The Bluegrass State’s best clashed in eight $555,556 Kentucky Championship Series Finals on Sunday, Sept. 14 at The Red Mile.
Looksgoodinloulou avenged her narrow loss in last year's final as she upset the sport’s top-ranked horse, Miki And Minnie, in the final for three-year-old pacing fillies. In the pocket early, Looksgoodinloulou took a shuffle to third as Miki And Minnie (Dexter Dunn) went to the front on the backstretch, but she found her way out on the final turn and ignited in late-stretch, roaring past Miki And Minnie to prevail in 1:48.3. Miki And Minnie was second by three-quarters of a length, followed by Unreasonable (Marcus Miller).
Looksgoodinloulou, a daughter of Sweet Lou-Looksgoodinaromper, was piloted to the 12-1 upset by Yannick Gingras for trainer Ron Burke, the first of three championship wins for that combination, and owners Burke Racing Stable LLC, Weaver Bruscemi LLC, Larry Karr, and Phillip Collura. The win was her first over Miki And Minnie since her Breeders Crown elimination last year.
Ubrute won the rubber match with Brandon Blvd in the freshman colt pace final. Ubrute, sent off at 3-5, muscled his way to the top past the first quarter, repelled a first-over attack from the unrelenting Be Sting (Dunn), and hung on by a half-length over the surging Brandon Blvd (Tetrick) to win in 1:49.4. Brandon Blvd was second over Be Sting. Trainer Burke and driver Gingras bagged their second stakes victory of the day with the win. Ubrute broke his maiden in the final preliminary round last week, beating Brandon Blvd after losing his first three starts to that rival. The winning son of Tall Dark Stranger-Warrawee Ubeaut has improved each week and took a new mark with Sunday's effort. He is owned by Burke Racing Stable LLC, Weaver Bruscemi LLC, Hatfield Stables, and Collura.
Country Glide, at 25-1, stunned odds-on favourite Setyoursightshigh (Dunn) in the championship for rookie trotting fillies for her first career victory. After nearly going all the way in her last start, she completed the speed mission gamely for Dave Miller, digging in to resist Setyoursightshigh by a head in 1:52.3. Naked And Famous (Todd McCarthy) got up for show. Country Glide, a daughter of Tactical Landing-Sheer Glide, races for trainer Melvin Schmucker and owner Yacht Club 140 LLC.
Yo Tillie, ranked number three in the Hambletonian Society/Breeders Crown Poll, won her 12th straight race and stayed perfect this year in the sophomore filly trot final. She was away fourth from the rail for Todd McCarthy but quickly glided to the front before the half, and that move proved to be game over for her rivals as she cruised home under wraps to a 1-1/2-length victory in 1:51. Stash Some Cash (Dunn) was best of the rest, followed by Torrisi (Tetrick). Yo Tillie is eight-for-eight this year for trainer Andrew Harris, who co-owns the daughter of Tactical Landing-Consolidator with William Pollock and Bruce Areman. The filly hasn’t lost since last September. She was sent off at 1-9 on Sunday.
The Harris-Pollock-Areman connections went back-to-back as Topville Lucky took the freshman filly pacing championship. She claimed the front after the quarter and was strong on top, holding off Gala (Todd McCarthy) by three-quarters of a length under measured handling from Dunn to prevail in 1:50.4. Seaside Shuffle (Gingras) completed the triactor. Topville Lucky won her third straight race while debuting for her new connections. Harris trains the daughter of Sweet Lou-Warrawee Winx, who returned $4.56.
Endurance extended his winning streak to six and finished the Kentucky Championship Series undefeated with a dominant front-end victory in 1:52.3 in the final for rookie male trotters. The 2-5 favourite was 2-3/4 lengths the best for Andrew McCarthy over It Could Be Worse (Scott Zeron), who held second over Silverstein (Dave Miller). The Chris Beaver-trained son of Captain Corey-Love Session went four-for-four in the series. He is owned by Super Endurance Stable, Bill Manes, Leo Fleming, and Mark Moger.
Super Chapter was a determined first-over winner at 1-5 in the sophomore colt-and-gelding trot event to defend his Kentucky Championship Series title. Away fourth from the inner post, Dunn confidently sent the colt first-over on the backstretch, and harness racing’s fifth-ranked horse grinded to a three-quarter-length score in 1:51.1. Go Dog Go (Todd McCarthy) finished second while off stride and lapped on, resulting in him being placed fifth and Mountcastle (Zeron) moving up to place and Monserrate (Gingras) taking third. Super Chapter, now a two-time Kentucky champion, is trained by Marcus Melander. The Chapter Seven-Lifetime Pursuit colt, the place finisher in this year’s Hambletonian, races for owners Jeffrey Snyder, Arthur Pronti, and Hanover Shoe Farms Inc.
Sippinonsearoc stayed hot with a fifth victory in a row as he captured the final for three-year-old male pacers. Gingras quarter-poled him from third to the lead, and the 1-5 choice was never headed again, holding off Burke stablemate Captain Arturovico (Dunn) by a half-length in 1:48.3. Fallout (Tetrick) was third. Sippinonsearoc, the sport’s fastest two-year-old ever, has won five straight races after starting his sophomore campaign year one-for-seven. The Downbytheseaside-Queen Ann M entire is owned by Burke Racing Stable LLC, Weaver Bruscemi LLC, RAS Racing LLC, and Knox Services Inc.
On Monday, Sept. 15, The Red Mile will host eight $100,000 USD Kentucky Commonwealth Series Finals on a 17-race card. Although it may not be the Championship Series, horses such as champion Miki And Minnie have often competed in this series on their career journey. First post is set for 1:00 p.m.
(Standardbred Canada; photos clockwise from top left of Yo Tillie, Looksgoodinloulou, Endurance, and Topville Lucky)