Red Mile: Close finishes in Sunday's Kentucky Championship Series

Rebuff, who was sixth as the favorite in the Hambletonian final earlier this month, got back on the right track in Sunday's $80,000 Kentucky Championship Series tilt for 3-year-old colt and gelding trotters at The Red Mile, scoring in 1:51 4/5.

Driver Tim Tetrick sat third with Rebuff through panels of 28 1/5, 56 2/5, and 1:24 3/5 set by Keg Stand (Andy McCarthy) and then fanned out three-wide late on the final bend. Rebuff rallied after being shown the clear racetrack, and although Keg Stand dug in gamely off the well-rated tempo, Rebuff was able to get by him nearing the wire to win by a nose. Branded By Lindy (Yannick Gingras) finished third.

Trainer Lucas Wallin also co-owns Rebuff, a Muscle Hill-Meucci Madness colt bred by Steve Stewart and Michael Andrew, with partners Kjell Andersen and Pieter Delis. Rebuff has compiled a record of 8-2-1 from 16 lifetime tries, pushed his bankroll to $623,670, and paid $3.52 to win as the 3-5 choice.

There was also an $80,000 Kentucky Championship Series event for 2-year-old colt and gelding pacers on the program, and Kopi Luwak (David Miller) would cut an opening quarter in 27 4/5 before being passed by pocket-sitter Bamboozler (Dexter Dunn). Bamboozler was fired up after hitting the front and reached the half in 54 1/5 and the three-quarters in 1:21, but he weakened in the last eighth and Kopi Luwak pounced, surging by him to prevail by a nostril in a 1:49 2/5 mile. Command (Todd McCarthy) was third.

Tony Alagna trains the victorious Stay Hungry-Auniqueaquistion colt for owners Brad Grant and Steve Heimbecker. Bred by Steve Stewart and John Carver, Kopi Luwak, who fetched $160,000 at last year's Lexington Selected Yearling Sale, posted his first win in his third opportunity, has now earned $65,000, and returned $9.62 to win as a 3-1 offering.

Just For Trix and Combustion took the $30,000 Kentucky Commonwealth Series races for 3-year-old male trotters and 2-year-old colt and gelding pacers, respectively. Just For Trix, by Trixton and bred by Kentuckiana Farms and Perry Soderberg, scored in 1:51 3/5 for driver David Miller, trainer Mike Murphy, and owners James Wilson and Teri Jenkins, and Todd McCarthy drove Combustion, by Captaintreacherous and bred by Brittany Farms, to his 1:50 4/5 triumph for trainer Brett Pelling and owners Diamond Creek Racing, Thomas Dillon, Scott Dillon, and Cooper Silva Stables.

► Sign up for our FREE DRF Harness Digest Newsletter

A pair of $15,000 Kentucky Golden Rod Series tests for 3-year-old colt and gelding trotters were taken by:

--Aggiornamento, by Nuncio and bred by owner Russell Williams, in 1:53 3/5 for driver Tim Tetrick and trainer Fred Grant;

--Westminster, by Chapter Seven and bred by co-owner Brittany Farms, in 1:52 4/5 for driver Dexter Dunn, trainer Tony Alagna, and co-owners Riverview Racing LLC., Crawford Farms Racing, and G.R.J. Partners LLC.

Two-year-old male pacers were also divided into two $15,000 Kentucky Golden Rod Series sections, with victories going to:

--Cabot Beach (by Captaintreacherous and bred by co-owner Brittany Farms) in 1:51 3/5 for driver Tim Tetrick, trainer Tony Alagna, and co-owner Cabot Beach Racing;

--Larceny (by Always B Miki and bred by Diamond Creek Farm and A B M Stable) in 1:51 4/5 for driver David Miller, trainer Amanda Fine, and owner Steve Heimbecker.