by Moira Fanning, for the Hambletonian Society

Cranbury, NJ — The Red Mile renaissance continues with the creation of a $1 million race for 2-year-old trotters, slated for a blockbuster Grand Circuit weekend in 2019 at the historic Lexington, Ky., harness track.

The race for 2-year-old trotters was initiated by the Hambletonian Society and received an enthusiastic response from host partners The Red Mile, the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission and the Kentucky Sires Stakes board.

A formal announcement, outlining the parameters of the event, will be made on Sunday (Sept. 16), when the Red Mile hosts the $250,000 Kentucky Sires Stakes finals, the finale of the $4.5 million program on Fayette County Fair Day.

Other partners include the Bluegrass Sports Commission, Cornett Agency, and the inaugural Lexington Selected Mixed Sale, slated for Oct. 7, 2018, which has dedicated net proceeds from the sale to promotion and marketing of the new event.

The Hambletonian Society is a non-profit organization formed in 1924 to sponsor the race for which it was named, the Hambletonian Stake. The Society’s mission is to encourage and support the breeding of Standardbred horses through the development, administration and promotion of harness racing stakes, early-closing races and other special events.