Lexington, KY – On Wednesday (Sept. 3) The Red Mile hosted a 13-race card consisting of fourth round legs of the $80,000 Kentucky Championship Series, the $30,000 Kentucky Commonwealth Series, the $15,000 Kentucky Golden Rod Series and the $10,000 Kentucky Wildcat Series for sophomore filly trotters. Winnpanzee collected her third consecutive triumph and second in the Championship Series in 1:52.4.
Torrisi cannot turn the tide against Winnpanzee
Since joining the Ron Burke barn last month, Winnpanzee has hit her best stride with three wins in four starts and a step up in class from the Commonwealth Series. Steered by Yannick Gingras, the daughter of Gimpanzee and New York champion Winndevie subdued nine rivals in her latest appearance. Torrisi (Tim Tetrick) was second, once again, with Stash Some Cash (Andy Miller) coming home third.
Leaving from post position two Winnpanzee trotted in fourth through the half as defending Kentucky champion Aperfect Annie led the field through splits of :28 and :56.4. Torrisi was positioned perfectly in second.
As Aperfect Annie held her lead through three-quarters in 1:25.1, Winnpanzee and Torrisi were gearing up for their drive to the wire. As the fillies rounded the final bend, Gingras and Tetrick asked their charges for their best and they responded. As Aperfect Annie dropped back to third, Winnpanzee placed her head in front of Torrisi and lengthened her margin as the fillies strode to the finish line.
Bred by Ola Yoder, Winnpanzee was previously owned by Purple Haze Stables and trained by Trond Smedshammer. The first foal out of her dam was purchased for $140,000 under the name Windy Kountry at the 2023 Lexington Selected Yearling Sale.
Burke and his partners, Bradley Grant and Weaver Bruscemi, conducted a private transaction to acquire the filly less than two months ago and she has proven to be an educated selection. Winnpanzee was winless in five starts at 2 and three of her five wins from 12 starts this year have been for her new connections. The filly has amassed nearly $100,000 in purse money since transferring shed rows.
With a career record of 17-5-5-2 and $155,820 in the bank, Winnpanzee paid $3.70 to win as the deserving favorite.
Tactical Moni wins her first Commonwealth event
After finishing second, fourth and fourth in the first three legs, Tactical Moni (Dexter Dunn) changed it up and won the final leg in a lifetime best 1:52.1 by a head over favorite Kadena (Andrew McCarthy). Best Friends Girl (David Miller) completed the trifecta.
Competing as a homebred for Moni Maker Stable, Tactical Moni is a daughter of Tactical Landing-All Our Moni. Unraced as a freshman, the filly is 8-5-1-0 and has earned $53,300. She is trained by Domenico Cecere and paid $14.98 to win as the fifth choice in the field of eight.
Belmont, Dreams Come Easy take Golden Rod divisions
Belmont (Dunn) led the field from gate-to-wire to hold off Kngtstlkrs Pistol (Andy Miller) by a neck in 1:53.4. It was the third consecutive visit to the winner’s circle for the daughter of Gimpanzee-With Me Always in this series for trainer Marcus Melander.
Bred by Diamond Creek Farm, Belmont collected one win from five starts as a freshman but has compiled a record of 9-5-2-1 this season. One of her triumphs includes the $100,000 Kentucky Sire Stakes Final at Oak Grove Racing, Gaming and Hotel in July. The filly was purchased for $135,000 at the 2023 Lexington Selected Yearling Sale by S R F Stables and Holly Lane Stud East.
Belmont provided her supporters with $4 at the windows and was one of two stakes winners for Dunn.
Gingras scored his first stakes victory of the day with 15-1 shot Dreams Come Easy in the second division of the series in 1:53.1. Marilyn Ruth at 40-1 with Andrew McCarthy in the sulky was second and favored Anativenewyorker (Dunn) was third.
Bred by Carter Duer, Dreams Come Easy is owned by Peninsula Farm, Matt Franklin and Brian Gillespie. Previously trained by Ake Svanstedt, the daughter of Readly Express-Behold The Dream was winless in four starts as a freshman and is 9-2-2-1 this season. The filly has competed in her last two races for trainer Brendan Johnson. Dreams Come Easy paid $33.76 to win.
Court And Spark (Marvin Luna) won the Wildcat leg in 1:55.3 for trainer Bob Stewart. The daughter of Muscle Hill-Creature Of Habit races as a homebred for Fredericka Caldwell and Bluestone Farms.
The filly is 13-2-2-2 and has earned $18,495. Court And Spark paid $8.80 to win as the public’s second choice.
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 1:00 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.