Published:
September 4, 2022 09:38 pm EDT
On Sunday (Sept. 4), Bourbon Courage handed Kilmister — the undefeated Peter Haughton Memorial winner — his first loss, and Strong Poison collected her third win in the two $80,000 Kentucky Championship Series fourth round for freshman trotting males and pacing females.
The 13-race card also included two $30,000 fourth round legs of the Kentucky Commonwealth Series for two-year-old trotting females and males, and pacers, and six $15,000 fourth round legs of the Kentucky Golden Rod Series for freshman female and male trotters and pacers.
The Kentucky Championship division for two-year-old trotting males was the last race on the card, but the adage of saving the best rang true here as Bourbon Courage overhauled leader Excalibur Bi to score by a neck in 1:53.1 for Hall of Fame trainer Erv Miller. The complexion of this contest changed before the field of nine left the starting gate as heavy favourite Kilmister went off stride.
Todd McCarthy placed Point Of Perfect on the lead and set the first fraction of :29. Excalibur Bi moved from third to take the lead before the teletimer flashed :56.4 for the half-mile, and he led the field through three-quarters in 1:25. Dire Straits had moved into second as Bourbon Courage advanced from seventh, then sixth to place himself in third. Excalibur Bi proved to be a stubborn foe, and it took the length of the stretch for Bourbon Courage to get his nose down on the wire in a lifetime best. French Wine closed from sixth to finish third.
Kilmister, who won the first five starts of his career, was never a factor and came home last.
Bred by Carter Duer, Bourbon Courage (You Know You Do-Luv U All) is a half-sibling to last year’s Hambletonian winner Captain Corey. He commenced his career with a third-place finish in a $47,000 Indiana Sire Stakes leg at Harrah’s Hoosier Park on July 16 and broke his maiden in the second leg of that series on July 30. The colt was fourth in the second leg of this series on Aug. 8 behind French Wine before returning to the Hoosier State to collect his second victory in a $68,000 third round leg of the Indiana Sire Stakes on Aug. 17.
Bourbon Courage rewrote the record books in Indiana when he was purchased for $225,000 by Bowie Racing, D & M Trading II, Anthony Lombardi and Erv Miller Racing Stable at the 2020 Hoosier Classic Yearling Sale. He was the most expensive yearling ever to go through the ring in that state and is from his sire’s first crop. Erv Miller now only trains and no longer owns the colt.
Bourbon Courage now sports a record of 5-3-0-1 and has banked $119,290. Trace Tetrick piloted the $31.18 winner.
Strong Poison outlasted Zanatta to collect her second-consecutive victory when stopping the clock in 1:51 in the second Championship division. Trained by Ron Burke, the daughter of Always B Miki-Fiyonce left from post two and was second by a head to Zanatta as that rival led the field of five through the first quarter in :29. Strong Poison assumed command through a half in :56 and continued on the lead through three-quarters in 1:23.4 when Zanatta in second. It was a battle to the wire as the two fillies dueled down the stretch, but Strong Poison came out on top. Caviart Marcella was along for third.
Bred by Steve Stewart, Charles Nash and Julie Nash, Strong Poison was purchased by Burke Racing Stable, J&T Silva Stables, Knox Services and Beasty LLC for $50,000 at last year’s Lexington Selected Yearling Sale.
The filly improved her record to 7-4-1-0 and she has now amassed $144,000 in purse money. She has performed admirably in this series as her only loss has been a second-place finish behind Twin B Joe Fresh in the second leg of this series in a 1:48.4 mile. Strong Poison paid $2.34 to win as the heavy favourite. Brian Sears sat in the sulky.
The $30,000 Commonwealth division for two-year-old pacing fillies was won by Hungry For Love and the split for freshman trotting males was won by Espresso.
The three $15,000 Golden Rod contests for freshman trotting fillies were captured by Prideful, Late For Dinner and Caris. The three events for two-year-old male pacers were won by Mohatu As, Prince Of Honor and Country Dagger.
Brian Sears had three wins in sire stakes events and Todd McCarthy had three wins on the entire card.
Sires stakes action continues Monday (Sept. 5) and Tuesday (Sept. 6) at The Red Mile. On Monday, there will be a $7,500 guaranteed Pick-4 beginning in Race 6 in conjunction with the U.S. Trotting Association’s Strategic Wagering program. The same wager beginning in the same race will also be available on the Tuesday card.
First post is 1 p.m. (EDT).
(Red Mile)
Tags
payouts to the penny!
Has anyone noticed that rather than rounding all payouts down to the nearest dime, after withholding the percentage that is withheld from each wager, The Red Mile pays out exactly what's left? For example, in yesterday's 8th race, Mohatu As, the winner, paid $21.14 to win, $7.16 to place, and $4.74 to show, Jazz In Jackson, the runner-up, paid $3.72 and $3.24, and third-place Calvary paid $9.42 to show. Exactas, Trifectas, Superfectas, Daily Doubles, Pick 3s, and Pentafecta payouts are also all computed to the penny rather than rounded down to the nearest dime, and the minimum payout for any wager is still $2.10. I know of no other track in North America which does this, but it's definitely a step in the right direction.