Red Mile: Date Night Hanover repeats in Kentucky Championship Series

Sophomore trotting filly Date Night Hanover won for the second straight time and Dancin Champion, a 3-year-old gelding pacer, posted a 21-1 upset in the two $80,000 Kentucky Championship Series contests on Tuesday afternoon at The Red Mile.

Date Night Hanover (Dexter Dunn) was two-wide and in fourth at the 27 4/5 quarter after floating out from post five but pressed on and took command before the 56 3/5 half. Date Night Hanover would not be challenged from there, as she was clear at the 1:24 3/5 three-quarters and used a 26 4/5 final kicker to prevail by 3 1/2 lengths in 1:51 2/5. Pizzelle (Andy McCarthy) came in second, followed by Allegiant (Scott Zeron).

A daughter of Chapter Seven, Date Night Hanover is trained by Marcus Melander for owners Jeff Snyder and Onda Racing Stable. The Hanover Shoe Farms-bred is now a seven-time winner from 22 outings, has banked $511,109 and paid $2.96 to win as the favorite.

In the test for the 3-year-old male pacers, Dancin Champion (David Miller) yielded to sit in the two-hole behind Nuclear (Dunn) at the 27 3/5 quarter. From there, Nuclear continued on the engine to the half in 56 1/5 and three-quarters in 1:24, but Dancin Champion had room on the inside in the lane and was able to out-kick Nuclear to get the victory by a neck in 1:50 1/5. Nuclear had to settle for second and Arson (Zeron) rallied for third.

Ron Burke trains Dancin Champion, a Sweet Lou gelding, for owners Burke Racing Stable LLC., Knox Services Inc., Weaver Bruscemi LLC. and J&T Silva- Purnel & Libby. He made his second appearance in the winner's circle, has put away $211,346 and returned $45.28 to win.

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Driver Tim Tetrick won both $30,000 Commonwealth Series divisions for 3-year-old trotting fillies, tallying with Fannie Lipkowitz (by Greenshoe and bred by Kentuckiana Farms LLC. and All Laid Out Stable Inc., paid $3.98 to win) in 1:52 4/5 for trainer Lucas Wallin and owners Shermay Stables and Wallin Racing Stable Inc. and Pisco Sour (by Walner and bred by Steve Stewart, Black Creek Farm and Harri Koskela, paid $6.86 to win) in 1:53 2/5 for trainer Ake Svanstedt and owner Jorgen Sparredal Inc.

Women Layer took the lone Commonwealth Series for the male pacers on the engine in 1:50 4/5 for driver Todd McCarthy, trainer Brett Pelling and owners Howard Taylor, Order By Stable AB and Judith Taylor. Women Layer, a gelding by Sweet Lou, was bred by Carl Howard. This was a non-wagering event.

A pair of $15,000 Golden Rod Series sections for sophomore filly trotters went behind the gate and were captured by Its My Hill (by What The Hill, bred by Polly Hilliard, paid $37.54 to win) in 1:54 3/5 for driver Yannick Gingras, trainer Ron Burke and owners Burke Racing Stable LLC., Hatfield Stables, Knox Services Inc. and Purnel & Libby LLC. and Green Mercedes (by Greenshoe, bred by Robert and Dan Kuhns, paid $11.86 to win) in 1:53 3/5 for driver Andy Miller, trainer Julie Miller and owners Andy Miller Stable Inc., Patrick Hoopes and VIP Internet Stable LLC.

One Golden Rod Series race for 3-year-old pacing colts and geldings saw Lou Hill (by Sweet Lou and bred by owner Tom Hill, paid $3.50 to win) get the job done in 1:49 3/5 with Dexter Dunn in the bike for trainer Virgil Morgan Jr.