Lexington, KY – On Tuesday (Sept. 16) The Red Mile will host its final card of the sire stakes season with eight $50,000 finals of the Kentucky Golden Rod Series. The facility will take a brief respite prior to the Grand Circuit rolling into town for two weeks on Sept. 25.
Burke and Ryder locked and loaded for freshman pacing events
On paper it looks like it’s Ron Burke’s race to lose as he sends out three of the 10 entrants in the contest for females on this gait and for this age.
Seaside Charm (Yannick Gingras) is 2-1 on the morning line with a record of 5-3-0-0. The daughter of Downbytheseaside-Summer Charm is on a two-race win streak in this series and will be leaving off the gate from post position three.
Bred by Brookside Stables and Amos Lengacher, Seaside Charm was purchased privately by Thomas Dillon and Scott Dillon.
Seaside Charm has earned $26,200.
Joining her at the gate will be Lets Justin Turtle (Scott Zeron). The daughter of Cattlewash-Rose Run Victory is 7-2 on the morning line and will begin pacing from post position five.
Bred by her trainer’s racing stable, Weaver Bruscemi and Phillip Collura, Lets Justin Turtle competes for the same connections. She has won two of the four legs of this series and is 5-2-1-0 with $19,550 in her bank account.
Pacey Station (David Miller) also is a member of the Burke Brigade. The daughter of Downbytheseaside-Pace Baby Pace is 4-1-1-0 and has earned $20,430. The filly will leave from post position two is and is 8-1 on the morning line. Her sole victory came in the third leg of this series.
Bred by Spring Station Bloodstock, Pacey Station is owned by her trainer, Hatfield Stables, Weaver Bruscemi and Larry Karr.
Chris Ryder is responsible for harnessing Kiss In The Sky (Dexter Dunn) and First Colt (Patrick Ryder) in the final for male pacers.
Kiss In The Sky starts from post position nine in a field of 10 and is 3-1 on the morning line. The son of Bettor’s Wish-No Clouds Bluechip is 4-1-2-0 and has competed in all four legs of this series. Bred by Big Als Stables, the colt is owned by his trainer, William Ezzo, Mark Harder and Robert Mondillo. Kiss In The Sky has earned $15,750.
First Colt did not fare well in the New Jersey Sire Stakes and broke his maiden in the first leg of this series in July. His record is 6-1-0-0 with earnings of $8,700. The son of Lazarus N-West Side Glory was bred by Christina Takter, who co-owns with Nicola Abrahms.
Melander sends out three in 2-year-old male trot, Ryder has hot hand in freshman filly counterpart
Midwind Chimp (Mattias Melander), Never Say Die (Dunn) and Nordin S (Gingras) are the three members of the Melander contingent competing in the field of 10 freshman male trotters.
Midwind Chimp, a son of Gimpanzee-Boccone Dolce will leave from the rail and is 6-1 on the morning line. The colt is 4-1-3-0 and has earned $18,750. Owned by SRF Stable, Midwind Chimp was bred by Midwind Farms.
Never Say Die is a perfect four-for-four in his young career. The son of Muscle Hill-Fuel Her Flame captured two Kentucky Wildcat Series legs prior to coming home in front in two legs of this series. Bred by AM Bloodstock, the colt is owned by Courant Inc. and has earned $25,000.
Nordin S has yet to break his maiden in four starts, but the son of Walner-Daydream Am S has two seconds and a third in this series. He has post position 10 and is 8-1 on the morning line. Like his stablemate, Never Say Die, Nordin S is owned by Courant Inc. and was bred by AM Bloodstock. The colt has banked $9,300.
Ryder will lead over favored Guinevere (Dunn) and All Fancy Like (D. Miller) in the freshman filly trot.
Guinevere, a daughter of Tactical Landing-Vita Bella Bi, is 2-1 on the morning line and brings a 5-3-0-1 record into this event. She will begin trotting from post position four in the field of 10. Bred by Robert Stewart and Lynda Stewart, the filly is owned by W J Dononvan and Fair Winds Farm. She has bankrolled $23,800.
