Red Mile: Topville Lucky shines in Kentucky Championship Series

Topville Lucky tracked live cover and then kicked home sharply to a 1:50 2/5 win in Tuesday's $80,000 Kentucky Championship Series race for rookie pacing fillies at The Red Mile.

Big Weekend (Matt Kakaley) led early but would be overtaken by Beautiful Memory (Marvin Luna) beyond the 27 4/5 quarter. Caviart Daisy (Andy McCarthy) then pressed on and took control before the 55 4/5 half as Seaside Shuffle (Yannick Gingras) began to move first-over out of third, tracked by Topville Lucky (Atlee Bender) and favored Bahama Momma (Scott Zeron).

Seaside Shuffle and Caviart Daisy battled through three-quarters in 1:23 3/5, but Seaside Shuffle was able to sustain her bid and went by Caviart Daisy beyond that marker. However, Bender had Topville Lucky in full flight to the outside, and Topville Lucky went around Seaside Shuffle before she pulled away to tally by 2 3/4 lengths in 1:50 2/5. Bahama Momma was up for second and Seaside Shuffle ended up third.

Trainer Erv Miller also co-owns Topville Lucky, a daughter of Sweet Lou bred by Jeremy Yoder, with partners Douglas Overhiser, Dr. Michael Ternisky and Dr. Scott Leaf. Topville Lucky has two wins in three starts, has earned $55,000 and paid $19.18 to win.

Gala (Todd McCarthy) went a tick quicker than Topville Lucky did while winning a $30,000 Kentucky Commonwealth Series division. The Diamond Creek homebred by Downbytheseaside took the lead before the 56 2/5 half, put up three-quarters in 1:23 4/5 and then sprinted a 26 2/5 final quarter to win by seven lengths in 1:50 1/5 for trainer Brian Brown. Gala, who returned $3.96 to win, has won both of her outings thus far and pocketed $22,500.

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Hope Hill, a Papi Rob Hanover homebred for Tom Hill, found space on the inside in the lane from the pocket and shot through to win the other Kentucky Commonwealth Series test in 1:51 2/5 for driver Dexter Dunn and trainer Virgil Morgan Jr. Hope Hill has a summary of 3-0-1 from four outings, has put away $39,600 and paid $9.44 to win.

Winning three $15,000 Kentucky Golden Rod Series contests were:

--Rocksy (by Boston Red Rocks and bred by owner Rick Berks, paid $3.92 to win) in 1:52 1/5 for driver Tim Tetrick and trainer Tony Dinges;

--Seaside Charm (by Downbytheseaside and bred by Brookside Stables and Amos Lengacher, paid $6.44 to win) in 1:51 4/5 for driver Yannick Gingras, trainer Ron Burke and owners Thomas and Scott Dillon;

--Pacey Station (by Downbytheseaside and bred by Spring Station Bloodstock, paid $18.62 to win) for Gingras and Burke and owners Burke Racing Stable LLC., Hatfield Stables, Weaver Bruscemi LLC. and Larry Karr.

Driver Dexter Dunn and trainer Marcus Melander swept two $35,000 Kentucky Sire Stakes events for 4-year-old trotters with stallion Vic Zelenskyy (by Greenshoe and bred by Mission Brief Stable, paid $3.16 to win) in 1:51 1/5 for owners S R F Stable and Holly Lane Stud East LTD. and mare Date Night Hanover (by Chapter Seven and bred by Hanover Shoe Farms, paid $3.70 to win) in 1:50 4/5 for owners Jeff Snyder and Onda Racing Stable LLC.