Red Mile: Sippinonsearoc, Better Is Nice star in Kentucky Championship Series

Sippinonsearoc became harness racing's fastest 2-year-old so far in 2024 by winning the $80,000 Kentucky Championship Series race for colts and geldings on Sunday night at The Red Mile in 1:50 1/5. Better Is Nice prevailed in the companion dash for sophomore male pacers earlier on the program.

With Yannick Gingras in the bike for the first time, Sippinonsearoc left from post eight and took the lead away from The Real Thing (Dexter Dunn) beyond the 28 second opening quarter. From there, Sippinonsearoc maintained control through middle-half stations of 55 4/5 and 1:24 1/5 and got separation on the others in the upper part of the stretch. He needed that jump, as fellow Ron Burke trainee Louprint (Ronnie Wrenn Jr.) rocketed home in 25 1/5 from third-over, but his rally fell a neck short to Sippinonsearoc. Blue Onyx (Andy Miller) was third.

Burke trains Sippinonsearoc, a Downbytheseaside colt bred by Trent Stohler Stable Inc. and Alesha Binkley, for owners Burke Racing Stable LLC., Weaver Bruscemi LLC., R A S Racing LLC. and Knox Services Inc. Sippinonsearoc is now three-for-three in his career, has earned $70,000 and paid $6.10 to win as the 2-1 third choice.

Better Is Nice (Andy McCarthy), who won the Kentucky Championship Series final a year ago, raced in third in the contest for the 3-year-olds as Courtship (Miller) cut opening-half fractions of 27 3/5 and 54 2/5, then attacked first-over on the final bend and cleared prior to the 1:21 4/5 three-quarters. Much like the 2-year-old tilt, Better Is Nice was able to build up a gap on his pursuers, and although Copperfield (Todd McCarthy) and Nuclear (Dexter Dunn) both closed in the lane, they couldn't reach Better Is Nice, who held sway by three-quarters of a length in 1:49 3/5. Copperfield checked in second and Nuclear got third.

Alagna Racing LLC. and Marvin Katz bred Better Is Nice, a Bettor's Wish gelding, and now Alagna Racing LLC., Pryde Stables Inc. and Birnam Wood Farms own the Tony Alagna trainee. Better Is Nice has a summary of 9-3-4 from 20 appearances, has put away $657,783 and returned $8.34 to win as the 3-1 second choice.

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Winning $30,000 Commonwealth Series divisions for the rookies were American Son (by American Ideal, bred by Brittany Farms, paid $3.74 to win) in 1:52 3/5 for driver Dexter Dunn, trainer Chris Ryder and owner Henderson Farms and Fusion (by Always B Miki, bred by Diamond Creek Farm, paid $3.30 to win) in 1:53 for driver Yannick Gingras, trainer Nancy Takter and owner Diamond Creek Racing.

Women Layer (by Sweet Lou, bred by Carl Howard, paid $4.60 to win) took the lone Commonwealth Series clash for the 3=year-olds in 1:50 1/5 with Todd McCarthy in the bike for trainer Brett Pelling and owners Howard Taylor, Order By Stable Ab, Judith Taylor and Jerry Silva.

Two $15,000 groupings of the Kentucky Golden Rod Series for the freshmen went behind the gate, with victories going to Handsome Stranger (by Tall Dark Stranger, bred by owner Fred Hertrich III, paid $17.62 to win) in 1:54 3/5 for Dunn and Ryder and Somelousomewhere (by Sweet Lou, bred by Crawford Farms, paid $6.40 to win) in 1:54 for Todd McCarthy, co-owner/trainer Mike Simons and co-owner Albert Abdala III.

Bet On Big Joe (by Betting Line, bred by Pinske Stables, paid $2.20 to win) delivered in the single Golden Rod Series showdown for 3-year-olds in 1:51 3/5 for driver Andy Miller and owner/trainer Rodney Debeck.