Red Mile: Front-end tactics work for Cannibal, Mambacita in Kentucky Championship Series

On Tuesday (Aug. 22) The Red Mile hosted two $80,000 divisions of the Kentucky Championship Series, three $30,000 splits of the Kentucky Commonwealth Series and four $15,000 flights of the Kentucky Golden Rod Series for male and female sophomore pacers and trotters. Cannibal and Yannick Gingras turned the tables on It's My Show in the Kentucky Championship Series dash for male pacers in 1:48 4/5. Mambacita made every pole a winning one in the race for trotting fillies.

Gingras and Cannibal decided to take no prisoners and went straight to lead. The duo clicked off fractions of 27 1/5, 56, and 1:23 2/5 with world champion It's My Show (Scott Zeron) tracking in second. It's My Show made is his bid in the lane with a 25 1/5 final panel, but Cannibal, the Delvin Miller Adios winner, would not be denied and paced his own final quarter-mile in 25 2/5 to outlast his rival. A Cool Moment (Joey Putnam) was third.

Trained by Nancy Takter, Cannibal improved his record to 9-7-1-0 on the season and has now earned $429,978 in two seasons of competition. The colt is owned by Diamond Creek Racing and was bred by Diamond Creek Farm. He paid $6.16 as the second choice.

Cannibal is the only horse to defeat It's My Show twice in 2023.

Mambacita and Zeron followed Cannibal's plan of attack and were on top right after the wings folded off the gate. The daughter of Tactical Landing established splits of 27 4/5, 56 1/5 and 1:24 2/5. Walner Payton (Dexter Dunn) gave chase all the way around the red clay oval, but Mambacita trotted a 26 2/5 final split to repel her foe by a half-length in 1:51. Caviart Gwen (Andrew McCarthy) was third.

Trained by Tony Alagna, Mambacita collected her second consecutive victory in the Bluegrass State. She now sports a resume of 11-5-2-0 in 2023 and boosted her career bankroll to $697,518. Mambacita was bred by Crawford Farms, who also co-owns the filly with Alagna Racing and Pryde Stables Inc. She paid $6.16 to win as the public's second choice.

Admiral Hill wins third straight in Commonwealth Series

Admiral Hill (Dunn) was victorious in the first division for 3-year-old male pacers. It was the gelding's third consecutive victory over this surface and was in a lifetime-best 1: 49. Admiral Hill is trained by Chris Ryder and competes as a homebred for Tom Hill. He paid $11.66 to win.

Combustion (Todd McCarthy) scored his second win of the year with a 1:49 4/5 triumph in the second test for male pacers. Brett Pelling is responsible for the conditioning duties for the son of Captaintreacherous. The colt was bred by Brittany Farms and is owned by Diamond Creek Racing, Thomas and Scott Dillon and Cooper Silva Stables. Combustion paid $3.44 to win.

Believe U Me (Gingras) won the only $30,000 race in the Kentucky Commonwealth Series for 3-year-old filly trotters in lifetime-best 1:53. Trained by Ron Burke, the daughter of Muscle Mass was bred by Wiseman Farms and is owned by William Donovan. Believe U Me paid $17.52 to win.

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Andy McCarthy takes two of four Golden Rod Series divisions

Cyberspace (Tim Tetrick) and Chulada (A. McCarthy) won the two $15,000 Golden Rod Series showdowns for sophomore trotting fillies.

Kaptain Karlos (A. McCarthy) took the first grouping of the Golden Rod Series for 3-year-old male pacers. Cant Stop Lou and Gingras captured the other dash.

Gingras led all drivers with three stakes victories on the 16-race card.

--press release (The Red Mile)--