty Norman. He is owned by Melvin Hartman, Rojan Stables and Little E LLC.
Three-year-old pacers Seasideescape and Davenport will be vying for Commonwealth trophies in their respective divisions.
Seasideescape returns to the Commonwealth after racing at Eldorado Scioto Downs. The son of Downbytheseaside-Tularosa is the 6-5 morning line selection and will leave from post position three in the field of five in the event for male pacers with David Miller listed to drive.
Trained by Steve Carter, Seasideescape is owned by Country Club Acres, Joe Sbrocco And JAF Racing, Don Latore and Aws Stbs LLC.
Davenport (Andrew McCarthy) boasts a 1:49.3 mark as the swiftest in the field of seven three-year-old pacing fillies. The daughter of Captain Crunch-Geothermal has captured two of the four legs of this series and is a half-sister to 2023 U.S. Horse of the Year Confederate (Sweet Lou, $2.1 million).
Davenport is trained by Brett Pelling and is owned by her breeder, Diamond Creek Farm. Andrew McCarthy will drive Davenport, starting from post four.
For July will be looking for September to be his month as he pursues his fourth win in his last five starts on Monday in the final for three-year-old male trotters. The son of Greenshoe-Clarabelle has annexed three legs of this series and established his lifetime best of 1:52 over this oval on Aug. 25.
Trained by Lucas Wallin, For July will leave from post position three in the field of 10 with Mattias Melander in the sulky. The colt is the 5-2 favourite on the morning line. He is owned by Harbor Racing Stable LLC, D Farm LLC and Order By Stable.
For July is a half-sibling to world champion Cuatro De Julio (Trixton, $879,061) and was a $360,000 purchase at the 2022 Lexington Selected Yearling Sale.
On Sunday, Sept. 15, The Red Mile will offer $3.4 million USD in purses with a 10-race card, which provides eight $400,000 USD Kentucky Sire Stakes Championship Series finals and two $100,000 USD Kentucky Commonwealth Series finals. After the Monday, Sept. 16 card of six $100,000 USD Kentucky Commonwealth Series finals, eight $50,000 USD Golden Rod Series finals will be contested on Tuesday, Sept. 17. First post on Sunday is 5:05 p.m. The first race on the Monday and Tuesday cards goes off at 1 p.m.
(With files from The Red Mile)