Red Mile: Todd McCarthy sweeps Kentucky Sires Stakes races

Despite a short field in the non-betting affair before Sunday's (Aug. 22) pari-mutuel card at The Red Mile, Komodo Beach fired a 1:48 4/5 mile in the $40,000 second preliminary of the Kentucky Championship Series for 3-year-old pacing colts and geldings.

Driver Todd McCarthy positioned the Somebeachsomewhere gelding in second as first-round winner Goldie's Legacy carved fractions of 26 4/5, 55 1/5, and 1:23 1/5. McCarthy made his move at the bottom of the final turn, angling Komodo Beach wide for the drive and bettering Goldie's Legacy in the sprint to the finish with a 25 2/5 final quarter to win by a head. Toronto gave chase to the pair in third, another seven lengths behind.

Owned by David McDuffee, John Fodera, Steven Wienick, and Trevor Ritchie, Komodo Beach won his fourth race from 12 starts this season and his seventh from 20 overall, earning $101,825. Brett Pelling trains the winner.

McCarthy came back at the start of the betting program to register an 11-1 upset in the $40,000 second round of the Kentucky Championship Series for 3-year-old pacing fillies, winning with Linda Toscano trainee High Minded in 1:50.

Classicist cleared command from post six while Tava pushed from the pylon post to race second to a 28 2/5 first quarter, with High Minded positioned third. Odds-on favorite So Irresistible advanced wide from fourth and grabbed control as the tempo quickened to a 55 second half. Slowing the pace to the final turn, McCarthy motored High Minded out of fourth to challenge So Irresistible for the lead to three-quarters in 1:23 and seized the lead in the straightaway. The daughter of Captaintreacherous cruised to the line 1 1/2 lengths better than So Irresistible, with Dream Chaser finishing third.

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Returning $24.20 to win, High Minded won her third race from 10 starts this season and her fifth from 22 overall, earning $148,037. She competes for owners Camelot Stable Inc., Fred Wallace, The Bay's Stable LLC and Steve Stewart.

Caviart Lotus ($3.40) and Mikimoto ($18.40) snagged the pair of $20,000 Kentucky Commonwealth Series divisions for 3-year-old pacing colts and geldings with matching times of 1:49 4/5. Caviart Lotus had Andrew McCarthy in the bike for trainer Noel Daley, while Christian Lind piloted Mikimoto for trainer Domenico Cecere.

The lone $20,000 Kentucky Commonwealth division for 3-year-old pacing fillies went to Notorious Pink ($2.20), who romped by 6 1/4 lengths to win in 1:49 1/5. She was piloted by Todd McCarthy for trainer Tony Alagna.

Point totals for both the Kentucky Championship and Kentucky Commonwealth Series are available at the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission website (https://khrc.ky.gov/new_docs.aspx?cat=80).

--press release (The Red Mile)--