Red Mile: Gingras pilots six Kentucky Commonwealth Series champions

Between Sunday night and Monday afternoon, driver Yannick Gingras ended up winning six of the eight $100,000 Kentucky Commonwealth Series finals for 2-year-olds and 3-year-olds at The Red Mile.

On Sunday's program, Gingras was victorious with 2-year-old filly trotter Deja Blu (by Muscle Hill, bred by Crawford Farms Racing with Brad Grant and Howard Taylor and now owned by Crawford Farms Racing with Tom Pontone) in 1:53 2/5 for trainer Nancy Takter and with 3-year-old trotting filly Star Attraction (by Chapter Seven, bred by owners Marvin Katz and Al Libfeld) in 1:52 2/5 for trainer Ake Svanstedt.

After that double, Gingras then came back on Monday and won the first four finals. Gingras teamed with trainer Ron Burke to take the 3-year-old colt and gelding pace final with Steely Knife (by Always B Miki, bred by Steve Stewart with Cotton and Julie Nash, paid $3.20 to win in 1:50 4/5), the 2-year-old filly pace final with Pennsylvania Sire Stakes champion Rose (by Sweet Lou and bred by co-owners Burke Racing Stable LLC. and Weaver Bruscemi LLC. with Jason Melillo, paid $2.10 to win) in 1:50 3/5 for co-owners Jack Piatt III and Larry Karr and the 2-year-old male trot final with Big Shoes (by Greenshoe and bred by co-owner Knox Services Inc., paid $13.92 to win) in 1:54 for co-owners Burke Racing Stable LLC. and Weaver Bruscemi LLC.

Gingras polished off his wins in the finals on Monday by connecting with Diamond Creek homebred rookie pacing colt Fusion (by Always B Miki, paid $2.72 to win) in 1:51 3/5 for trainer Nancy Takter.

► Sign up for our FREE DRF Harness Digest Newsletter

Completing the Commonwealth Series champions were 3-year-old pacing filly Capytreach (by Captaintreacherous and bred by Buckstone Land Livestock, paid $11.26 to win), who was a 1:49 2/5 victor for driver Andy Miller, trainer Tony Dinges and owners Eric Good, West Wins Stable and Mark Dumain and 3-year-old colt trotter Splendid, who scored in 1:52 3/5 for driver Tim Tetrick, trainer Todd Rooney and owners Rooney Racing and Trotting For Bourbon. The son of Father Patrick returned $15.06 to win and was bred by Steve Stewart, Black Creek Farm and Paul Kelley Racing Stable.

The $50,000 Golden Rod Series finals will go behind the gate at The Red Mile on Tuesday.