Red Mile: Dame Good Time downs Karl in their Kentucky Championship Series final

The four $400,000 Kentucky Championship Series finals for trotters on Sunday night at The Red Mile saw a pair of upsets and two wins for the combination of driver Dexter Dunn and trainer Marcus Melander.

Karl (Yannick Gingras) was looking to defend his Kentucky Championship Series title from a year ago and brushed from third at the 27 3/5 quarter to first before the 55 1/5 half, clearing Dame Good Time (Scott Zeron) for the top spot. Karl would then get to three-quarters in 1:23 1/5 as Secret Agent Man (Andy Miller) made headway first-up from the fourth position.

In the lane Secret Agent Man was starting to loom boldly, but then he made a break, leaving Karl and Dame Good Time to decide it. Karl couldn't keep the pylon path closed, and Dame Good Time had trot to go with the space, getting up to defeat the Hambletonian champion by a neck in a life's-best 1:50 2/5. Hung Over (Dexter Dunn) got third.

"I've had problems with him late in the stretch sometimes running out and interfering, but today was the first time they pulled the hind shoes on him, and he really liked it," Zeron remarked post-race. "He maintained his pace really well going up the inside, and he fought hard to get up there."

Travis Alexander trains the winner, a Chapter Seven gelding, for owner/breeder John Cummins. Dame Good Time won for the fifth time in his career, has banked $565,916 and paid $37.56 to win.

There was another surprise in the final for 2-year-old fillies as 29-1 Aperfect Annie (Todd McCarthy) prevailed in 1:53. She cut the quarter in 28 4/5, yielded to sit behind Yo Tillie (Verlin Yoder) through middle-half stations of 57 2/5 and 1:25 3/5, then came back to the outside in the stretch. Aperfect Annie would vault past Yo Tillie once she was fed the clear racetrack and went on to score by a length and a quarter over a pylon-skimming Torrisi (Gingras). Yo Tillie ended up third. Race favorite Luna Lovegood (Dunn) was second-over on dull cover from a steppy R Dutchess (Jody Jamieson) and had to settle for fourth.

Aperfect Annie, a daughter of Googoo Gaagaa bred by Robert Detweiler, was sent out by trainer Carter Pinske for owners Pinske Stables, Mel Hartman and Andray Farm. Aperfect Annie made her second appearance in the winner's circle, has put away $303,000 and returned $61.82 to win.

"She's very handy. Todd's been driving her great all year," offered Pinske. "She can leave, she can take off. She's been a bit screwed up with trips here as of late, but she's always been solid.

"She's here for the two weeks of the Grand Circuit and then the Breeders Crown if we want to go there."

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While Karl was unable to become a two-time Kentucky Championship Series final winner, Date Night Hanover (Dunn) did in the 3-year-old filly tilt, prevailing in 1:50 1/5. Allegiant (Zeron) chopped out the quarter in 27 seconds flat, but she would be looped by both Woman Of Passion (McCarthy) and Date Night Hanover before the 55 second half-mile marker. Date Night Hanover got separation on Woman Of Passion going to the 1:23 3/5 three-quarters and then held safe over a rallying Allegiant for the victory by half a length. Woman Of Passion ended up third.

By Chapter Seven, Date Night Hanover is trained by Melander for owners Jeff Snyder and Onda Racing Stable. The Hanover Shoe Farms-bred has eight triumphs from 24 outings, has earned $731,109 and paid $4.16 to win.

"She's been sharp ever since the Hambletonian Oaks - since we brought her here really. She's done nothing wrong in every leg down here and now in the final. She's just been super," stated Melander. "A lot of those Chapter Sevens, they have a good attitude, and they just want to do it."

Super Chapter (Dunn) bounced back after making a break as the favorite in the New York Sire Stakes final last time out with a dominant 1:52 1/5 performance in the 2-year-old colt and gelding trot. He drove on two-wide from post eight and worked his way past Go Dog Go (McCarthy) to hit the front past the 28 second quarter and maintained his grip on the front through a 56 3/5 half and a 1:25 4/5 three-quarters. Off those fractions, Super Chapter sprinted home in 26 2/5 to defeat Go Dog Go by 4 1/4 lengths with Chat Room (Gingras) third.

"He's done everything right so far except for last time. He's been racing great every start, even two starts back when he came from far off-the-pace. The track was slow that day. Today, he looked 1:52 1/5 in-hand," relayed Melander. "The track is fast obviously and time doesn't tell that much these days, but the effort itself was great."

A Chapter Seven colt, Super Chapter is trained by Melander for owners Jeff Snyder and Arthur Pronti. Super Chapter, who was bred by Hanover Shoe Farms, has four wins and a second in seven starts and has banked $336,230. He returned $4.08 to win.

Two $100,000 Commonwealth Series finals for trotters rounded out Sunday night's action, and both were won by Gingras. Deja Blu (by Muscle Hill, bred by Crawford Farms Racing with Brad Grant and Howard Taylor and now owned by Crawford Farms Racing with Tom Pontone) took the 2-year-old filly event in 1:53 2/5 for trainer Nancy Takter and paid $2.48 to win and Star Attraction (by Chapter Seven, bred by owners Marvin Katz and Al Libfeld, returned $7.34 to win) took the 3-year-old filly clash in 1:52 2/5 for trainer Ake Svanstedt.

The remainder of the Commonwealth Series finals will take place on Monday afternoon's program.