The Red Mile: Dazzling speed displayed by Hurrikane Emperor as Kentucky Sires Stakes wrap up

The Kentucky Sires Stakes champions for 2018 were determined in eight $250,000 finals on Saturday afternoon at The Red Mile, and it would be 2-year-old colt pacer Hurrikane Emperor who shone brightest, becoming North America's first sub-1:50 rookie performer this year thanks to a 1:49 3/5 effort.

Hurrikane Emperor (Daniel Dube), who won the New Jersey Sire Stakes final earlier this year at the Meadowlands, had finished second, first, and fourth from off-the-pace in his preliminary legs, but Dube put him on the engine in the big-money final, rolling to the top at the 27 1/5 opening quarter and continuing on to the 55 2/5 half and 1:22 3/5 three-quarters.

In the lane Hurrikane Emperor put away a first-up Major Deception (Brett Miller), and Blood Money (Yannick Gingras) couldn't reach from the two-hole trip as Hurrikane Emperor went on to win by half a length. Captain Trevor (Andrew McCarthy) got third.

John McDermott Jr. trains Hurrikane Emperor, a Hurrikane Kingcole colt, for owners/breeders Jonathan Klee Racing, Kuhen Racing LLC., and Pegasis Investment Group and co-owner Lind Racing Stable LLC. He is the second foal out of the Somebeachsomewhere mare Hurrikane Schmumma (1:56 3/5, $26,549) and his full sister Hurrikane Empress won last year's New Jersey Sire Stakes final for 2-year-old pacing fillies. Hurrikane Emperor has won six times from eight attempts, and he has now earned $214,400. He was the 5-2 second choice and paid $7.00 to win.

Gingras did have a pair of wins on the card, guiding the quick American History to a 1:48 1/5 score from first-up in the 3-year-old male pace for trainer Tony Alagna, and upsetting with Jimmy Takter trainee and 16-1 shot Whispering Oaks in the 2-year-old filly trot. American History, by American Ideal, is owned by the partnership of breeder Brittany Farms along with Marvin Katz and American History Racing, while Whispering Oaks, from the first crop of Father Patrick, races for Brixton Medical Inc., Herb Liverman, and R A W Equine Inc.Nigel SoultNixie Volo overcame a wide trip

Doubles also went to driver Corey Callahan and trainer John Butenschoen as they teamed up to win the 2-year-old colt trot with Forecast in 1:53 4/5 and the 3-year-old filly trot with Nixie Volo in 1:51 2/5. Nixie Volo never saw the pylons, but forged her way to the lead and held sway in an impressive performance. Forecast, by Cantab Hall, is owned by William Wiswell, Jean Goehlen, and Eugene Schick, and Nixie Volo, by Yankee Glide, competes for Kentuckiana Racing Stable, VIP Internet Stable LLC., 83 Racing, and Eddie Gran.

Beautyonthebeach (Doug McNair) came into the 2-year-old filly pace final with wins in all three preliminaries, and she made it a clean sweep with a 1:51 mile today. The daughter of Somebeachsomewhere campaigns for trainer Gregg McNair and owner/breeder Jim Avritt Sr.

Dance Blue (McCarthy), by Rock N Roll Heaven, got the title in the 3-year-old filly pace, taking the lead in the lane from second-over and fending off the late advance of 68-1 shot Band Stand (McNair) to prevail in 1:51 1/5 for trainer Nancy Johansson and owners Marvin Katz, Sam Goldband, and Goran Anderberg.

The 3-year-old male trot went to Eurobond (David Miller) in 1:51 3/5 after a pocket trip. The Love You colt slipped out at the top of the lane between pace-setter Wolfgang (Gingras) and first-up Tactical Landing (Takter), then collared and overtook the latter late to prevail by a head for trainer Domenico Cecere and co-owner/breeder Lindy Farms and co-owner Robert Rudolph.