Lexington, KY – On one of the most beautiful evenings of The Red Mile meet to date, fans turned out to enjoy Sunday Night Lights (Aug. 3), sponsored by Crawford Farms. Those in attendance witnessed Yo Tillie and Sippinonsearoc display their prowess over the red clay in $80,000 Kentucky Championship Series events for sophomore female trotters and male pacers.
The 16-race card also included three $30,000 Kentucky Commonwealth Series first-round legs, five $15,000 Kentucky Golden Rod Series legs and three $10,000 Kentucky Wildcat Series legs.
Yo Tillie, Sippinonsearoc shine in Kentucky Championship Series
Todd McCarthy steered Yo Tillie to her eighth consecutive triumph dating back to last October from post position five in a field of seven 3-year-old trotting fillies. The heavily favored Andrew Harris-trained daughter of Tactical Landing-Consolidator allowed Pink Bomb (Andrew McCarthy) to establish splits of :28.3, :55.1 and 1:23.3 while trotting in third.
Her pilot decided to give the talented filly her cue heading into the drive for home and she responded with a final quarter in :27.2 to hit the line in 1:51.1. Stash Some Cash (Yannick Gingras) raced well to finish second with R Lady W (Scott Zeron) closing from last at the half-mile marker to come home third.
Bred by Gbw Breeding Farms Inc. and Black Creek Farm, Yo Tillie improved her career record to 17-13-1-1 and boosted her bankroll to $467,383.
The filly was purchased privately by her trainer, William Pollock and Bruce Areman from Verlin Yoder after completing her freshman campaign. She is a perfect five-for-five for her new connections.
Sippinonsearoc (Gingras) annexed his second victory in 2025 in his eighth attempt with a 1:48.4 effort for trainer Ron Burke as the favorite in the Kentucky Championship Series event for 3-year-old male pacers. Lite Up The World (James Macdonald) was second and Captain Arturovico (Geremy Bobbit) rounded out the top three.
Leaving from post position six in the field of 11, Gingras and the son of Downbytheseaside-Queen Ann M decided they would take no prisoners and claimed the lead leaving the gate. The duo never relinquished that position as the world champion set fractions of :27.4, :55.2 and 1:22.1. Sippinonsearoc placed an exclamation point on the triumph with final quarter in :26.3 as he glided to the wire 3-1/2 lengths in front.
Nearly a year ago, Sippinonsearoc became the fastest 2-year-old pacer in history with a 1:48.2 triumph at this facility.
Bred by Trent Stohler Stable and Alesha Binkley, Sippinonsearoc was a $77,000 purchase by his trainer, Weaver Bruscemi, R A S Racing and Knox Services Inc. at the 2023 Lexington Selected Yearling Sale.
The colt is now 19-8-4-2 and has earned $680,900 in purse money in his career.
Harrisburg Heist, Kadena, My Honor take Commonwealth Series contests
Gingras was responsible for guiding Harrisburg Heist (Downbytheseaside-Cashaway) to a 1:49.4 win for Burke in the Commonwealth Series for 3-year-old male pacers. Strangerinthenight (Zeron) was second and Making History (Marvin Luna) followed the top two home.
Sent off as the public’s second choice, Harrisburg Heist left from post position two and was in third place as stablemate Fear The Hate (David Miller) led the field through the first quarter in :27.3. Harrisburg Heist and Gingras assumed command prior to the half in :55.1. They continued on top through three-quarters in 1:22.2 and remained there over a closing foe in the drive for the line.
Bred by Brittany Farms and Marvin Katz, Harrisburg Heist has earned $150,677 lifetime and won his sixth start in 10 attempts this season. His career record is 19-6-3-3.
The Downbytheseaside-Cashaway gelding was purchased privately by Burke Racing Stable, Knox Services Inc., Phillip Collura and Weaver Bruscemi.
In the first Commonwealth Series division for 3-year-old trotting fillies Kadena (A. McCarthy) put on a show from the nine-hole in the field of 10 for trainer Marcus Melander. The royally bred daughter of Gimpanzee-Mission Brief defeated Tactical Moni (Dexter Dunn) and Ms Prada (Gingras) in a new lifetime mark of 1:52.1.
Rebounding from a fourth-place finish in her $50,000 Hambletonian Oaks elimination at The Meadowlands on July 26, the filly went straight to the lead and clicked off fractions of :27.3, :56.3 and 1:24.1. Tactical Moni gave chase throughout but could not head the winner while Ms Prada closed but ran out of real estate.
Bred by Mission Brief Stable, Kadena is owned by Jeff Snyder and S R F Stables.
Kadena’s career record now stands at 13-4-3-1 with $108,017 in earnings.
My Honor (Macdonald) took the second division of the Commonwealth Series for filly trotters in 1:52.1. Best Friends Girl (D. Miller) was second and Winnpanzee (Gingras) was third.
Trained by Ake Svanstedt, My Honor was in fourth in the field of nine through a quarter in :27.4 and a half in :55 set by Belmont (Dunn) and Winnpanzee.
My Honor advanced to second at the three-quarter pole with Winnpanzee still in front. As the ladies turned for home Winnpanzee seemed determined, but My Honor trotted by as Best Friends Girl closed stoutly from fifth.
Bred by Brittany Farms, Marvin Katz and Al Libfeld, My Honor (Muscle Hill-Special Honor) is owned by Brittany Farms and Marvin Katz.
Golden Rod Series, Wildcat Series round out the evening
Higher Ground (Zeron) won the first Golden Rod Series event for 3-year-old male pacers by a nose in 1:50.2 for trainer Alagna. The son of Always B Miki-Shebesailin was bred by 1876472 Ontario Inc. and is owned by Robert Leblanc and Pryde Stables Inc.
Rita Dawns Halo (A. McCarthy) won the first division of the Golden Rod Series for 3-year-old trotting filles in 1:53.4 for Alagna. The daughter of Googoo Gaagaa-Be Bop Sally was bred by Steve Stewart and Martti Ala-Seppala. She is owned by Ken Jacobs.
Dusty D Lite (T. McCarthy) won the second division of the Golden Rod Series for trotting fillies in 1:54.1 for trainer Carter Pinske. The filly is by Walner and out of Dusty Eighteen. She was bred by Al Libfeld and is owned by Eric Good.
Blue Onyx (Gingras) won the second division for 3-year-old male pacers in 1:50.3 for conditioner Alagna. The son of Tall Dark Stranger-Brooklyn Lilacs was bred by Crawford Farms Racing and is owned by Pryde & Alagna Stable, Brad Grant, Crawford Farms Racing, and William Beattie.
Anativenewyorker (Dunn) won third division of this series for 3-year-old filly trotters in 1:53.4. The daughter Greenshoe-Ariana G is trained by Melander. She was bred by Marvin Katz and Al Libfeld and is owned by Marvin Katz LLC.
Nikki Strikes (Pat Curtin) for trainer Burlin Brower, Molto Grande (Dunn) and Got Bourbon (T. McCarthy) won their Wildcat Series legs. Molto Grande is trained by Melander while Got Bourbon is trained by Terry Deters.
The Wildcat Series consisted of two first round legs for 3-year-old trotting fillies and one leg for their male pacing colleagues.
Racing will continue through Sunday, Oct. 5, following a Sunday through Wednesday schedule. Fans and horsemen can look forward to 5:05 p.m. post times on Sundays, and 1 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.
For more information on the upcoming draw schedule, promotional events, the live racing calendar, or free racing program pages, please visit www.redmileracing.com.