Red Mile: 2025 Kentucky Championship Series action kicks off

17-1 shot Brandon Blvd drew first blood in the Kentucky Championship Series for this year, winning Sunday night's $80,000 event for 2-year-old male pacers in 1:54 1/5.

Fundy Buddha (Todd McCarthy), the Kentucky Sire Stakes champion at Oak Grove, cut the quarter in 29 3/5 but was overtaken by both Ubrute (Yannick Gingras) and Panther Hill (Dexter Dunn) before the 58 4/5 half. The outer tier formed up beyond that marker with Watchfire (Andy McCarthy) and Brandon Blvd tipping out from fourth and sixth and flushing out Funky Buddha on the final bend.

With a quick move Funky Buddha was able to get around Panther Hill on the outside before the 1:28 1/5 three-quarters, but Panther Hill battled back to his inside as Ubrute broke and the closers began to wind up. Funky Buddha and Panther Hill continued to battle in the stretch, but Brandon Blvd was in full flight in the center of the track and surged by both of them late, with his 25 2/5 final kicker propelling him to the victory by a neck over Panther Hill. Funky Buddha ended up third.

Andrew Harris trains Brandon Blvd, a Downbytheseaside colt bred by Crawford Farms, and co-owns him with William Pollock and Bruce Areman. Brandon Blvd has won both of his starts, has earned $45,500 and paid $36.82 to win.

A trio of $30,000 Kentucky Commonwealth Series splits for the group were also held, with victories going to:

--Show Me Your Ace (by American Ideal and bred by In The Dark Racing LLC., paid $7.78 to win) in 1:52 2/5 for driver Dexter Dunn, trainer/co-owner Chris Ryder and co-owners Anne Demers, Lawrence Minowitz and Ake Svanstedt;

--Hurrikanelouiexiii (by Sweet Lou and bred by co-owners Jonathan Klee Racing and Hurrikane Racing LLC., paid $36.14 to win) in 1:52 3/5 for driver Andy McCarthy, trainer Noel Daley and co-owners Justin Bolasci and Big George Stables LLC.;

--Papi Rick (by Papi Rob Hanover and bred by All In Enterprise and J L Benson Stables Inc., paid $6.64 to win) in 1:52 3/5 for driver Andy McCarthy, trainer Noel Daley and owners Patricia Stable, Sjoblom Racing Inc. and L.A. Express Stable LLC.

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Also, three $15,000 divisions of the Kentucky Golden Rod Series went behind the gate, and the winners were:

--Fletchers Field (by Tall Dark Stranger and bred by The Bay's Stable LLC., Polger Holdings LLC., Clay Horner and Little E LLC., paid $9.94 to win) in 1:52 3/5 for driver Geremy Bobbitt, co-owner/trainer Rodney Debeck and co-owner Randy Donahue;

--Down The Line (by Captain Crunch and bred by owner Fiddler's Creek Stables LLC., paid $4.64 to win) in 1:54 3/5 for driver Tim Tetrick and trainer Travis Alexander;

--First Colt (by Lazarus and bred by co-owner Christina Takter, paid $3.68 to win) in 1:53 3/5 for driver Dexter Dunn, trainer Chris Ryder and co-owner Nicola Abrams

Red Mile adjusts post times Monday through Wednesday

On Sunday (July 27), The Red Mile announced an adjustment to its traditional weekday post times from 1 p.m. (EDT) to 5:05 p.m. (EDT) for Monday (July 28), Tuesday (July 29), and Wednesday (July 30).

The alteration is due to the excessive heat index in the Commonwealth and throughout the Midwest.

--post time update courtesy of The Red Mile--