Lexington, KY — On Tuesday (Aug. 5) the undefeated Brandon Blvd will contest the second $80,000 leg of the Kentucky Championship Series at The Red Mile. The 14-race card also includes two $30,000 second round divisions of the Kentucky Commonwealth Series, three $15,000 second leg divisions of the Kentucky Golden Rod Series and two $10,000 second round divisions of the Kentucky Wildcat Series. All contests are for 2-year-old male pacers.
Brandon Blvd looks to keep his winning ways intact in Kentucky Championship Series
Fresh off his 1:54.1 score on July 27, Brandon Blvd (Tim Tetrick) seeks a return to the winner’s circle for trainer Andrew Harris. The first colt and second foal out of Alexis Faith (American Ideal, $586,546) is by Downbytheseaside and places his record of two triumphs in as many starts on the line.
Owned by William Pollock, Bruce Areman and his conditioner, Brandon Blvd captured his debut at Harrah’s Philadelphia on July 13 prior to collecting his second victory over favored Panther Hill (Dexter Dunn) by a neck. Funky Buddha (Todd McCarthy) was a close third.
The colt will face these rivals again on Tuesday afternoon. Brandon Blvd was assigned post position six and is 7-2 on the morning line. Panther Hill (Stay Hungry-Fashion Hill) is right next door and is 5-2 on the morning line. He is seeking his second victory in third start. Funky Buddha (Sweet Lou-The Double Deuce) will begin pacing from post position eight in the nine-horse field. He is 8-1 on the morning line with a record of 5-3-1-1.
Brandon Blvd was bred by Crawford Farms and went through the ring for $425,000 under the name Wayne Harvey at last year’s Lexington Selected Yearling Sale. The colt is a half sibling to Karma (Tall Dark Stranger, $127,065). His dam was a New York champion as a juvenile while in Casie Coleman’s shedrow.
Alexis Faith, a daughter of Cannae Cammie (Cam’s Card Shark, $538,140), is the first foal out of her illustrious dam who also produced Can’t Beach That (Somebeachsomewhere, $478,221), Last Beach (Somebeachsomewhere, $160,048) and 2021 Horse of the Year Test Of Faith (Art Major, $2.41 million).
Brandon Blvd has a yearling full sister, Zenyara Bloom, and a younger half-sister, Devi, (Huntsville).
Commonwealth Series features some youngsters with bright futures
In the first $30,000 division which goes off as the fifth race, Show Me Your Ace (Dexter Dunn) is attracting some attention and is 5-2 on the morning line while drawing the rail. Trained by Chris Ryder, the son of American Ideal-Trip Aces Hanover broke his maiden on debut in this company on July 27 by a head 1:52.2.
Show Me Your Ace was bred by the In The Dark Racing. He was purchased for $150,000 at the 2024 Lexington Selected Yearling Sale by his trainer, Anne Demers, Lawrence Minowitz and Ake Svanstedt.
Only one foe in this 10-horse field returns has collected a victory. That would be Im A Real American (no official driver selected) for trainer Per Engblom. The son of Always A Virgin and Indiana champion Ag-n-au-Bluegrass is 6-1 on the morning line and will leave from post position six.
Im A Real American was bred by Dave Yoder. He entered trainer Melissa Essig’s shedrow under the name Tenex at the 2024 Standardbred Horse Sale. He was selected by his trainer and Evans Nation for $10,000.
The gelding is a half-sibling to Au D Lox Bluegrass (Panspacificflight, $377,339) and Universal (Downbytheseaside, $166,222). He is a full brother to Kentucky champion Goldie’s Legacy ($571,875).
Race 11, the second division of this second-round leg, also has a field of 10. Fletchers Field (Geremy Bobbitt) will attempt to collect his seventh victory in his 10th start from post position four. He is 6-1 on the morning line for trainer Rodney De Beck.
The son of Tall Dark Stranger-Coronet moves up in class after a triumph in the first leg of the Golden Rod Series last week in a lifetime best 1:52.3. Prior to that engagement the colt was third in the $50,000 Kentucky Proud Fair Final over this surface.
Fletchers Field was bred by the Bay’s Stable LLC, Polger Holdings LLC, Clay Horner and Little E LLC. He was purchased for $17,000 at last year’s Lexington Selected Yearling Sale by his trainer and Randy Donahue.
The colt’s dam is an unraced daughter of world champion, Dan Patch Award and O’Brien Award winner American Jewel. Coronet is by Captaintreacherous making her full sister to U S Captain ($390,577) and Admiral Hanover. She is a half sibling to Odds On Platinum (Bettor’s Delight, $866,673).
Fletchers Field has a record of 9-6-0-3 and has earned $41,340.
Coup Station (Atlee Bender) just missed when second on debut to Show Me Your Ace under these conditions and at this facility last week. The son of Papi Rob Hanover-Chart Topper is trained by Erv Miller and is 9-2 on the morning line.
Bred by Spring Station Bloodstock, the colt is the first foal out his dam and fetched $77,000 at the 2025 Lexington Selected Yearling Sale paid by Douglas Overhiser and Lava Java Stables.
Coup Station’s granddam (Music Row, $86,036) has produced 11 foals, nine of racing age, all of which have won. Two her progeny Music Is Art (Art Major, $483,756) and Number One Hit (Somebeachsomewhere, $108,878) have broken the $100,000 barrier in earnings.
Golden Rod and Wildcat Series up for grabs
Races two, seven and eight feature fields of nine, eight and nine. The regally bred Gandhi (Perfect Sting-Pure Country) will be looking to break his maiden in his second start in the first division for pilot T. McCarthy and trainer Brett Pelling. He is 6-1 on the morning line and will begin pacing from post position nine.
The colt was bred by Diamond Creek Farm and competes under their racing corporation.
The two Wildcat Series divisions go off as races three and 12 with seven-horse fields. Solidarity, a son of Tall Dark Stranger and the outstanding race mare Kissin In The Sand, will seek his first win in his second career start.
The colt will have the services of Scott Zeron and is assigned post position four. Solidarity is 9-2 on the morning line for trainer Eric Patalan.
He was bred by Hatfield Stables and Marvin Katz and is owned by Thestable Solidarity after being purchased for $72,000 at last year’s Lexington Selected Yearling Sale.
Solidarity is the first foal out of his dam (Somebeachsomewhere) who earned $1.74 million and two Dan Patch Awards. Kissin In The Sand hails from one of the best female families in harness racing.
Racing will continue through Sunday (Oct. 5), following a Sunday through Wednesdayschedule. Fans and horsemen can look forward to 5:05 p.m. post times on Sundays, and 1:00 p.m. post times on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays throughout the meet. Please be advised post times on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays are subject to change due to the fluctuations in extreme heat across the nation.
The Red Mile will once again feature industry low takeout on the pari mutuel side of things while offering fans a full buffet of wagering options including bookend daily double wagering exacta and trifecta wagering, 20 cent superfectas, Pick-3, Pick-4, Pick-5 and Pick-6 offerings and the Super Hi-5.
For more information on the upcoming draw schedule, promotional events, the live racing calendar, or free racing program pages, please visit www.redmileracing.com.