Rebuff returns at Red Mile

On Sunday (Aug. 28) The Red Mile will host two $80,000 third round Kentucky Championship series events, two $30,000 third round Kentucky Commonwealth series events and four $15,000 third round legs of the Kentucky Golden Rod series. Despite the Lexington oval offering plenty of Kentucky Sire Stakes action, all eyes will be on Rebuff, who failed to fire in the Hambletonian as the favorite and came home sixth behind Cool Papa Bell.

Leaving from post position two with regular pilot Tim Tetrick holding the lines, Rebuff is the 2-1 morning line favorite in the field of six sophomore male trotters for trainer Lucas Wallin in the 11th race.

The Hambletonian was Rebuff’s first loss of the season and first since a third-place finish in a $71,000 division of the Bluegrass Stake on Oct. 1, 2021.

Two of Rebuff’s triumphs during his six-race winning streak were the $600,000 Breeders Crown final last fall and a $125,000 Stanley Dancer Memorial division on July 16. Both events were conducted at The Meadowlands.

“He shipped to Red Mile on Wednesday, and everything is good,” Wallin said. “It was always our plan to go to Lexington after the Hambletonian if everything was going well. We are looking forward to racing him on Sunday and then he will be in the next leg of the series in September. We hope he makes the final and then from there if all goes well, we continue on to the stakes for the rest of the season, which we are also looking forward to.

“We went over him after the Hambletonian, and everything was fine. It just wasn’t his day. But he is such a nice horse, and we are lucky to have him. We enjoy racing him.”

Owned by his trainer, with Kjell Magne Andersen and Pieter Delis, Rebuff was bred by Steve Stewart and Michael Andrew. The son of Muscle Hill-Meucci Madness has collected $583,670 lifetime and has a record of 15-7-2-1.