Freshmen set to fight in second round of Kentucky Championship

Trotting freshmen return to The Red Mile for a pair of $40,000 second-round divisions for the Kentucky Championship Series, one for the boys and one for the fillies, on Sunday (Aug. 15).

Double Deceiver leads the dash for the colts and geldings following a 1:55.2 victory in the opening round two weeks ago. The Carter Pinske-trained Cantab Hall gelding uncorked a :26 final quarter to down Gigondas, who was placed second due to the disqualification of Bully Boy Hill. All three of them return for this round of the championship with Double Deceiver drawing inside the pair from post four. David Miller retains the drive.

Selfie Queen destroyed her competition in the first preliminary for the fillies, trotting a 1:53 mile under minimal encouragement for driver Dexter Dunn and trainer Nancy Takter. But now the Muscle Hill-Lady Lakewood filly will have to face Richard “Nifty” Norman’s promising Walner-Jolene Jolene filly Venerable, who enters off a decisive 1:52 victory in the $326,850 Jim Doherty Memorial. David Miller will score the 9-5 morning-line choice to the right flank of Selfie Queen from post four, in a race that also includes first-round winner American Beauty – herself a victor in 1:54.2 with Josert Fonseca listed to drive.

A total of six $20,000 divisions of the Kentucky Commonwealth Series supplement the 13-race card at The Red Mile, with three divisions for the colts and geldings and three for the fillies. First-race post time is at 1 p.m.