by Tom LaMarra, for The Red Mile

Lexington, KY — Gold Dust Beach served notice he’s the one to beat on August 13 in the $70,000 Kentucky Summer Championship — and perhaps other major three-year-old pacing stakes this summer and fall — with a commanding victory in the prep on Saturday night at The Red Mile.

With Jason Dillander in from Chicago for the drive, Gold Dust Beach left the gate alertly and took over before an opening quarter-mile in :28. The handwriting may have been on the wall when the Jenna’s Beach Boy colt strolled past the half-mile mark in an unchallenged :57.1 and rattled off a final half-mile in :54.4 to win in 1:52. Michael’s Marvel and driver Tyler Stillings challenged first up through the final half-mile and held very well for second, two lengths behind the winner. Southwind McGraw and Village Joshua closed for third and fourth, respectively.

Ontario-bred Gold Dust Beach, owned by L&L Divisser LLC and trained by Joe Seekman, won for the sixth time in 12 seasonal starts. The $3,000 winner’s share of the prep purse pushed his career earnings to more than $175,000. In his previous start, Gold Dust Beach won the $250,000 American-National Final at Balmoral Park in a lifetime best 1:51.2.

In the $5,000 preferred trot on Saturday night, Anderson and Crowley’s CC Love That Red won his second race in as many starts at The Red Mile for trainer/driver Steve Waller. The Harrys Star Ranger horse led for most of the way to win in 1:56.1, a lifetime mark. Meadowlands invader Sky Watch was second, with Celtic Hall, another Big M shipper, third.

CC Love That Red won a conditioned event at The Red Mile last week in 1:56.4. He now has three wins in 18 seasonal starts.