The pacing sophomores joined the trotting freshmen in Kentucky Championship action on Sunday (Sept. 5), with Goldies Legacy narrowly taking the $40,000 third preliminary for three-year-old pacing colts and geldings and Selfie Queen fighting to take the $40,000 fourth preliminary for two-year-old trotting fillies.
Goldies Legacy opened the card with a coast-to-coast score in 1:53.4 while withstanding a late charge from odds-on choice Komodo Beach.
Driver Yannick Gingras protected position with the Jeff Cullipher trainee from the pylon post and set a clip of :29, :57.3 and 1:26.4 unopposed on the lead. Komodo Beach came rolling from third off the final turn and blitzed the pacesetter nearing the finish, though the line came in time for Goldies Legacy as he won by a neck with the pair another three lengths clear of Mad Man Hill in third.
Co-owned by Cullipher with Pollack Racing LLC, Goldies Legacy won his fifth race from 17 starts this season and his seventh from 27 overall, pushing his earnings to $126,985. The Always A Virgin gelding paid $4.40 to win.
Alongside the colt and gelding pace, So Irresistible later on the card struck a head decision in the $40,000 third preliminary for three-year-old pacing fillies.
Sent off as the 4-5 choice, driver Andrew McCarthy landed So Irresistible in fourth as Classicist led the field to the first quarter in :31.1. Dream Chaser circled to the lead into the backstretch before then yielding command to High Minded, who took the field by the half in 1:00.2. All the while So Irresistible remained in fourth until McCarthy mounted his charge off three-quarters in 1:28.4 for a stretch sprint. The daughter of Always B Miki fired to the finish in :26.1 to edge a head in front in a 1:55.3 mile over High Minded. Dream Chaser finished third.
Owned by Charles Nash and Julie Nash, So Irresistible won her sixth race from 19 starts this season and her seventh from 22 overall, lifting her earnings to $122,565. Noel Daley trains the $3.60 winner.
Selfie Queen strolled on the point in the freshmen trotting filly division and kept late challenger Adore Me at bay to win in a 1:57.4 mile.
Leaving from post two, Selfie Queen cleared command to a :29.1 first quarter and faced no pressure to a :59.2 half. She continued to coast into the final turn as Adore Me motored first-over from fourth and soon engaging the leader to three-quarters in 1:29.4. Selfie Queen remained resolute to the inside through the stretch, surviving a diminishing margin over Adore Me to hit the beam a head in front as More Than Ever rallied for third another two lengths behind.
Trained by Nancy Takter for owners Robert Leblanc, David Anderson and John Fielding, Selfie Queen won her fourth race from seven starts, lifting her earnings to $76,250. The Muscle Hill filly paid $2.20 to win.
Classic Hill pulled a minor upset in the $40,000 division for freshmen trotting colts and geldings by leading every step to stop the clock in 1:58.4.
With favourites Double Deceiver and Rebuff breaking stride before the start, Classic Hill was left to an easy lead with Looks Like Moni settling into second and Majestic J into third to a :30.2 first quarter. Gigondas tried to challenge first-over up the backstretch, but broke stride before a :59.4 half. Looks Like Moni crept out of the pocket around the final turn, but Classic Hill continued on the lead by three-quarters in 1:29.4 and held firm to the finish to win by 1-1/2 lengths. Majestic J gave chase from third.
A colt by Muscle Hill, Classic Hill broke his maiden in his sixth start and has now banked $114,595 lifetime for owner John Schmucker. Mattias Melander drove the $16 winner for trainer Marcus Melander.
Caviart Lotus ($3.40) led the winners of the pair of $20,000 Kentucky Commonwealth divisions for three-year-old pacing colts and geldings with a 1:54.2 win in rein to Andrew McCarthy for trainer Noel Daley. Natives Filou ($15) took the other division in 1:55.1 with Brian Sears in the bike for trainer Anette Lorentzon.
The lone $20,000 Kentucky Commonwealth division for three-year-old pacing fillies went the way of Wicked Ways ($16), who popped pocket to win in 1:55.3 with Randy D. Crisler in the sulky for trainer Ron Burke.
Bold And Beautiful ($78.60) upset in the quicker of two $20,000 Kentucky Commonwealth divisions with a 1:59.3 mile with Christian Lind driving for trainer Jonas Czernyson. Heavy favourite Date Night ($2.60) took the other division going gate to wire in 2:01 for driver Andy Miller and trainer Julie Miller.
Branded By Lindy ($2.40) bested the pair of $20,000 Kentucky Commonwealth divisions for two-year-old trotting colts and geldings with an off-the-pace score in 1:58.1 for driver Yannick Gingras and trainer Domenico Cecere. Access ($3) ground first-over to take the other division in 2:00 for driver Andrew McCarthy and trainer Bob Stewart.
Point totals for both the Kentucky Championship and Kentucky Commonwealth Series are available at the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission website.
Racing resumes at The Red Mile on Monday with two $40,000 Kentucky Championship divisions for pacing freshmen, with the filly split going as a non-betting race before the pari-mutuel card. The card also features three $20,000 divisions of the Kentucky Commonwealth – two for the fillies and one for the colts and geldings. On the betting side, The Red Mile's Pick 4 will have a $30,000 guarantee, fueled by a $9,000 carryover from the Sunday card. The non-betting event goes at 12:45 p.m. (EDT) while the pari-mutuel card gets underway at 1 p.m. (EDT).
(With files from The Red Mile)