Red Mile: Grand slam for David Miller in Kentucky Sires Stakes finals

David Miller pocketed plenty of money in the Bluegrass State on Sunday afternoon, winning half of the eight $250,000 Kentucky Sires Stakes finals for 2- and 3-year-olds of both sexes and gaits that took place.

Miller's big day kicked off with victories in both finals for 2-year-old pacers. First he tallied with Pennsylvania Sire Stakes champion filly Blue Diamond Eyes, who turned away favored Making Waves (Scott Zeron) to tally by a length and a half in 1:51, and then he was back in the winner's circle after the next race with undefeated pacing colt Perfect Sting, who improved his record to six-for-six with a 1:49 4/5 decision in that final. He topped Native's Filou (Dan Noble) by 2 1/2 lengths, with Captains Place (Tyler Smith) third.

A daughter of Captaintreacherous, Blue Diamond Eyes is trained by Ron Burke for owners Thomas and Scott Dillon. Bred by Brittany Farms LLC., Blue Diamond Eyes was a $180,000 buy at last year's Lexington Selected Yearling Sale and is the second foal out of the Well Said mare Aria Hanover (1:53 1/5, $130,136), making her a full sister to Captain Kirk (1:48 3/5, $213,702). Blue Diamond Eyes has four wins from seven efforts, has banked $317,042, and returned $6.40 to win as the 2-1 second choice.

Joe Holloway trains Perfect Sting, a homebred for Brittany Farms LLC. and Val D'Or Farms. Perfect Sting, a colt by Always B Miki, has earned $194,400. His dam is the world champion Bettor's Delight mare Shebestingin (1:47, $759,522), and he is now her top-earning offspring. Perfect Sting returned $2.10 to win as the 1-9 choice.

Miller then teamed up with trainer Linda Toscano to win the 2-year-old filly trot with Lady Chaos and the 3-year-old filly pace with Baby Your The Best, both in upset fashion. Lady Chaos, sent off at 6-1, rallied off a second-over trip in the lane to defeat Beautiful Game (Dexter Dunn) by a length in a 1:53 1/5 mile, and Baby Your The Best, also dispatched at 6-1, brushed to the lead in the backstretch, then rebuffed a first-over bid from 1-9 favorite Reflect With Me (Andrew McCarthy) to score by 3 1/2 lengths in 1:49 3/5.

Lady Chaos, a Cantab Hall filly, is trained by Toscano for owners Richard Gutnick, Thomas Pontone, Joseph Lozito Jr., and Enviro Stables LTD. Lady Chaos, who was bred by Lindy Farms and AV & Son Bloodstock LLC., fetched $125,000 at the Lexington Selected Yearling Sale and now has a record of 4-1-1 from seven tries to go with $248,303 in the bank. Lady Chaos is the first foal out of the Muscles Yankee mare Strong Legacy (1:58 3/5, $6,130), a full sister to Mr. Muscleman (1:51 1/5, $3,582,823). Lady Chaos returned $14.40 to win.

Richard and Joanne Young own the Toscano-trained Baby Your The Best, a daughter of Captaintreacherous. Baby Your The Best tallied her fifth lifetime victory, and she has now stashed away $457,947. She paid $14.20 to win.

Brian Sears also had multiple wins in the Kentucky Sire Stakes finals, winning both 3-year-old trots. He guided Beads to a front-stepping 1:51 2/5 triumph in the event for colts and geldings, defeating Barley (D. Miller) by 3 3/4 lengths, and steered New York Sire Stakes champion Hypnotic AM to a hard-fought 1:51 1/5 decision in the test for fillies. Hypnotic AM worked into the lead passing the 55 second half, then faced immediate pressure from Crucial (D. Miller), but fended off her and Panem (Dunn), bettering the latter by 1 1/4 lengths.

Trained by Per Engblom, Beads is an Archangel colt co-owned by Renee Spahr and Christina Takter. This was his seventh win from 18 career starts, and he has now earned $260,463. He returned $2.10 to win as the 1-9 favorite.

Hypnotic AM, who paid $3.40 to win as the wagering choice, now has a record of 12-4-2 from 18 trips behind the gate, and she has earned $1,041,260. Marcus Melander trains the daughter of Chapter Seven for owner Courant Inc.

Trainer Nancy Takter finished first and second in the final for sophomore pacing colts and geldings, with Tall Dark Stranger (Yannick Gingras) digging in gamely on the lead in the lane once again to top stablemate Fortify (Dunn) by a neck in 1:48. Captain Kirk (Joe Bongiorno) was the third-place finisher.

Tall Dark Stranger, a Bettor's Delight colt, is owned by Crawford Farms Racing, Marvin Katz, Caviart Farms, and Howard Taylor. This was Tall Dark Stranger's 16th victory from 18 career starts, and he has now pocketed $1,741,645. He returned $2.10 to win as the 1-9 favorite.

Venerate (Andy Miller) got to cut the fractions in the 2-year-old colt and gelding trot final when favorites Cuatro De Julio (Al Eferstein) and Dancinginthedark M (Dave Palone) both made breaks, and there was no catching him, as he beat Cricket Fashion (Dunn) by 2 3/4 lengths in 1:51 4/5. That time was just a fifth of a second off the world record for the division.

Julie Miller trains Venerate, a Love You colt, for owners Pinske Stables and Andy Miller Stable Inc. Venerate has missed the board just once in six tries (3-0-2 record), and he has stashed away $188,766. Venerate, who was bred by Steve Stewart and Kemppi Stable, was hammered down for $90,000 at the 2019 Lexington Selected Yearling Sale. He's the first foal out of the Muscle Hill mare Peaceful Kemp (2:02 4/5, $3,356), a full sister to Trixton (1:50 3/5, $947,057) and a half-sister to Impressive Kemp (Credit Winner, 1:54 3/5, $501,074). Venerate was a 4-1 shot and paid $10.40 to win.