Lexington, KY – On Wednesday (Aug. 20) a field of 11 2-year-old trotting fillies will attempt to hit their best stride in the $80,000 third round of the Kentucky Championship Series at The Red Mile. The 15-race card showcases freshman filly trotters in third-round action with three $30,000 divisions of the Kentucky Commonwealth Series, five $15,000 Kentucky Golden Rod Series legs and three rounds of the $10,000 Kentucky Wildcat Series.
Leading Lady, Next Big Think, Days Away meet again in Championship Series
Favored in the $225,000 New Jersey Sire Stakes final, Leading Lady (Yannick Gingras) rebounded from a sixth-place effort to capture her Lexington debut last week in a new mark of 1:53.1 in the second leg of the series.
The daughter of Walner-Muscle Dolly is 5-2 on this week’s morning line and retains the services of Gingras while beginning her mile from post position two.
Leading Lady is trained by Nancy Takter and has a resume of 3-2-0-0 after winning her career debut in the third leg of the NJSS on July 25.
Bred by Marvin and Lynn Katz and Al Libfeld, Leading Lady is the second foal out of her dam and was purchased for $110,000 at last year’s Lexington Selected Yearling Sale by Black Horse Racing, Marvin Katz and Herb Liverman.
Leading Lady has earned $52,500 and her speed badge is the swiftest in this field.
Next Big Think (Dexter Dunn) will be seeking to hit the board in her third appearance over the red clay. The regally bred daughter of Greenshoe and New York champion Iteration, was fourth in the first leg of this series from post 11 and sixth last week after a break behind the gate marred her performance.
Trained by Marcus Melander, Next Big Think was second in her debut in Pennsylvania Sire Stakes company and won her second start in the same competition.
Courant Inc. bred and owns the filly, who will leave from post three and is 7-2 on the morning line.
Next Big Think’s resume is 4-1-1-0 and she has banked $36,488.
Jason Bartlett and Days Away will commence their mile from post position four and are 9-2 on the morning line for trainer Per Engblom.
The daughter of Muscle Hill and Hall of Fame broodmare Danae brings a record of 4-1-1-0 to this oval. She was fifth in her debut in the first round of the New Jersey Sire Stakes, won the second leg and was fifth in the final.
Days Away was a nice second to Leading Lady last week and it may be her turn to grace the winner’s circle on Wednesday.
Fredericka Caldwell and Bluestone Farms bred this filly and campaign her on the racetrack.
Days Away has earned $45,000 and just one of her many talented siblings is full sister Dream Together. Their dam won the 2007 Hambletonian Oaks.
Commonwealth Series features evenly matched fields
As anyone that follows the sport or participates in it knows, anything can happen in a race involving 2-year-old filly trotters. The Commonwealth Series offers an opportunity for many of those entered to step up and place their best hoof forward.
Lindy In My Dreams (Dunn) is 5-2 on the morning line and will leave from post position four in the first division of seven fillies. Trained by Domenico Cecere, the daughter of Ready For Moni-Lindy Of My Dreams was fifth in her debut in the first leg but won the second in 1:57 to break her maiden.
The filly races as a homebred for Lindy Farms and has earned $16,500.
In the second division, Lainey W (Scott Zeron) is 2-1 on the morning line for trainer Melander and will start her mile from post position four in the field of seven.
The daughter of Bar Hopping-The Black Beauty is 4-2-1-0 and is on a two-race win streak by capturing the first two legs of this series. Her time of 1:54 last week was her best to date.
Bred by Kentuckiana Farms and Perry Soderberg, Lainey W is the first foal out of her dam and was selected by Brittany Farms and Marvin and Lynn Katz for $125,000 at the 2024 Lexington Selected Yearling Sale. Her granddam is a half-sister to Cantab Hall.
Tony Alagna sends out Opulence (A. McCarthy) in the third division of seven fillies. The daughter of Walner-Evident Beauty is 2-1 on the morning line and leaves from post position six.
Bred by Mel Hartman, Little E LLC, Steve Stewart and Maumee River Stables, Opulence sports a record of 4-2-0-1 and has collected $33,000 in purse money. Like Lainey W, the filly has won the first two legs of this series and last week’s final time of 1:54.3 is her swiftest mile.
Opulence’s dam is an O’Brien Award winner who earned more than $800,000 during her racing career. Princess Dayna Stables and Riverview Racing selected Opulence for $300,000 at last year’s Lexington Selected Yearling Sale.
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.
The Red Mile will once again feature industry low takeout on the pari-mutuel side of things while offering fans a full buffet of wagering options including bookend daily double wagering exacta and trifecta wagering, 20 cent superfectas, Pick-3, Pick-4, Pick-5 and Pick-6 offerings and the Super Hi-5.
For more information on the upcoming draw schedule, promotional events, the live racing calendar, or free racing program pages, please visit www.redmileracing.