Red Mile: Madam Cheval, Sea Bistro Hanover hit paydirt in Kentucky Championship Series

Madam Cheval shipped from a defeat in the Grade 1 Hambletonian Oaks and ripped off the speed for a 1:51 victory in the $80,000 Kentucky Championship Series second preliminary for 3-year-old trotting fillies, while Sea Bistro Hanover torched the track earlier in the card with a 1:47 1/5 mile in the $80,000 second preliminary dash for sophomore pacing glamor boys.

Leaving from post 10 in the 12-horse contest, Madam Cheval (driven by Tim Tetrick) took back to tenth while Heart For Two (Marvin Luna) brushed briefly to lead through a shuffle to a 27 4/5 first quarter. Jailbird Jog (Yannick Gingras) followed and soon took the top before 7-5 favorite Carve (Andy McCarthy), making her first start since finishing runner-up in the Hambletonian Oaks, swept for the front. Madam Cheval meanwhile trotted steadily off the speed through a 55 3/5 half and caught cover to race fourth-over into the far turn. Carve endured pressure from first-up Ygritte (Dexter Dunn) passing three-quarters in 1:24 as Tetrick lifted Madam Cheval three-wide and gathered steam into the stretch. Madam Cheval chugged through the stretch to reel in her rivals and slide away for a length win over Ygritte, while Carve held third and Jailbird Jog took fourth.

Nancy Takter trains Madam Cheval, a daughter of Walner out 2014 Dan Patch Trotter of the Year Shake It Cerry, for owner M. Biasuzzi Stable Inc. The filly, who cost $330,000 at the 2024 Lexington Selected Sale, won her fourth race from nine starts this season and her fifth race from 21 starts in her career, banking $317,096. She paid $46.94 to win.

Sea Bistro Hanover (Todd McCarthy) soared from a second-over trip earlier in the card with a 25 4/5 kicker to score in the Kentucky Championship Series second preliminary for sophomore pacing males. McCarthy sat off of 26 1/5 and 53 2/5 speed uncorked by Sneaky Squeaky (Joe Bongiorno) before catching cover from Bookie J (Dexter Dunn) on the march to three-quarters in 1:21. Bookie J tired while pocket-sitter Ubrute (Yannick Gingras) zipped through a seam at the pylons and Sea Bistro Hanover angled to the center of the track. Ubrute snatched a brief lead until Sea Bistro Hanover built momentum and motored by for a 1 3/4 length win under wraps. Funky Buddha (Tim Tetrick) rallied for third and Bookie J held fourth.

Brett Pelling trains Sea Bistro Hanover, a Captaintreacherous-Santa Rosa gelding, for owners David Mc Duffee, Paul Bordogna and Melvin Hartman. The gelding, a $410,000 purchase as a yearling at the 2024 Harrisburg Sale, collected his fourth win from 11 starts this season and his fifth win from 18 starts in his career, pushing his earnings to $177,387. He paid $6.38 to win.

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Trainer Carter Pinske scored a hat trick on the day. His first win came in the single $30,000 Kentucky Commonwealth Series division for 3-year-old trotting fillies when Decreed (Tim Tetrick, 1:52 4/5 winning mile; $13.46 to win) stormed from off the speed to collar second-over rallying Degas (Yannick Gingras) and first-up Joyofmylife As (Tony Hall). Pinske then won a pair of $15,000 Kentucky Golden Rod Series divisions for sophomore trotting fillies with Clemency (Todd McCarthy, 1:52 4/5; $4.94) and Calyx (Todd McCarthy, 1:53 1/5; $6.64).

A pair of $30,000 Kentucky Commonwealth Series divisions for sophomore pacing males also highlighted the 15-race card. Thiago Hanover (Yannick Gingras, 1:49 1/5; $14.84) again took top honors from a front-stepping effort after pulling a 15-1 upset when winning the fastest division of the series' opening preliminary while Caillou Hanover (Atlee Bender, 1:50 1/5; $21.12) capitalized from a pocket trip to win the other division over pace-setter and odds-on favorite Captain Apple (Dexter Dunn).

Live harness racing at The Red Mile continues on Wednesday (Aug. 19) with a 15-race card headlined by the $80,000 Kentucky Championship Series second preliminary for 3-year-old trotting males and the $80,000 second preliminary for sophomore pacing fillies. First-race post time is 1 p.m. (EDT).

For more information on the 2026 live harness racing season, visit The Red Mile website (https://www.redmileracing.com).

--press release (The Red Mile)--