Red Mile championship night features $3.4 million in purses
At 0h39, on September 14, 2024 • By John Berry, The Red Mile
Lexington’s Red Mile will host its annual championship night on Sunday, the final night program of the year, featuring $3.4 million in purses, including eight $400,000 Kentucky Sire Stakes finals for 2- and 3-year-olds.
The stellar program, with a 5:05 p.m. post time, will also feature a “better-for-the-bettor” buffet for the “Send-It-In Army” with several guaranteed pool and carryovers to further enhance the 10-race program.
Sunday night racing has proven to be very successful at The Red Mile with the handle out-sprinting the daytime handle by close to 50%.
On the racing front, the first $400,000 championship will feature one of the strongest quintets in history for juvenile pacers with three of the five entrants owning marks under 1:50. The trio, Sippinonasearoc (1:48.2), Louprint (1:49) and American Son (1:49.3) have developed quite a rivalry with this event the culmination of the Kentucky Sire Stakes program for the class.
Hambletonian champ Karl, a winner of nine of 10 this semester and 18 of 20 lifetime with $1,919,816 in bounty, will look to make a sweep in KYSS action at The Red Mile from post position seven. Secret Agent Man, second to Karl in the first three legs of this event, got within a neck of the winner in his last start and has drawn the inside post one to try and upset the applecart.
Sophomore pacing colts and geldings will do battle on Sunday with the colt, Better Is Nice, facing his two gelding opponents, Women Layer and Nuclear, in their $400,000 KYSS final. Better Is Nice got the jump on his worthy rivals in his last start and hit the wire in a lifetime best 1:48.3 while Women Layer and Nuclear were flying in the final stages to finish in a dead-heat for place with Women Layer coming home in :26 from far back.
The Red Mile Stakes season continues on Monday and Tuesday with 17 races each day — with six $100,000 Commonwealth finals on Monday and the Golden Rod finals on Tuesday. Also, fabled announcer Pete Aiello will be at The Red Mile both days to lend his melodious and exciting race calls to the festivities.
