Lexington, KY — Gobstopper zipped off cover from quick early fractions to pounce and score a 1:50 victory in the $80,000 fourth preliminary of the Kentucky Championship Series for 2-year-old pacing colts and geldings on Tuesday afternoon (Sept. 1) at the Red Mile.
Leaving from post 7, driver Dexter Dunn pushed into a mid-pack seat with Gobstopper as Wishawave (driven by Scott Zeron) hustled to the front from the pylon post. Wishawave relinquished command as Atlantic Ivey (Atlee Bender) brushed forward to the top through a :26.1 first quarter, but Zeron soon tipped out of the pocket to circle back to the lead.
As Wishawave rolled to a :54.2 half, 8-5 favorite Night Agent (Andy McCarthy) edged off the pylons from fourth to advance uncovered up the rim with Gobstopper securing a tow second-over. Night Agent marched to within a length of the leader by three-quarters in 1:22.2 but gave way spinning for home while Dunn fanned off cover with Gobstopper and darted toward the lead.
Gobstopper got the jump on his rivals and held firmly to the finish for a half-length win chased by Rumble And Sway (Tim Tetrick), who rallied from third-over for second, with Blazin Lou (Marvin Luna) kicking from near last for third and Just Perfect Stuff (Joey Putnam) closing from fourth-over for fourth.
Tony Dinges trains Gobstopper, a colt by Sweet Lou-Captiva Island, for owner Rick Berks. The colt won his fourth race from seven starts, amassing $132,920 in earnings, and paid $6.90 to win.
Debonaire (Andy McCarthy) rode the pylons to victory in the lone $30,000 Kentucky Commonwealth Series dash for freshman pacing males. McCarthy sat third through fractions of :28, :55.4 and 1:24.2 before building momentum with an inside seam to collar pocket-popping Crazygirlsburnsage (Josert Fonseca) by three-quarters of a length in a 1:51.3 mile. Tony Alagna trains Debonaire, a colt by Bulldog Hanover-Baby Your The Best, for owners Brittany Farms, Steven Head and Micki Rae Stables. He paid $16.50 to win.
Tony Alagna collected a training hat trick on the day. Alongside his victory with Debonaire, Alagna won two of the three $15,000 Kentucky Golden Rod divisions for freshman pacing males with Reflector (Todd McCarthy, 1:51.1 winning mile; $6.92 to win), a Bulldog Hanover colt out of stakes-winning mare Reflect With Me, and with A Bettor Dream (Andy McCarthy, 1:51.4; $4.04). The other Golden Rod division of the day was won by Fairway To Heaven (Andy McCarthy, 1:51.3; $3.54).
Live harness racing at the Red Mile resumes on Wednesday (Sept. 2) with a 12-race card headlined by the $80,000 Kentucky Championship Series fourth preliminary for 2-year-old trotting colts and geldings. First-race post time is 1 p.m. (EDT).
For more information on the 2026 live harness racing season, visit the Red Mile website.