Red Mile: National season's mark for Luna Lovegood in KY Championship Series

Luna Lovegood became harness racing's fastest 2-year-old trotter so far in 2024 with a 1:51 4/5 win in Monday's lone $80,000 Kentucky Commonwealth Series race.

There was plenty of action in the opening-half as Aperfect Annie (Todd McCarthy) led first, but Torrisi (Yannick Gingras) went by her before the 27 3/5 quarter and then Torrisi yielded to sit behind Luna Lovegood (Dexter Dunn). Yo Tillie (Verlin Yoder) was also on a two-wide advance at that point, and she forged her way by Luna Lovegood prior to the fast 54 4/5 half-mile clocking.

Yo Tillie continued to show the way to three-quarters in 1:23 4/5 as Aperfect Annie tried another move from first-up, but in the lane Yo Tillie came off the cones, and with the space available, Luna Lovegood quickly went by both her and Aperfect Annie. From there Luna Lovegood held sway to the wire, defeating Torrisi by a length. Divine Thing (David Miller) was up for third, followed by Yo Tillie and Aperfect Annie.

From the first crop of Gimpanzee, Luna Lovegood is trained by Marcus Melander for owner Holly Lane Stud East LTD. Bred by Blue Chip Farms and Stefan Melander, Luna Lovegood was a $100,000 Standardbred Horse Sale purchase and has two victories from three outings to go with a bankroll of $80,000. She paid $30.06 to win as a 14-1 shot.

Four-year-old trotters of both sexes competed in $35,000 Kentucky Sires Stakes divisions on the undercard. Those contests were taken by Railee Something (by International Moni, bred by owner Ron Mersky, non-wagering race) took the tilt for mares in 1:52 3/5 for driver Andy McCarthy and trainer Roger Cullipher and Bestfriend Volo (by Walner, bred by Kentuckiana Farms and Jorgen Jahre Jr., paid $2.66 to win) in 1:51 2/5 for driver Yannick Gingras, co-owner/trainer Nancy Takter and co-owners Christina Takter, 3 Brothers Stables and Deja Blu.

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There were a trio of $30,000 Commonwealth Series events for rookie trotting fillies on the program and they went to Voguish (by Gimpanzee and bred by Maumee River Stables, Black Creek Farm, Martin Schmucker and Steve Stewart, paid $5.78 to win) in 1:53 2/5 for driver Yannick Gingras, co-owner/trainer Andrew Harris and co-owners William Pollock and Bruce Areman, Kadena (by Gimpanzee and bred by Mission Brief Stable, paid $6.08 to win) in 1:53 4/5 for driver Dexter Dunn, trainer Marcus Melander and owners Jeff Snyder and S R F Stable and Deja Blu (by Muscle Hill, bred co-owner Crawford Farms Racing with Brad Grant and Howard Taylor, paid $3.34 to win) in 1:53 for driver Yannick Gingras, trainer Nancy Takter and co-owner Tom Pontone.

Lastly, the four $15,000 Golden Rod Series battles for the 2-year-old filly trotters saw victories for Naughty Naughty (by Swan For All and bred by owner Denise Dennis, paid $8.52 to win) in 1:54 4/5 for driver Tim Tetrick and trainer Jeff Edwards, Kewpie Doll (by Googoo Gaagaa, bred by Steve Stewart, Black Creek Farm and Harri Koskela, paid $9.22 to win) in 1:55 4/5 for driver Tony Hall, trainer Anette Lorentzon and co-owners Acl Stuteri Ab and Dreamlover Ab, Gingin Bi (by Muscle Hill and bred by M Biasuzzi Stable Inc., paid $11.20 to win) in 1:53 3/5 for driver Andy McCarthy, co-owner/trainer Erv Miller and co-owners Lava Java Stable and Doug Overhiser and Alure (by Devious Man and bred by Dunroven Stud LLC., paid $11.84 to win) in 1:56 for driver Scott Zeron, co-owner/trainer Jonas Czernyson and co-owners Kristin Shetler and Geoff Dubrowsky.