Red Mile: Miss Jum Jabber, American Power don't disappoint in Kentucky Championship Series

American Power emerged victorious from his first start since competing in the Grade 1 Hambletonian, and Miss Jum Jabber returned after skipping the second leg to score in their respective $80,000 third-preliminary dashes of the Kentucky Championship Series on Monday afternoon (Aug. 31) at The Red Mile.

American Power marched from off-the-speed after parking the mile and swept to a 1:50 4/5 win as the even-money choice in the Kentucky Championship Series division for trotting glamour boys.

Leaving from post nine, driver Dexter Dunn sent American Power as nearly everyone fired off the car, forcing Dunn to have to ease into a spot off-the-speed rounding the first turn. Dunn slotted into a third-over position while It Could Be Worse (driven by Tim Tetrick) blitzed up the rim to grab control through a 27 3/5 first quarter. Captain Naughty (Yannick Gingras) towed the outer tier forward and brushed to the top through a 55 1/5 half, leaving Spencer Hanover (Mattias Melander) uncovered to the last turn with American Power on his back.

Spencer Hanover edged to within a length of the leader by three-quarters in 1:23 3/5, at which point Dunn flipped his charge outside and set down for the stretch drive. American Power pushed past his rivals in the lane to grab victory by 1 1/2 lengths, with It Could Be Worse edging out from a pocket ride for second. Captain Naughty held third and longshot Lucchese (Joe Bongiorno) closed from third-over for fourth.

Marcus Melander trains American Power, a Walner-Ariana G colt, for owner M Biasuzzi Stable Inc. The colt won his fifth race from nine starts this season and his eighth race from 21 starts in his career, earning $452,820. He paid $4.34 to win.

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Miss Jum Jabber (Andy McCarthy) vaulted from a pocket ride earlier in the card with a 25 4/5 final quarter in a 52 3/5 back-half to win the Kentucky Championship Series division for sophomore pacing fillies. McCarthy planted on the back of pace-setter Topville Lucky (Todd McCarthy), who carved a clip of 28 4/5, 56 and 1:22 3/5 to ready for the final-quarter sprint. Andy McCarthy angled outside spinning for home and overhauled Topville Lucky in the lane to win by 1 1/4 lengths, with She's A Bulldog (Yannick Gingras) giving chase in third and Seaside Charm (Tim Tetrick) checking in last of the four.

Brett Pelling trains Miss Jum Jabber, a Bettor's Wish-Treacherous Reign filly, for owner Pelling Racing LLC. The filly won her 10th race from 12 starts this season and has now banked $216,139. She paid $2.52 to win.

Inverness Ave (Tim Tetrick) tipped from a pocket trip and edged by odds-on leader Untouchable As (Tony Hall) for a neck win and to post the faster win of the two $30,000 Kentucky Commonwealth Series divisions for sophomore trotting males with a 1:51 effort. Ernie Gaskin conditions the Helpisontheway-Arvika gelding. Zidane Kemp (Joe Bongiorno) converted a pocket trip to win the other dash by 2 1/4 lengths over first-up Lindy Living (Dexter Dunn) in a 1:51 3/5 mile. Inverness Ave paid $9.36 to win and Zidane Kemp returned $6.62.

Sophomore pacing fillies competed in a single $30,000 division of the Kentucky Commonwealth Series late in the card. Atte Station (David Miller) rallied from near last to clinch victory over pocket-rallying Gracious (Todd McCarthy) by three-quarters of a length. Brian Brown trains the daughter of Captaintreacherous-Amazing Alexa who paid $35.48 to win.

Randy Jerrell pupil Deuce Pop (Todd McCarthy), who won the faster of the two $15,000 Kentucky Golden Rod divisions of the day, also recorded his sixth straight victory when rallying as the 2-1 favorite in a lifetime-best 1:52 2/5 mile. Jerrell co-owns the Tactical Landing-Atlantic Crest colt with Atlantic Trot Inc. and Steve Stewart.

Live harness racing action resumes at The Red Mile on Tuesday (Sept. 1) with a 12-race card headlined by the $80,000 Kentucky Championship Series fourth preliminary for 2-year-old pacing colts and geldings. 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 (Red Mile)--