Red Mile: Gingras, Burke clean up in Kentucky Championship Series

Three-year-old trotting filly Winnpanzee and three-year-old gelding pacer Harrisburg Heist gave driver Yannick Gingras and trainer Ron Burke victories in both $80,000 Kentucky Championship Series races that took place on Sunday night at The Red Mile.

Torrisi (Tim Tetrick) led through fractions of 28 4/5, 56 3/5 and 1:24 4/5 in the filly trot and was challenged by a first-over Stash Some Cash (David Miller) on the final bend. Meanwhile, Winnpanzee and Gingras worked out a pocket trip and Gingras fanned her into a three-wide position before they entered the lane. Winnpanzee would then trot around both Torrisi and Stash Some Cash in the stretch before she pulled clear to a 2 1/4 length triumph in 1:52. Torrisi wound up second over Voguish (Andy McCarthy).

A daughter of Gimpanzee bred by Ola Yoder, Winnpanzee is owned by Burke Racing Stable LLC., Brad Grant and Weaver Bruscemi LLC. She has a summary of 4-5-2 from 16 starts, has earned $115,820 and paid $12.64 to win.

In the test for the pacing males, Harrisburg Heist hit the quarter in 27 3/5 and then yielded to sit in the pocket behind stablemate Captain Arturovico (Dexter Dunn) beyond that marker. Captain Arturovico kept the top spot to the half in 55 2/5 and the three-quarters in 1:23 1/5, but Gingras rallied Harrisburg Heist through a seam on the inside in the lane and defeated his stablemate by a head in 1:49 4/5. Crack Shot (Doug McNair) was third from first-over.

Burke trains Harrisburg Heist, a gelded son of Downbytheseaside, for owners Burke Racing Stable LLC., Knox Services Inc., Phil Collura and Weaver Bruscemi LLC. Bred by Brittany Farms with Marvin Katz, Harrisburg Heist has eight wins, three seconds and three thirds from 21 appearances, has pocketed $240,667 and returned $10.38 to win.

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Best Story Ever, a daughter of Chapter Seven bred by Kentuckiana Farms and Eddie Gran, came through on the inside in the stretch from the pocket to win the lone $30,000 Kentucky Commonwealth Series split for filly trotters in 1:52 1/5 for co-owner/driver Andy Miller, trainer Julie Miller and co-owners Wiesman Farms LLC. and Carmen Iannacone

Tall Dark Stranger gelding Delray Beach, bred by Christina Takter, Marvin Katz and Brixton Medical Inc., held sway on the front-end to take the single Kentucky Commonwealth Series division for male pacers in 1:51 1/5 for driver Dexter Dunn, trainer Nancy Takter and owners Black Horse Racing, John Fielding and Morrison Racing Stables. Delray Beach paid $20.52 to win.

Capturing three $15,000 Kentucky Golden Rod Series tests for trotters were:

--Belmont (by Gimpanzee and bred by Diamond Creek Farm, paid $3.82 to win) in 1:53 1/5 for driver Dexter Dunn, trainer Marcus Melander and owners S R F Stable and Holly Lane Stud East Ltd.;

--Esme (by Chapter Seven and bred by Brixton Medical Inc., Hatfield Stables and Marvin Katz, paid $44.38 to win) in 1:53 for driver Andy McCarthy, trainer Noel Daley and owner Harbor Racing Stable LLC.;

--Misspanzee (by Gimpanzee and bred by Order by Stable, paid $5.16 to win) in 1:54 for driver Scott Zeron, trainer Noel Daley and owner Thaddeus Wier.

One $15,000 Kentucky Golden Rod Series dash for pacers was held, and it was taken by Diamond Creek homebred Fusion (by Always B Miki) in 1:50 4/5 for driver Todd McCarthy and trainer Brett Pelling. He paid $4.10 to win.