Lexington, KY — Trainer Ron Burke’s dynamic duo of Melillo and Al Papi — both graded stakes winners at the upper echelon of their division — will face off in the $365,000 Grade 2 Tattersalls Pace, sponsored by Cameo Hills Farm, in the final race on the final day of the 2026 meet at The Red Mile Saturday afternoon (Oct. 10).
Melillo, instilled the 9-5 morning-line favorite and in rein to Ronnie Wrenn Jr., lands the pylon post in the Tattersalls following a runner-up finish to Canadian-record-holder Redland Rocket Man in the $550,000 Grade 1 Little Brown Jug on Sept. 24. He draws just inside of stablemate Al Papi (driven by Yannick Gingras, post 2, 2-1 morning line), who finished third behind Melillo in the Little Brown Jug among other prominent finishes include a second-place effort to Brandon Blvd in the Grade 1 Meadowlands Pace and a win in the Grade 1 Adios Pace at The Meadows.
Burke will also send another pair in Winnercircleseeker (Joe Bongiorno, post 7, 15-1) and Ubrute (Jason Bartlett, post 9, 8-1) in the 10-horse field that also attracts Brett Pelling’s speedy Sea Bistro Hanover (Todd McCarthy, post 8, 6-1) and Grade 2 Cane Pace champion Sweet Lovin Lou (Scott Zeron, post 10, 3-1).
Sophomore pacing fillies spar in the debutante co-feature, the $212,000 Grade 2 Glen Garnsey Memorial, sponsored by Diamond Creek Farm, in the penultimate race on closing day. Pelling pupil Miss Jum Jabber (Andy McCarthy, post 1, 1-1), a winner of 13 races from 16 starts in her career, looks to rebound from a head defeat to Hope Hill (Dexter Dunn, post 2, 2-1) in the Grade 3 Bluegrass last week.
The 11-horse field also includes I’m A Lou Lou (Tim Tetrick, post 5, 9-2), who finished third in the Grade 1 Jugette as well as to Miss Jum Jabber and Hope Hill in last week’s Bluegrass division, plus Kentucky Golden Rod Series champ Need You Now (Joey Putnam, post 9, 8-1), who finished runner-up in a 1:49.1 mile behind Bluegrass division winner Topville Lucky and ahead of third-place finisher Barbuda Belle (Ronnie Wrenn Jr., post 7, 8-1) last week.
The $145,000 Allerage Open Pace, sponsored by Jeff & Paula Gural, will open the final $3 Players Pick-3 of the meet in Race 9 on closing day. The 10-horse field, including six millionaires with over $13 million collectively in purse earnings, sees Ken Hanover (Tim Tetrick, post 7, 2-1) eyeing a rebound from a fifth-place finish in the Grade 1 Dayton Pacing Derby after taking a pair of Grade 2 events in the $260,000 Jim Ewart Memorial and the $175,000 Hoosier Park Pacing Derby along with Dr. Ian Moore trainee Prince Hal Hanover (Todd McCarthy, post 6, 3-1) as he tries for his first graded stakes victory since taking the Grade 2 Charles Juravinski Memorial at Flamboro Downs back in May.
Veteran pacing gelding Charlie May (Scott Zeron, post 5, 15-1) will also put his nose on the gate, following a third via placing in the Ohio Sires Stakes aged final on Oct. 4 at Northfield Park, as well as Grade 2 William Haughton Memorial winner Lou Hill (Yannick Gingras, post 1, 9-2) and Grade 1 Dan Patch champ Dandy Ideal (Jason Bartlett, post 3, 8-1)
Twin B Joe Fresh (Dexter Dunn, post 4, 4-5) looks to maintain the throne on the older pacing mare division when she faces four rivals in the first stake of the closing day card in Race 2, the $67,000 Grade 3 Allerage Mare Pace. The 6-year-old Chris Ryder trainee and winner of 40 races from 60 starts enters from a 1:49.2 win in the $250,000 Grade 1 Dayton Distaff Derby last Saturday (Oct. 3), which was her first graded stakes win since taking the Grade 3 Clara Barton at Plainridge Park on July 19. Her competition in this race includes Grade 3 Betsy Ross Invitational winner Louies Girl N (Jason Bartlett, post 1, 5-2), 2025 Breeders Crown 3-Year-Old Filly Pace dead-heat winner (with Miki And Minnie) The Last Martini (Scott Zeron, post 2, 12-1), Rocket Deo (Tim Tetrick, post 3, 9-2) and Champagne Room (Ronnie Wrenn Jr., post 5, 8-1).
Trotting sophomores will also compete in five divisions of the Grade 3 Bluegrass Stake with two $114,000 divisions slated for the males and three divisions of the $255,349 Bluegrass Stake for the fillies.
Ake Svanstedt trainee Magic Punk (Todd McCarthy, post 3, 2-1) earns morning-line favoritism in the first division off a fourth-place effort in the Grade 1 Canadian Trotting Classic and a last-place effort after breaking stride in the $575,000 Grade 1 Kentucky Futurity. He matches up inside of the seven-horse field with Linda Toscano trainee It Could Be Worse (Tim Tetrick, post 1, 3-1), who tuned up with a 1:51.1 victory in an overnight at The Red Mile last Thursday (Oct. 1).
The second division for trotting males includes Grade 3 Goodtimes winner Neighver Punt (Dexter Dunn, post 3, 5-2), fresh from a fifth-place finish in the Kentucky Futurity, as well as Grade 3 Old Oaken Bucket winner Untouchable As (Tony Hall, post 7, 7-2).
Leading Lady (Yannick Gingras, post 7, 2-1) seeks amends after breaking stride in the Grade 1 Kentucky Filly Futurity when she starts as the morning-line chalk in the opening Bluegrass division for sophomore trotting fillies.
The second division attracts Carve (Andy McCarthy, post 6, 2-1) and R Ro (Andy Miller, post 5, 12-1), who finished third and fourth respectively in the Kentucky Filly Futurity, as well as $100,000 Kentucky Commonwealth Series champ Naked And Famous (Todd McCarthy, post 2, 6-1).
Isabella Bi (Ake Svanstedt, post 7, 6-1), winner of the $25,000 Kentucky Filly Futurity consolation, looks for another Red Mile Grand Circuit win when she goes to the gate in the third division right outside of morning line favorite Jailbird Jog (Anthony MacDonald, post 6, 2-1) in the eight-horse affair.
Sponsors of the five Bluegrass divisions on Saturday include the Captain Corey Syndicate, Greenshoe Syndicate, Tactical Landing and Karl Syndicates, Hanover Shoe Farms, the Harness Horse Youth Foundation 50th Anniversary, Wiesman Farms.
First-race post time for the 14-race card is 1 p.m. (EDT). For more information on the 2026 live harness racing season, visit The Red Mile website.