Red Mile: Karl, Gifted One tally in Kentucky Championship Series

Two-year-old colt trotter Karl improved to three-for-three lifetime while rookie pacing filly Gifted One broke her maiden in the pair of $80,000 Kentucky Championship Series races on a special Sunday night program at The Red Mile.

Karl (Yannick Gingras) got away in third from post seven while Vocalize (Todd McCarthy) went to the point and hit the quarter in just 29 3/5. Dame Good Time (Scott Zeron) then pulled out of the pocket to take command before the 58 1/5 half, but he got steppy on the final bend, which sent Vocalize back to the outside and into the top spot again heading to the 1:26 4/5 three-quarters, with Karl tracking that bid.

Vocalize turned for home first, but Karl vaulted past him in mid-stretch and then pulled clear to tally by 2 1/4 lengths in 1:54 2/5. Topmost (Peter Wrenn) advanced from fifth to second in the final quarter and Vocalize wound up third.

Trainer Nancy Takter also co-owns Karl, a Tactical Landing colt, with her mother Christina and their partners Black Horse Racing, breeder Crawford Farms and Bender Sweden Inc. He has earned $90,000 to go with his perfect status and paid $2.30 to win as the 1-9 favorite.

Gifted One (McCarthy) had been giving unsuccessful chase to Geocentric in the Kentucky Championship Series, but with that foe racing in the Pennsylvania Sire Stakes Championship on Saturday, she took advantage to score in 1:52 4/5. The longest shot on the board at 5-1 in the field of four, she had a pocket trip behind Capytreach (Zeron) through a 28 3/5 quarter, 57 3/5 half and 1:26 2/5 three-quarters, rallied into the lead in the lane, and held sway over a closing Asweetbeachhere (Atlee Bender) for a half-length victory. Capytreach held third from Seeuontheotherside (Tony Hall).

Tony Alagna trains Gifted One, a filly by Captaintreacherous, for owners Robert Leblanc, Joe Sbrocco, Brad Grant and Pryde And Jaf Racing. Bred by Brittany Farms, Marvin Katz and Lynn Katz, the $180,000 Lexington Selected Sale buy has put away $84,000 and returned $12.90 to win.

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McCarthy added three more victories to his total in Kentucky Commonwealth Series and Kentucky Golden Rod Series action on the program. He teamed with Alagna to take the $30,000 Commonwealth Series dash for 2-year-old male trotters with Bright Star (by Muscle Hill and bred by co-owner Brittany Farms) in 1:54 3/5 for co-owners Pryde Stables Inc., Caviart Farms and Plouffe and Riverview, and a $15,000 Golden Rod Series clash for rookie trotting colts and geldings with Lockheed Martin (by Tactical Landing and bred by AM Bloodstock Inc.) in 1:55 1/5 for owners Pryde Stables Inc., Peter Alagna, Michele Head and Steven Head.

Also winning for McCarthy in a Golden Rod Series test for 2-year-old pacing fillies was Brett Pelling-trained Direction (by Always B Miki and bred by Diamond Creek Farm) in 1:52. Diamond Creek's racing operation owns Direction.

Jus A Miki Moment (by Always B Miki and bred by Roll The Dice Stable and Brenda Reno) took the Commonwealth Series race for rookie filly pacers in 1:50 3/5 with TIm Tetrick in the bike for trainer Jenn Bongiorno and owners Joseph Di Scala Jr., Zippett Racing Stable, T L P Stable and Jaf Racing LLC.

Peter and Melanie Wrenn took two Golden Rod Series divisions, prevailing with 2-year-old pacing filly Odds On Live Ball (by Odds On Equuleus and bred by Odds On Nourrir) in 1:53 for owner Odds On Racing and with 2-year-old gelding trotter Swan Explosion (by Swan For All and bred by Gabriella's LLC.) in 1:56 1/5 for owners Bottom Line Racing LLC., Wrenn Racing LLC. and Timothy Wittmer.

Completing the Golden Rod Series victors on the card was Mont Saint Michel (by Cantab Hall and bred by Green Ecus LLC.), who got the job done in 1:56 2/5 for driver Dexter Dunn, trainer Bill Cottongim and owner Derek Harmon.