Dancin Champion (David Miller) took full advantage of a miscue by leader Ivy Park in mid-stretch to spring a mild upset at 7-1 in the $80,000 fourth leg of the Kentucky Championship Series for two-year-old male pacers on Tuesday (Sept. 5) at Red Mile.
The 15-race card also featured the fourth legs of Kentucky Commonwealth Series and Kentucky Golden Rod Series events.
Dancin Champion and Miller left sharply from post position two and tracked Ivy Park (Yannick Gingras) as that rival paced directly to the lead. The 1-9 favourite, Better Is Nice (Andrew McCarthy), settled in third.
The top three remained in that order for the majority of the mile as Ivy Park established fractions of :28.4, :56.3 and 1:24.1. As the horses came out of the final turn, Dancin Champion and Better Is Nice launched their bids for the wire. Ivy Park remained on top but became rough-gaited in the middle of the stretch and went off stride.
Dancin Champion took control and repelled the advance of Better Is Nice to collect the first win of his career in 1:51.2 by three-quarters of a length. Tua Many Captains (Andy Miller) was third.
Trained by Ron Burke, Dancin Champion is a son of Sweet Lou-Dancewiththebest. The colt scored his first win in his sixth start. His record now stands at 1-2-1 and he has earned $94,531.
Dancin Champion is owned by Burke Racing Stable, Knox Services, Weaver Bruscemi and J&T Silva-Purnel & Libby. A $90,000 purchase at last year’s Lexington Selected Yearling Sale, Dancin Champion was bred by Anvil And Lace Farm. He's a full brother to Breeders Crown winner and millionaire Dancin Lou, and his older half brother is double millionaire, world champion and three-time Ohio Older Pacer of the Year, Dancin Yankee.
Allegiant (Scott Zeron) collected her second consecutive victory in the $80,000 division for freshman filly trotters.
Allegiant and Zeron employed gate-to-wire tactics to capture the filly’s second consecutive race in the Championship event for two-year-old filly trotters. The daughter of Tactical Approach-Too Good For You proved to be too good for this field of six with a 1:52.2 mile.
The even-money favourite set fractions of :28.4, :56.4 and 1:24.2 while never seriously threatened. Volcanic Blue Chip (Ake Svanstedt) was a length and half back in second. Special Talent (Dexter Dunn) was third.
Trained by Vernon Beachy, Allegiant is owned by Ryan Smith, who purchased her for $50,000 at last year’s Standardbred Horse Sale. She possesses a resume of 5-1-0 and has banked $183,400 in eight starts. The final time was a new lifetime mark.
Allegiant’s dam has produced nine foals that have made more than $100,000, including this filly, from 15 foals.
Allegiant paid $4.24 to win.
French Champagne remains undefeated in Commonwealth Series
Pop the cork for French Champagne (Svanstedt) as the daughter of Muscle Hill-French Cafe remained a perfect four-for-four with a triumph in 1:53 in the $30,000 fourth leg of this series for two-year-old trotting fillies.
Trained by her driver, French Champagne competes as a homebred for Marvin Katz and Al Libfeld. She has earned $60,000 in purse money and is the first foal out of her dam, who amassed $228,331 on the racetrack. French Cafe’s dam is 2008 Hambletonian Oaks winner Creamy Mimi (sired by Conway Hall, $929,193 in career earnings).
French Champagne paid $2.88 to her supporters as the public’s choice.
Rockinpoppin (Tony Hall) paid a healthy $61.18 for his 1:50.3 victory in the division for freshman male pacers. The son of Pet Rock-Noseitall is conditioned by Jeff Smith.
Owned by James Everhart and his breeder, Kathy Smith, the gelding collected his second win from five starts. He has earned $24,300 and his final time was a new lifetime mark.
Arson scorches in Golden Rod Series
Arson (Todd McCarthy, $3.62) took the first of two $15,000 Golden Rod Series divisions for male freshman pacers in 1:50.4. Nuclear (A. Miller, $7.06) won the second division in 1:50.3.
Pizzelle (A. McCarthy, 1:54.4), Its My Hill (Gingras, 1:55.1) and Chartreuse (Brian Sears, 1:54.2) won the three divisions for two-year-old filly trotters.
(With files from Red Mile)