I Did It Myway and Special Way have now annexed three legs of the Kentucky Championship Series in their respective divisions and seek to collect crowns in the finals on Sept. 18.
On Tuesday (Sept. 6), The Red Mile conducted two non-wagering cards and one pari-mutuel event including three $80,000 fourth-round legs of the Kentucky Championship Series, two $30,000 fourth-round legs of the Kentucky Commonwealth Series and six $15,000 fourth-round legs of the Kentucky Golden Rod Series for male and female freshman and sophomore pacers and trotters.
I Did It Myway (Andrew McCarthy) defeated North America Cup victor and Kentucky champion Pebble Beach (Todd McCarthy) for the third occasion in the rescheduled $80,000 Championship Series race for sophomore male pacers.
The son of Captaintreacherous-Flyme To The Moon received a pocket-sitting trip behind Dancin Sancho (Trevor Smith), who clicked off fractions of :27.2, :54.3 and 1:22. Pebble Beach was in fourth position throughout most of the mile. I Did It Myway overtook Dancin Sancho in the drive to the wire with Pebble Beach in pursuit. Despite a last quarter in :25.3, Pebble Beach was unable to pass I Did It Myway, who stopped the clock in 1:48.2. Dancin Sancho held for third.
Trained by Tony Alagna, I Did It Myway has now earned $383,708 and has a record of 10-1-3 from 20 starts. The colt collected his third consecutive victory -- all in the Championship Series.
I Did It Myway was bred by Joe Sbrocco and is owned by Country Club Acres, Sbrocco, Don Latore and Alagna And Fodera Racing. He is the first foal from his dam and his ownership group was assembled privately.
Special Way also notched her third consecutive triumph and her third in the Championship Series for two-year-old filly trotters.
Trained and driven by Ake Svanstedt, the daughter of Walner-Special Hill out-finished leader Walner Payton (Dexter Dunn), hitting the wire in 1:53.4 with a :26.3 last quarter. Life Itself (Tim Tetrick) was third.
The filly improved her to record to 3-1-0 from five starts and has now earned $125,975 competing as a homebred for Brittany Farms, Marvin Katz and Al Libfield.
Confederate and Tetrick took the Championship division for freshman male trotters in 1:50.4.
Command (T. McCarthy) assumed exactly that off the gate but after the first quarter, Confederate was in control with fractions of :56, 1:24 and 1:50.4. Blue Lou (A. McCarthy) and Bamboozler (Dunn) were second and third.
A winner in the Commonwealth Series before posting back-to-back Championship Series wins for trainer Brian Brown, the son of Sweet Lou-Geothermal has a record of 3-0-1 from four starts and has banked $96,200. The colt was bred and is owned by Diamond Creek Farm.
Confederate paid his supporters at the windows $4.44 to win.
Combustion remained perfect with a 1:50.4 win in the Commonweath Series for two-year-old male pacers. Cannibal (Yannick Gingras) was second and Kaptain Karlos (David Miller) was third.
The son of Captaintreacherous-Acquavella is trained by Brett Pelling for Diamond Creek Racing, Thomas Dillon, Scott Dillon and Cooper Silva Stables. Todd McCarthy was in the bike.
The colt was purchased for $260,000 at last year’s Lexington Selected Yearling Sale. He is a half sibling to Fine Art (sired by Bettors Delight, $103,785 earned) and Heart Of Mine (Roll With Joe, $350,565). Combustion is a full brother to Captain Ahab ($174,902).
He paid $2.82 to win as the favourite.
Railee Something (Dunn) rebounded after going off stride in the third leg of this series for two-year-old trotting fillies to win her event in 1:54.2 for Chris Ryder. Caviart Gwen (A. McCarthy) was second and Moni Lisa (Gingras) was third.
Owned and bred by Ronald Mersky, the daughter of International Moni-Railee Priti has banked $112,306 from a record of 5-1-1 in nine starts.
Railee Something paid $4.04 to win as the favourite.
The six Golden Rod Series events for freshman and sophomore trotters and pacers were won by Saffron Girl (Gingras), Summer Trader (D. Miller), Larceny (D. Miller), Grande (Gingras), Captains Choice (Devon Tharps) and Toulouse Lautrec (Dunn).
Sire stakes action continues on Sunday (Sept. 11). First post is 1 p.m. EDT.
(With files from The Red Mile)