by Gabe Prewitt, publicity director, The Red Mile

Lexington, KY — Kentucky-sired sophomores took to the track on Sunday night (Aug. 30) at The Red Mile for the third and final preliminary leg of the Kentucky Sire Stakes before next Sunday night’s $2.4 million ‘Night of Champions.’

The 3-year-old colt and gelding trotters were the only sex and gait requiring multiple races, as 13 dropped in the box and were split into two $15,000 divisions.

Nigel Soult photo

Kibbutz Dream opened up the night of Kentucky Sire Stakes racing with a 1:57.1 triumph.

The first went according to plan as the 1-2 favorite Kibbutz Dream (Jean Dubois) used a pocket trip to dart by down the lane and easily hold off his rivals with a two length score in 1:57.1, a lifetime best. The gelded son of Like A Prayer-Fill Josselyn is trained by Marie Ortolan Bar for the Reve Avec Moi Dreamwithme Stables. Kibbutz Dream now has a first, second, and third in the opening legs of the KYSS, heading into next week’s $300,000 final. Like A Hush (Rick Farrington) was able to secure second, while Alliance Hall (Peter Wrenn) was 7-1/2 lengths back in third.

The second $15,000 KYSS division looked like it could go much the same, as Up Front Prayer (Dan Noble) was looking for a three leg sweep as the prohibitive 1-5 favorite. However, it turned into a wide open affair down the stretch after King Solomon (Dan Shetler) set the opening fractions and faltered in the stretch, setting up a scintillating stretch drive as four horses finished within a length and a half on the wire. Touchdown Franco (Brad Hanners) would emerge victorious on the outside, as he unleashed a furious four-wide rally, ripping off a :28 final quarter to nail Civil Cause (Trace Tetrick) by a short nose. The favorite, Up Front Prayer, was only three-quarters of a length back in third. Touchdown Franco, a son of Like A Prayer-Atouchtomuch, is trained by Jeff Smith for Terry and Cynthia Kinsley. He adds the win to his resume after back-to-back second place efforts in the opening legs of the KYSS.

The $25,000 third leg of the KYSS for 3-year-old filly trotters saw a familiar face in the winner’s circle in last year’s champion, Dancing Filly (Trace Tetrick). The daughter of Like A Prayer-Aspenglow was tucked in third through an opening half of :59.1, but was quickly rushed up to take advantage as the field entered the final turn, leading them through three-quarters in 1:28.3, before using a :28.4 final quarter to put away the field and cruise to a three-quarter length victory in 1:57.2. The filly is trained by Kevin Thomas for the Bulletproof Enterprises, and has now won two out of the three KYSS legs, as she looks to be one of the favorites in next week’s $300,000 final. Her main rival, B Nicki (Brad Hanners), rallied on the far outside to be second, while Mystical Heiress (Matt Kakaley) used a smooth ground saving journey to take the show spot, 2-3/4 lengths behind the winner.

The $25,000 third leg of the KYSS for 3-year-old filly pacers looked eerily similar to last week as Warrawee Kay (Chris Page) once again parlayed a perfect pocket trip into a very narrow head victory over Apricot Brandy (Luke McCarthy) who set the very moderate fractions of :30.2, :59.3, and 1:27.4. Defending champion Shanghai Lil (Peter Wrenn) was second over, but could only manage to be third off of the unbelievably slow pace, 1-1/2 lengths behind the winner. Warrawee Kay, a daughter of Real Desire-Armbro Wisdom, now has won two consecutive legs of the KYSS for trainer Mike Roth and owner Alan Keith. The filly used an impressive :26.2 final quarter to get her head in front on the wire in 1:54.2, increasing her career bankroll to over $260,000.

The 3-year-old colt and gelding pacers also had a familiar tune as Sheer Desire (Matt Kakaley) once again ranged up first-over on the outside around the final turn and once again put his rivals away down the stretch to make it a clean sweep of the preliminary legs of the KYSS. The son of Real Desire-Carolache is trained by Ron Burke for the Burke Racing Stable, Randy Ringer, JJK Stables, and Lawrence Karr. Last year’s champion Carnivore (Luke McCarthy) was on the front as expected through three-quarters in 1:24.4, before Sheer Desire outsprinted the colt with a sizzling :26.1 final quarter down the lane for a neck victory in 1:51, under very minimal urging from his pilot. Real Image (Chris Page) was 5-1/2 lengths back in third.

The Red Mile will be back in action on Monday night, August 31, with a 15-race card. Next Sunday, September 6, will be the annual $2.4 million ‘Night of Champions’ for Kentucky-sired horses. Both cards will have a first post of 6:30 p.m.