Red Mile: Aperfect Annie, Nuclear triumphant in Kentucky Championship Series

It was another program featuring Kentucky Sire Stakes contests on Monday at The Red Mile, and two-year-old trotting filly Aperfect Annie and sophomore gelding pacer Nuclear took the $80,000 Championship Series showdowns.

Aperfect Annie (Todd McCarthy) cut the 28 1/5 quarter and then yielded to sit behind Yo Tillie (Verlin Yoder) past that point. Yo Tillie, who was bothered by breakers on the first turn before she got to the top, would continue on the front through a 57 1/5 half and a 1:26 three-quarters as Aperfect Annie swung back to the outside for the drive. They would battle tooth-and-nail to the wire, but Aperfect Annie would get to the wire a neck ahead of Yo Tillie in a 1:54 effort. Spicy Nice (Andy McCarthy), who was interfered with early, mired in traffic and then on dull cover, had plenty of trot late and ended up third.

Carter Pinske trains Aperfect Annie, a daughter of Googoo Gaagaa bred by Robert Detweiler, for owners Pinske Stables, Mel Hartman and Andray Farm. After three seconds to start her career, including a pair to Yo Tillie, this was Aperfect Annie's first career victory, and she has now earned $95,000. She paid $11.58 to win as the 9-2 third choice.

29-1 shot Dancin Champion (David Miller) cut panels of 27 1/5, 55 3/5 and 1:23 3/5 in the Championship Series tilt for 3-year-old male pacers, with Nuclear (Dexter Dunn), Better Is Nice (A. McCarthy) and Copperfield (T. McCarthy) taking up spots in the outer tier. In the lane Nuclear was able to get by Dancin Champion from first-up and then held sway over Better Is Nice by a nose in 1:50 1/5. Copperfield's 26 1/5 final quarter got him third, 1 1/4 lengths behind the top two.

Nuclear is a gelded son of Always B Miki trained by Joe Holloway for owner Val D'Or Farms. The Roll The Dice Stable-bred has a summary of 4-2-3 from 17 appearances, has put away $161,725 and returned $3.80 to win as the 4-5 choice.

► Sign up for our FREE DRF Harness Digest Newsletter

Three $30,000 Commonwealth Series splits for the 2-year-old trotting fillies were held, with victories going to Deja Blu (by Muscle Hill and the first foal out of 2018 Hambletonian champion Atlanta, bred by co-owner Crawford Farms Racing with Brad Grant and Howard Taylor, paid $6.56 to win) in 1:54 1/5 for driver Yannick Gingras, trainer Nancy Takter and co-owner Tom Pontone, Moni Multiplier (by International Moni and bred by owner Lindy Farms, paid $13.14 to win) in 1:55 4/5 for driver Tim Tetrick and trainer Domenico Cecere and Kngtstlkrs Pistol (by Walner, bred by Knightstalker Stable, paid $24.26 to win) in 1:55 for driver David Miller, trainer Carter Pinske and owners Pinske Stables, David Hoese and James Rosckes.

Women Layer captured the only Commonwealth Series test for sophomore pacing males, converting a pocket trip into a 1:49 3/5 triumph for driver Todd McCarthy, trainer Brett Pelling and owners Howard Taylor, Order By Stable Ab, Judith Taylor and Jerry Silva. The Carl Howard-bred Sweet Lou gelding returned $2.94 to win.

Five $15,000 Golden Rod Series tilts for rookie filly trotters went behind the gate and were won by Duvet (by Love You, bred by Carter Duer, paid $24.28 to win) in 1:57 2/5 for driver Andy Miller, trainer Julie Miller and owner Peninsula Farm, Baffle (by Googoo Gaagaa, bred by Steve Stewart and Martti Ala-Seppala, paid $7.48 to win) in 1:56 2/5 for driver Yannick Gingras, trainer Trond Smedshammer and owners Purple Haze Stables LLC. and M3 Racing Stable, Bourbon Cream (by Chapter Seven, bred by co-owner Crawford Farms, paid $49.62 to win) in 1:55 4/5 for driver Andy McCarthy, trainer Noel Daley and co-owners Patricia Stable, L A Express & Sjoblom Inc. and Joe Sbrocco & Jaf Racing, Alwayswithus (by Walner, bred by James Wilhite Jr., paid $48.68 to win) in 1:56 4/5 for driver Dexter Dunn, trainer Chris Ryder and owners Frederick Schwartz, Joe Sbrocco, In The Gym Partners and A M Demers & Mac Nichol and Monkey Wine (by Gimpanzee, bred by Peter Martinson, paid $13.12 to win) in 1:56 4/5 for driver Mattias Melander, trainer Marcus Melander and owners Amg Stable Inc., Kenneth Kjellgren, Mantorp LLC. and Heights Stable.

A single Golden Rod Series race for 3-year-old colt and gelding pacers was held as a non-wagering dash, and Bet On Big Joe scored in 1:51 2/5 for driver Andy Miller and owner/trainer Rodney Debeck. Bet On Big Joe, a gelded son of Betting Line, was bred by Pinske Stables.