Red Mile: Beautiful Memory surprises in Kentucky Championship Series

Beautiful Memory, one of the longest shots in the race at 65-1, rallied to a 1:50 3/5 victory in the $80,000 first leg of the Kentucky Championship Series for rookie filly pacers on Tuesday night at The Red Mile.

Driven by Marvin Luna, Beautiful Memory showed speed from post seven and wound up third after she was pased by She's A Bulldog (Yannick Gingras) nearing the 28 2/5 quarter and Big Weekend (Dexter Dunn) after that station. She's A Bulldog yielded to Big Weekend but came back to the outside prior to the 55 3/5 half and retook command past that marker as favored Bahama Momma (Scott Zeron) began a first-over attack out of fourth.

She's A Bulldog maintained her spot on the point to three-quarters in 1:23 as Bahama Momma continued to move up and Beautiful Memory had space to fan to the outside. Bahama Momma wore down and went by She's A Bulldog in the lane, but Beautiful Memory was able to out-foot her in the late stages to win by half a length. Bahama Momma had to settle for second and Caviart Daisy (Andy McCarthy) closed from eighth to third in the final quarter.

A daughter of Perfect Sting bred by Brittany Farms, Beautiful Memory is trained by Tony Alagna for owner Micki Rae Stables LLC. She broke her maiden in her third chance, has now put away $45,000 and paid $133.88 to win.

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Two $30,000 Kentucky Commonwealth Series splits for the 2-year-old pacing fillies were won by:

--Need You Now (by Captaintreacherous and bred by owner Dr. Fred Kruszelnicki, paid $6.92 to win) in 1:52 for driver Patrick Ryder and trainer Chris Ryder;

--Topville Lucky (by Sweet Lou and bred by Jeremy Yoder, paid $38.22 to win) in 1:53 for driver Atlee Bender, co-owner/trainer Erv Miller and co-owners Douglas Overhiser, Dr. Michael Ternisky and Dr. Scott Leaf.

Freshmen filly pacers also went behind the gate in a trio of $15,000 Kentucky Golden Rod Series contests that went to:

--Naughty Beauty (by Bettor's Delight and bred by Jim Avritt Sr., paid $5.28 to win) in 1:51 2/5 for driver Todd McCarthy, co-owner/trainer Andrew Harris and co-owners William Pollock and Bruce Areman;

--She B Minnie (by Always B Miki and bred by Thaddeus Wier, paid $4.34 to win) in 1:53 2/5 for driver Patrick Ryder, trainer Chris Ryder and co-owners Ryder Henderson Mondillo, Anne Demers and W.J. Donovan;

--Lets Justin Turtle (by Cattlewash and bred by owners Burke Racing Stable LLC., Weaver Bruscemi LLC. and Phil Collura, paid $3.40 to win) in 1:54 for driver Yannick Gingras and trainer Ron Burke.