Red Mile: Al Papi gives Burke Brigade another world record-holder

One day after Ron Burke pupil Loua Dipa set a world record for rookie pacing fillies in her International Stallion Stake division, stablemate Al Papi established a world record for 2-year-old pacing colts with a 1:48 1/5 pillar-to-post mile to win the third of three divisions for the $264,000 International Stallion Stakes - a division named "The Summa Cum Laude" sponsored by Midland Acres - on Saturday (Oct. 4) at The Red Mile.

Al Papi (driven by Dexter Dunn) soared to the lead from post five and cut a 26 4/5 first quarter. Dunn coasted up the backside with his charge under a firm hold to a 53 3/5 half and continued comfortably through the last turn as pocket-sitter and fellow Burke trainee Lindy Dragonwater (Joe Bongiorno) pulled from the pocket with another stablemate Ubrute (Yannick Gingras) in tow. Past three-quarters in 1:21 1/5, Al Papi spurted away in the stretch and maintained his speed while chased home by 4-5 favorite Ubrute to post a snug win by two lengths. Lindy Dragonwater gave way and settled for third while Kountry Blue (James MacDonald) sat a ground-saving trip for fourth.

"That was obviously the first time I sat behind him, but he post paraded great and gave me a great feel," Dunn said after the race. "We left out of there and he was pretty deceivable with his speed - I didn't think he was going those sort of fractions early. He was feeling great the whole mile and once I asked him, popped the plugs in the straight, he really sprinted great."

The 1:48 1/5 mile by Al Papi eclipsed the previous world record set last year by another Burke trainee Sippinonsearoc, who won a Kentucky Championship Series preliminary at The Red Mile in 1:48 2/5. The mark also lowers the track record at The Red Mile for 2-year-old pacing colts and was a tick shy of the all-time fastest pacing mile by a 2-year-old in Lexington, which stablemate Loua Dipa set on Friday (Oct. 3) with her 1:48 romp in an International Stallion Stakes division.

A homebred Papi Rob Hanover-Baron Remy colt for Burke Racing Stable LLC., J&T Silva-Purnel & Libby, Larry Karr and Weaver Bruscemi LLC., Al Papi won his fourth race from nine starts and has now earned $243,174 in his career. Sent off as the second choice in the betting, he paid $4.20 to win.

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One race prior, Dunn guided Andrew Harris trainee Brandon Blvd - dismissed from post nine at odds of 10-1 - from the backfield off of fast fractions and nabbed victory from weary but game 1-9 favorite Frantic Hanover in a stretch battle that lasted to the finish of a 1:49 1/5 mile in the second division for 2-year-old pacing males, sponsored by the Beach Glass Syndicate and Winbak Farm.

Driver Dexter Dunn wrangled Brandon Blvd from his outside draw and raced next-to-last off a contested 26 2/5 first quarter cut by Thai Hanover (Jeremy Indof). Be Sting (Todd McCarthy), launching forward out of post eight, rejected a seat in third at the pylons and motored up the rim to overtake Thai Hanover for the lead. Frantic Hanover (Tim Tetrick) meanwhile raced parked in the middle of the pack, but flushed cover from Signal Caller (Andy McCarthy) out of fourth as the field descended to the half in 54 2/5.

Dunn advanced from fifth-over in that flow and began fanning wide through the last turn once Signal Caller cleared the lead and then gave way to Frantic Hanover on the outside. Frantic Hanover, leading by three-quarters in 1:21 2/5, wavered in the stretch and lost the lead as Brandon Blvd barreled down the center of the track. Show Me Your Ace (David Miller) fought between horses in a three-wide tussle while Frantic Hanover reengaged and clawed after Brandon Blvd late. Brandon Blvd kept control to the finish to down Frantic Hanover by a head with Show Me Your Ace settling for third and Funky Buddha (Scott Zeron) closing from last for fourth.

"Dexter did a phenomenal job mapping out a trip," Harris said after the race. "Before the race he was like 'This is a tough spot, we'll see what happens,' and it worked out. Dave's horse [Show Me Your Aces] gave us a perfect trip - and credit to every horse in it. They all raced great, and Frantic [Hanover] was real game. Just a great race and this is a great horse."

Brandon Blvd, a Downbytheseaside-Alexis Faith colt, won his sixth race from eight starts and has now earned $326,750 for owners Bill Pollock, Bruce Areman and Andrew Harris. He paid $22.52 to win.

Burke and company teamed with another homebred in Melillo (Yannick Gingras), who returned from his Bluegrass win last week to claim a 1:48 4/5 victory in the first division for 2-year-old pacing males, sponsored by the Captaintreacherous Syndicate and Hanover Shoe Farms.

Leaving from post six, Gingras floated Melillo forward and grabbed cover from stablemate Another C Note (Tim Tetrick) as he brushed towards the lead through a 27 second first quarter. Melillo then looped by to take the top while Sweet Lovin Lou (James MacDonald) moved off the pegs out of fifth and marched outside to push for the lead through a 54 3/5 half. Sweet Lovin Lou settled on the point through the last turn and maintained his speed to three-quarters in 1:21 3/5, though Melillo just crept outside his cover off the bottom corner and gathered speed for the sprint to the finish. Melillo overpowered Sweet Lovin Lou late in the lane to register a neck win with Kiss In The Sky (Dexter Dunn) closing to take third, another three lengths behind, and Downbythelakeside (Scott Zeron) coming from last for fourth.

A Sweet Lou-Rosemary Rose colt trained by Burke for Burke Racing Stable LLC., Jason Melillo and Weaver Bruscemi LLC., Melillo won his third race from 10 starts and has now banked $213,902. He paid $3.02 to win.

Live racing concludes for the Grand Circuit meet at The Red Mile on Sunday (Oct. 5) with an 11-race card headlined by the $500,000 133rd renewal of the Grade 1 Kentucky Futurity and the $300,000 60th renewal of the Grade 1 Kentucky Filly Futurity. Sunday's card also features a $7,500 guarantee in the early Pick 4, which begins in Race 6. Every Pick 4, as well as the 50-cent Pick 5, at The Red Mile features an industry-low takeout of 12 percent.

First race post time at The Red Mile is 1 p.m. (EDT).

--by Ray Cotolo for The Red Mile--