On Sunday (Sept. 4) The Red Mile will host two $80,000 fourth round legs of the Kentucky Championship series, two $30,000 fourth round legs of the Kentucky Commonwealth series and four $15,000 fourth round legs of the Kentucky Golden Rod series for male and female freshman trotters and pacers on a 13-race card. Kilmister seeks to remain undefeated when he takes on eight rivals in the Championship division for two-year-old male trotters.
Trained by Marcus Melander, Kilmister was assigned post position two in the 13th race and will have regular pilot Brian Sears holding the lines. The son of Chapter Seven - Treviso is 2-1 on the morning line and will attempt to increase his $249,035 bankroll while collecting his seventh consecutive victory.
Kilmister commenced his career with a triumph at Saratoga Casino Hotel in New York Sire Stakes company on July 8. His next appearance was at Vernon Downs on July 22 under the same conditions and with the same result.
The colt then captured his Peter Haughton Memorial elimination at The Meadowlands on July 29, before trotting to a four-length win in the $337,000 final on Hambletonian Day (Aug. 6). The Haughton score established Kilmister as the early favourite for next year’s Hambletonian and provided a bye for the Breeders Crown eliminations for his age, gait and sex at Woodbine Mohawk Park on Oct. 21.
Kilmister notched his sixth win in the third round of this series on Aug. 21 in a lifetime best 1:52.3. Excalibur Bi (Andrew McCarthy) and Point Of Perfect (Todd McCarthy) were second and third. Both horses are in this field.
Owned by Courant Inc., Kilmister was a $170,000 Lexington Selected Yearling Sale purchase last year and was bred by Moni Market Breeders.
There has only been one instance in the colt’s career where he was not the post time favourite and that was in the Peter Haughton when that distinction went to his stablemate and New Jersey Sire Stakes champion Oh Well (Muscle Hill - Fine Tuned Lady).
Sears will also steer early favourite Strong Poison in the Championship division for two-year-old filly pacers. Trained by Ron Burke, the daughter of Always B Miki - Fiyonce will begin her mile from post position in two in the field of five and is even money on the morning line. The filly seeks her second consecutive victory and third in this series in the 12th race.
On Aug. 22, Strong Poison left from post position three for driver Yannick Gingras and was in second right after the wings of the gate folded for the first quarter-mile. The filly was on the lead by the half-mile marker in :54.2. She clicked off three quarters in 1:22.3 and stopped the clock in 1:49.3. Besides the final time becoming a new lifetime best, it was nearly two full seconds faster than Devilish Dreams (T. McCarthy), who came in second.
Owned by Burke Racing Stables, J&T Silva Stables, Knox Services and Beasty LLC, Strong Poison’s record stands at 6-3-1-0 and she has earned $104,000 in purse money. She is the second foal out of her dam, who was also trained by Burke.
Strong Poison was bred by Steve Stewart, Charles Nash and Julie Nash. She was a $50,000 2021 Lexington Selected Yearling Sale purchase.
The Red Mile will offer a $10,000 guaranteed Pick-4 (races six through nine) in conjunction with the U.S. Trotting Association’s Strategic Wagering program.
Sire stakes action continues Monday (Sept. 5) and Tuesday (Sept. 6)
First post Sunday is 1 p.m. EDT.