Red Mile: Cover trips pay off for Kentucky Championship Series victors

Three-year-old pacing filly Unreasonable picked up where she left off from the Kentucky Sire Stakes at Oak Grove, and sophomore trotting gelding Mr Mouton rallied off a fast pace to tally in a pair of $80,000 sections of the first leg of the Kentucky Championship Series on Monday afternoon at The Red Mile.

Champagne Room (Andy McCarthy) took the lead away from Reckless Abandon (Todd McCarthy) near the 26 3/5 quarter in the tilt for 3-year-old filly pacers, and then Looksgoodinloulou (Yannick Gingras) drove on to the point before the half, which was posted in 54 seconds flat. Unreasonable (Marcus Miller) got going first-up from fourth on the final bend and then flushed out cover from a pocket-pulling Champagne Room coming to the 1:21 3/5 three-quarters.

In the lane Unreasonable hustled to the front and then pulled away with a 26 3/5 final panel to win by 2 3/4 lengths in 1:48 4/5. Reckless Abandon found room on the inside and was up for second, followed by Caviart Delight (Scott Zeron).

A daughter of Huntsville, Unreasonable is co-owned by trainer Erv Miller with David J. Miller. Bred by Steve Stewart and Frank Chick, Unreasonable has eight wins, two seconds and three thirds from 17 tries, has earned $308,582 and paid $4.50 to win.

The Kentucky Championship Series clash for 3-year-old trotting colts and geldings saw Te Quiero Lindy (Andy Miller) lead early, but he was overtaken by Yannick G Kemp (T. McCarthy) beyond the 28 1/5 quarter. Mountcastle (Zeron) also showed speed from post four and took command past the quarter, then hooked up a duel with parked-out Whiskey Wow (Pat Curtin). Mountcastle left Whiskey Wow on the rim to the half in 54 4/5 and continued to give him the cold shoulder on the final bend before Whiskey Wow was able to drop into the pocket prior to the 1:22 three-quarters.

Behind that slugfest for the top spot, Te Quiero Lindy had begun an outer flow after getting shuffled back, and he was tracked by favorite Monserrate (Yannick Gingras) and Mr Mouton (Dexter Dunn). Monserrate and Mr Mouton fanned out past three-quarters and surged by a tiring Mountcastle in the lane, but it was Mr Mouton who had the best kick as he trotted on to a 1 1/2 length victory in 1:50 1/5. Monserrate wound up second and Gimpanzee Dancer, who was 11th at the half, came on to get third.

Ake Svanstedt trains Mr Mouton, a Chapter Seven gelding bred by R. Kevin Greenfield, for owners Knutsson Trotting Inc., Little E LLC., Stolz Geiger and Jorgen Sparredal Inc. Mr Mouton has a summary of 3-2-0 from six starts, has put away $103,713 and returned $6.72 to win.

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Two $30,000 Kentucky Commonwealth Series divisions for 3-year-old male trotters were held, and the winners were:

--Global Sensation (by Chapter Seven and bred by Al Libfeld, Marvin Katz and Sam Goldband, paid $3.56 to win) in 1:52 3/5 for driver Dexter Dunn, trainer Marcus Melander and owners Holly Lane Stud East Ltd., Daniel Plouffe and Jean Plouffe;

--My Degenerate (by Muscle Hill and bred by K R Breeding LLC. and Preferred Equine Marketing Inc., paid $12.24 to win) in 1:51 1/5 for co-owner/driver Andy Miller, trainer Julie Miller and co-owners Knutsson Trotting Inc., Little E LLC. and Lindy Farms.

Found, an Always B Miki half-sister to 2023 Horse of the Year Confederate, won the lone Kentucky Commonwealth Series clash for sophomore pacing fillies in 1:49 4/5 for driver Todd McCarthy, trainer Brett Pelling and owner/breeder Diamond Creek.

Three-year-old male trotters were split into a trio of $15,000 Kentucky Golden Rod Series flights, and those races were taken by:

--Ake Palema (by Walner and bred by Kentuckiana Farms and Bender Sweden Inc., paid $3.12 to win) in 1:53 2/5 for driver Scott Zeron, trainer Lucas Wallin and owners Wallin Racing Stable Inc., Harbor Racing Stable LLC., Karin Walter-Mommert and Glenn Holland;

--Brulee (by Walner and bred by Brittany Farms, paid $10.54 to win) in 1:54 4/5 for co-owner/driver Andy Miller, trainer Julie Miller and co-owners Patrick Hoopes, Daniel Plouffe and Jean Plouffe;

--Uno (by Tactical Landing and bred by co-owner Buckstone Land Livestock, paid $4.32 to win) in 1:50 2/5 for driver Tim Tetrick, trainer Tony Alagna and co-owners Pryde Stables Inc. and William Beattie.

Two Kentucky Golden Rod Series tilts for sophomore filly pacers went behind the gate, and the victories went to:

--Karma (by Tall Dark Stranger and bred by Crawford Farms, paid $6.90 to win) in 1:50 for driver Yannick Gingras, trainer Ron Burke and owners Thomas and Scott Dillon;

--Bytheliteofthemoon (by Bettor's Wish and bred by Brittany Farms, paid $11.34 to win) in 1:51 2/5 for co-owner/driver Dexter Dunn and co-owner/trainer Chris Ryder.