On Monday (Sept. 5) 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 three $15,000 fourth round legs of the Kentucky Golden Rod series for male and female sophomore trotters and pacers. Pebble Beach and I Did It Myway meet for the fourth occasion in this series, with the North America Cup winner attempting to draw even with his rival so each horse would possess two triumphs in sire stakes action.
Defending Kentucky champion Pebble Beach and his regular reinsman, Todd McCarthy, took the first round of this series on Aug. 7 in 1:53.1 after finishing third in the $350,000 Adios final. I Did It Myway and his normal pilot, Andrew McCarthy, checked in fourth. The son of Captaintreacherous - Flyme To The Moon was sixth in his Adios elimination and failed to make the final after finishing third in the $600,000 Meadowlands Pace.
I Did It Myway, however, turned the tables on Pebble Beach in the second round of the Championship series on Aug. 15 in 1:48.2 with Pebble Beach in second. The third leg on Aug. 23 yielded the same result with I Did It Myway hitting the wire in 1:48.3.
This is the first time I Did It Myway, who is trained by Tony Alagna, has captured two consecutive races since putting together a five-race winning streak to begin his career at two. Owned by County Club Acres, Joe Sbrocco, Don Latore and Alagna And Fodera Racing, the colt was bred by Sbrocco.
I Did It Myway will leave from post position two in the field of the field of five in the seventh race. He is 2-1 on the morning line and sports a resume of 19-9-1-3 with a bankroll of $338,658.
Pebble Beach has never missed the board in his career. The ultra-consistent son of Downbytheseaside - Santa Rosa capped off his freshman campaign with a third-place finish behind Monte Miki and Gulf Shores as the favourite in the $600,000 Breeders Crown final for two-year-old male pacers. He won his four of his first five starts this year, including his North America Cup elimination, the $770,000 final and his Adios elimination.
Trained by Noel Daley, Pebble Beach is owned by Patricia Stable, Joe Sbrocco, Country Club Acres and Laexpressfoderadedeovolente. His dam is out of Hall of Fame broodmare Arts Vintage and is a full sibling to Ideal Vintage, Salute and double millionaire Vintage Master. Santa Rosa is also a half-sibling to millionaire Great Vintage.
Pebble Beach was bred by Brittany Farms and was an $85,000 purchase at the 2020 Lexington Selected Yearling Sale.
He will leave from post position one and is 3-2 on the morning line. Pebble Beach has earned $1,066,250 in purse money and has a record of 20-12-5-3.
Kentucky champion Selfie Queen will attempt to rebound from a fourth-place finish in the third round of the Championship division for sophomore filly trotters which is a non-wagering event. Dexter Dunn will be steering the daughter of Muscle Hill - Lady Lakewood for trainer Nancy Takter.
Bred by James Wilhite Jr., Selfie Queen won the second leg of this series on Aug. 14 in a lifetime best 1:51.1. The filly has won $299,250 and has a record of 18-6-2-2.
Selfie Queen was a $170,000 2020 Lexington Selected Yearling Sale purchase by Robert Leblanc, David Anderson and Ron Fielding.
The two Commonwealth series divisions are for sophomore male pacers and three-year-old filly trotters. Two of the three Golden Rod series events are for sophomore filly trotters while the other division is for three-year-old male pacers.
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 Tuesday (Sept. 6) with first post at 1 p.m. EDT.
(The Red Mile)