Red Mile: Melander barn sweeps Kentucky Championship Series trots

Three-year-old Luke The Spook and rookie Super Chapter gave trainer Marcus Melander victories in both $80,000 Kentucky Championship Series showdowns for colt and gelding trotters on Monday afternoon at The Red Mile.

Luke The Spook, driven by Mattias Melander, broke briefly before the start and was next-to-last and last through stations of 28 4/5, 57 3/5 and 1:26 3/5. Mattias fanned Luke The Spook out widest for the drive, and thanks to a 26 2/5 final panel, Luke The Spook swept all seven of his rivals, winning by three-quarters of a length in 1:54. Bright Star, who took command past the quarter and kept it into the lane, was the runner-up and early leader Ways N Means (David Miller), who yielded and tracked Bright Star from the pocket, got third.

A Greenshoe colt, Luke The Spook is a homebred for Am Bloodstock Inc. Luke The Spook won for the fifth time in his 14th appearance, has now earned $111,203 and paid $68.64 to win as the longest shot on the board at 33-1.

Super Chapter (Dunn) left from post nine in the race for 2-year-olds and cleared Chat Room (Yannick Gingras) for the top spot beyond the 28 2/5 quarter. Super Chapter maintained the front to the half in 56 4/5 and the three-quarters in 1:25 3/5, and a 27 2/5 last panel got him to the wire 2 1/2 lengths ahead of Chat Room in a 1:53 mile. Jeffery J (Andy McCarthy) was third despite a quick break in the stretch.

By Chapter Seven, Super Chapter is trained by Melander for owners Jeff Snyder and Arthur Pronti. Super Chapter, who was bred by Hanover Shoe Farms, has three wins and a second in four starts and has banked $126,630. He returned $3.50 to win as the favorite.

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Gingras won two of the three $30,000 Kentucky Commonwealth Series contests for the freshmen, tallying with Big Shoes (by Greenshoe, bred by co-owner Knox Services Inc., paid $3.92 to win) in 1:55 1/5 for trainer Ron Burke and co-owners Burke Racing Stable LLC. and Weaver Bruscemi LLC. and Bondsman (by Gimpanzee, bred by Diamond Creek Farm and Mel Hartman, paid $4.82 to win) in 1:56 2/5 for trainer Nifty Norman and owners Kovach Stables LLC. and Enzed Racing Stable Inc.

The other 2-year-old to score in the Commonwealth Series was Bank On Me (by Chapter Seven, bred by co-owner Pinske Stables and Kentuckiana Farms LLC., paid $11.10 to win) in 1:54 3/5 for driver Todd McCarthy, trainer Carter Pinske and co-owners Enzed Racing Stable Inc. and Lizanne Waples.

For July (by Greenshoe, bred by co-owner D Farm LLC., paid $6.92 to win) bagged the lone Commonwealth Series clash for the sophomores in 1:52 4/5 for driver Tim Tetrick, trainer Lucas Wallin and co-owners Harbor Racing Stable LLC. and Order By Stable Ab.

Six $15,000 Kentucky Golden Rod Series flights - three for each age group - were also on the program.

The victorious 3-year-olds were Hungry Hill (by Kadabra, bred by owner Tom Hill, paid $30.10 to win) in 1:57 1/5 for driver Todd McCarthy and trainer Virgil Morgan Jr., Vic Zelenskyy (by Greenshoe, bred by Mission Brief Stable, paid $21.02 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. and Devious Mojito As (by Devious Man, bred by owners Acl Stuteri Ab and trainer Anette Lorentzon, paid $33.54 to win) in 1:55 for driver Tony Hall.

Taking the dashes for the rookies were You Dont Own Me (by Father Patrick, bred by Coyote Wynd Farms, paid $68.08 to win) in 1:56 3/5 for driver Andy Miller, trainer Carter Pinske and owner Al Libfeld, Onemore Volo (by Bar Hopping, bred Kentuckiana Farms and Jorgen Jahre Jr., paid $12.54 to win) in 1:57 2/5 for co-owner/trainer John Butenschoen and co-onwers Andray Farm and David J. Miller and Blue Cartier (by Chapter Seven, bred by co-owner Crawford Farms, paid $4.14 to win) in 1:56 1/5 for driver Yannick Gingras, trainer Tony Alagna and co-owners Brad Grant and Pryde Stables Inc.