Red Mile: Confederate lowers world record for 3-year-olds to 1:46 1/5

Confederate is now harness racing's all-time fastest 3-year-old pacer by virtue of a 1:46 1/5 victory in the $80,000 Kentucky Championship Series event for colts and geldings on Monday afternoon at The Red Mile. Dan Patch Award winner Special Way, making her first start back after missing just over three months, took the companion event for sophomore trotting fillies.

Driver Tim Tetrick and Confederate watched from the three-hole as For Once Inmy Life (Andy McCarthy) led through the 27 second opening quarter, but he would be overtaken by pocket-sitter Command (Todd McCarthy) beyond that marker. Command, who like Confederate is a Diamond Creek Farm homebred and is trained by Brett Pelling, then hit the accelerator at full speed and ripped off a 53 1/5 half and a 1:19 2/5 three-quarters.

Tetrick waited until just past three-quarters to tip Confederate to the outside, but once he did, the son of Sweet Lou showed his brilliant turn of foot that he's displayed through his career, went right by the spent Command and powered home in 26 seconds to knock three-fifths of a second off the previous world record for sophomore pacing colts that had belonged to Somebeachsomewhere, He's Watching and Cattlewash. A Cool Moment (Joey Putnam) got up for second while Command tired to third.

Harness racing's newest world champion has 12 wins, two seconds and a third from 15 career starts, has earned $1,321,629 and paid $2.10 to win.

Special Way, driven by trainer Ake Svanstedt in the Kentucky Championship Series clash for 3-year-old trotting fillies, came out from the pocket past the 28 2/5 quarter and wrestled the top spot away from Walner Payton (Dexter Dunn) nearing the 56 second half. Special Way would then come under pressure from a first-up Mambacita (Scott Zeron) on the final bend, but only had to go a 29 1/5 third quarter to repel her, setting up a sprint for the wire off three-quarters in 1:25 1/5.

Walner Payton, Mambacita, and a closing-from-last Mommamia Volo (T. McCarthy) all had chances to go by Special Way through the stretch drive, but she was unwavering on the engine and held sway to score by a neck in 1:51 2/5. Mommamia Volo closed in 25 2/5, but had to settle for second, and Walner Payton wound up third.

Bred by owners Brittany Farms, Marvin Katz and Al Libfeld, Special Way is a daughter of Walner. She has a summary of 11-1-0 from 13 appearances, has pocketed $887,475 and returned $2.64 to win.

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Diamond Creek also took a $30,000 Kentucky Commonwealth Series race for 3-year-old colt and gelding pacers, as Cannibal (Yannick Gingras) turned a pocket trip into a 1:48 4/5 win. Nancy Takter trains Cannibal, another Sweet Lou colt. The lone Kentucky Commonwealth Series tilt for 3-year-old filly trotters went to Gingras as well, as he guided Believe U Me (by Muscle Mass and bred by Wiesman Farms LLC.) to a 1:53 4/5 victory from the two-hole for trainer Ron Burke and owner W.J. Donovan.

Trainer Tony Alagna had a pair of victories in stakes action, as well, prevailing in a Kentucky Commonwealth Series split for 3-year-old male pacers with El Rey (by Captaintreacherous and bred by Riverview Breeding LLC.) in 1:48 3/5 for driver Scott Zeron and owners Brittany Farms and El Rey Racing and taking the $15,000 Kentucky Golden Rod Series section for sophomore pacing colts and geldings with Hungry To Succeed (by Stay Hungry and bred by owner Brad Grant) in 1:50 2/5 with Andy McCarthy in the bike.

Winning the pair of Golden Rod Series battles for 3-year-old trotting fillies were Picaboo Lady (by Swan For All and bred by Walter S Fister LLC.) in 1:53 for driver Yannick Gingras, co-owner/trainer Chris Beaver and co-owners Donald Robinson, William Rufenacht and Gilbert Short and Cessna Pride (by Muscle Mass and bred by Jacob Girod) in 1:54 3/5 for driver Dexter Dunn and owner/trainer Bill Cottongim.