All Fancy Like is in post position five and is 7-2 on the morning line. The daughter of Tactical Landing-M And Mms is 5-2-0-1 with each of her triumphs coming in the first two legs of this series. Buckstone Land Livestock is responsible for producing this filly and Country Club Acres, Joe Sbrocco, Hutchison Harness and In The Gym Partners own her. She has earned $16,680.
Alagna barn has five in the box for sophomore pacing contests
Ronstadt (Zeron), Chakra (Anibal Borjas) and Duration (D. Miller) are three of the nine entries in the Golden Rod final for 3-year-old filly pacers. As noted, all three fillies reside in Tony Alagna’s stable.
Ronstadt has post one and is 9-2 on the morning line. The daughter of Captaintreacherous-American Love is 21-2-3-4 lifetime and has earned $106,154. The filly was third in the $100,000 Kentucky Commonwealth Series final last year but only has one triumph to date in 2025. Ronstadt competes as a homebred for Brittany Farms and Marvin Katz.
Post position three is where Chakra will begin her mile. The daughter of Lather Up-Holy Trinity is 12-1 on the morning line and is 19-2-2-0 and has yet to win in six starts this year.
Bred by Crawford Farms, the filly is owned by her trainer’s racing stable and Pryde Stables. She has earned $66,565.
Duration will begin pacing from post position five and is 7-2 on the morning line. The daughter of Captaintreacherous-Time On My Hands is 25-2-6-5 and has collected $136,065 in purse money. Her sole win this season came in the final leg of this series. Owned by Robert LeBlanc, Joe Sbrocco, Pryde Stables and JAF Racing, Duration was bred by Michael Dean Robinson, Robert Mondillo, Steve Cheatham and Steve Stewart.
Higher Ground (Dunn) and Banderas (Zeron) will represent the Alagna barn in the 3-year-old male pacing contest.
A son of Always B Miki-Shebesailin, Higher Ground is 16-3-5-1 overall, but 4-2-1-1 in 2025. All of the gelding’s starts have been in Lexington this year and he has won two legs of this series. He will start his mile from post position two and is 9-2 on the morning line in the field of eight. Bred by 1876472 Ontario Inc., Higher Ground is owned by Robert LeBlanc and Pryde Stables. He has amassed $100,512 in purse money.
Banderas will begin pacing from post position six and is 10-1 on the morning line. The son of Tall Dark Stranger-Reflect With Me is 20-2-5-3 and has banked $110,736. Banderas is the first foal out of Breeders Crown victress Reflect With Me and was a $180,000 purchase by his breeder, Brittany Farms, in addition to Riverview Racing, Steven Head and Pryde Stables.
Grande Via, Belmont lead the way in 3-year-old trotting finals
Grande Via (Dunn) seeks to extend his win streak to three with a victory in Golden Rod final for sophomore male trotters. The son of Muscle Hill-Megadolce will leave from post position two and is 2-1 on the morning line in the field of 10. Bred by Steve Stewart and Timot Stable, Grande Via is owned by William Pollock, Bruce Areman and his conditioner.
The colt is 22-3-2-1 and has earned $77,000.
Belmont (Dunn) will seek her Golden Rod title from post position five in a field of 10. The daughter of Gimpanzee-With Me Always is 2-1 on the morning line for Melander. The filly broke her maiden in last year’s version of this series and is vying for her fourth consecutive win. She also won the $100,000 Kentucky Sire Stakes Final at Oak Grove Racing, Gaming and Hotel in July.
Owned by S R F Stable and Holly Lane Stud East, Belmont was bred by Diamond Creek Farm. The filly has banked $118,175 from a record of 14-6-2-1.
Fans and horsemen can look forward to the Grand Circuit coming to town for its two-week stint. The meet officially concludes on Sunday, Oct. 5. For more information on the upcoming draw schedule, promotional events, the live racing calendar, or free racing program pages, please visit www.redmileracing.