Red Mile: Eight stakes events coming up Sunday afternoon

The Red Mile begins its Sunday-Monday-Tuesday week with an octet of stakes events on Sunday, highlighted by a pair of $80,000 Kentucky Championship Series events.

Three-year-old pacing fillies are featured in the fourth leg of the Championship Series and a budding rivalry among Twin B Joe Fresh (Roll With Joe), Strong Poison (Always B Miki) and Charleston (Downbytheseaside) headlines this very talented sextet.

Twin B Joe Fresh, who has a chance to eclipse the million dollar mark in earnings with a win, has $964,178 in career bounty coming into the action and is the narrow 9-5 favorite on the morning line on the strength of a four-race winning skein, including a lifetime-best 1:48 2/5 performance over The Red Mile on August 8. Since then, she's traveled to the Poconos to win the $250,000 Lynch Memorial in 1:49 4/5 and then on to New York where she won a $107,000 Empire Breeders Classic event at Tioga Downs in 1:51 3/5 with a final panel in a scintillating 25 4/5. Twin B Joe Fresh is trained by Chris Ryder, who co-owns with Peter Trebotica, Barry Spak, and Dexter Dunn, who will be in the sulky on Sunday. She will leave from post two.

Strong Poison comes off a splendid 1:50 winning effort in her last start and has earned $581,135 to go along with a 1:48 mark at Harrah's Hoosier Park in the $115,000 Nadia Lobell. Owned by Burke Racing along with J and T Silva Stables LLC., Knox Services and Beasty LLC., this filly is trained by Ron Burke with her most recent win featuring a final half in 53 2/5 and last quarter in 25 3/5. Yannick Gingras will be in her sulky from post one as the 5-2 second choice on the morning line.

Charleston, a $572,847 winner in her own right, has been chasing both Twin B Joe Fresh and Strong Poison in her last two starts and paced her last quarter in a "Thoroughbred-like” 25 seconds, missing by just a half-length. Brett Pelling trains for Diamond Creek Racing, has, once again, engaged Tim Tetrick to handle her lines and is 3-1 on the line from post position three.

Cultured (Captaintreacherous), Zanatta (Stay Hungry) and Duchenne (Betting Line) complete this exceptionally-talented field.

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Sophomore trotting colts and geldings will be in the limelight in the companion $80,000 KYSS Championship Series with Hambletonian winner Tactical Approach (Tactical Landing) designated as the 5-2 morning line favorite, despite having drawn the outside post in this talented septet.

Trained by Nancy Takter for Robert Leblanc, John Fielding, Joe Sbrocco and JAF Racing, Tactical Approach has banked $641,489 this season to go along with a 1:50 3/5 mark, registered in the Hambletonian. In his last start, Tactical Approach was gunned down in the final stages of a 1:50 mile, losing to French Wine by a half-length.

French Wine is not entered this time around, so Ari Ferrari J (Walner) is listed as co-second choice at 7-2. Ari Ferrari J has four wins this year for trainer Tony Alagna, who conditions for owner Kenneth Jacobs, but is winless at The Red Mile thus far with a pair of seconds and a fourth in his last start after cutting much of the mile. Dexter Dunn has the driving assignment from post one.

Also listed at 7-2 is Khaosan Road (International Moni), trained by Ake Svanstedt for Knutsson Trotting Inc. and Little E LLC. Coming into the action with a 3-2-3 scorecard in nine starts, Khaosan Road cut the mile in his last start in the PASS Championship before succumbing to French Wine late. After a so-so 2-year-old season earning $12,810, Khaosan Road has bounty of $258,746 this year and a mark of 1:52 1/5f.

Kilmister, Buckhead Ridge, Brodeur and Point Of Perfect round out the field.

Post time is 1:00 p.m. with a huge betting buffet available for all members and guests of the "Send It In Army." Low takeouts on exotic wagers and a $10,000 guaranteed pool on the Pick 4, with a 12% takeout, highlight the Sunday action.

--press release (The Red Mile)--