Nezuko Kamado S returns a winner; McCarthy wins 4,000th race

August 30, 2026

Lexington, KY – Hunterton Born & Raised Nezuko Kamado S found the winner’s circle in her first start since claiming the Grade 1 Hambletonian Oaks earlier in the month when she launched off cover for a 1:51.1 victory in the $80,000 Kentucky Championship Series third preliminary for 3-year-old trotting fillies on Sunday night (Aug. 30) at the Red Mile.

Leaving from post 5, driver Scott Zeron secured a snug spot in the middle of the pack with Nezuko Kamado S while Heart For Two (driven by Yannick Gingras) pushed from the outermost draw for the lead to a :28.2 first quarter.

Ygritte (Mattias Melander) soon circled from the pocket to the lead and then gave way as Jailbird Jog (Anthony MacDonald) brushed forward to seize command in the shuffle to a :56.1 half.

Zeron found a seat third-over to the last turn following uncovered Madam Cheval (Tim Tetrick) and second-over Islandgirl Hanover (Joe Bongiorno) and gradually fanned to the center of the track coming off three-quarters in 1:23.4. Nezuko Kamado S straightened and chugged over the top of her peers to snag the lead in the final sixteenth and surged to a three-quarter-length win over Islandgirl Hanover. Ygritte took third and Carve (Andy McCarthy) closed from near last for fourth.

Marcus Melander trains Nezuko Kamado S, a homebred Chapter Seven-Zefira Kronos IT filly for Anders Ström’s Courant Inc. The filly collected her sixth win from seven starts this season and her 12th victory from 18 starts in her career, pushing her earnings to $1.09 million. She paid $3.12 to win.

Sea Bistro Hanover (Todd McCarthy) ripped from last to first with a :24.2 final quarter in a three-horse showdown to win the $80,000 Kentucky Championship Series third preliminary for sophomore pacing males contested prior to the pari-mutuel card as a non-wagering race. McCarthy sat off of :28.1, :55.3 and 1:24 fractions cut by Ubrute (Yannick Gingras) before storming down the center of the track to grab the win by a length in a 1:49 mile over pocket-popping Funky Buddha (Dexter Dunn).

Brett Pelling trains Sea Bistro Hanover, a gelding by Captaintreacherous-Santa Rosa, for owners David McDuffee, Paul Bordogna and Melvin Hartman. The gelding won his fifth race from 12 starts this season and his sixth race from 19 starts in his career, banking $217,387.

Sunday’s card also featured a pair of $30,000 Kentucky Commonwealth divisions for sophomore trotting fillies.

She’s Moni (Scott Zeron, 1:50.1 winning mile; $5.32 to win) took top honors from the two splits for after brushing to the lead past the quarter and strolling to a 3-1/4-length win over Joyofmylife As (Tony Hall) and odds-on favorite Crossover (Dexter Dunn). Degas (Yannick Gingras, 1:53; $10.80) converted a pocket trip to a head victory over first-up Naked And Famous (Todd McCarthy) in the other dash. Nancy Takter trains She’s Moni for owners Brittany Farms and Marvin Katz while Eric Patalan conditions Degas for TheStable Degas Group.

Rockin Image gelding Door Dash (Yannick Gingras, 1:48.3; $3.24) posted the quickest win of the two Kentucky Commonwealth divisions for pacing glamour boys when winning pillar-to-post over pocket-chasing Louaville (Scott Zeron). Captaintreacherous colt Captain Apple (Dexter, 1:49.4; $8.54) rallied from a pocket ride a few races later to down pacesetter Thiago Hanover (Yannick Gingras) and win the other division by a half-length. Trent Stohler trains Door Dash for owners Trent Stohler Stable, Ben Graber and Tim Graber while Chris Ryder trains Captain Apple for himself and partners Lisa Ezzo, Alan Johnston and Let It Ride Stables.

Some other regally blooded winners flourished on the Sunday card. Gandhi (Andy McCarthy, 1:50; $5.34), a Perfect Sting gelding out of champion mare Pure Country, scored in the first Kentucky Wildcat division of the night while also providing Andy McCarthy the 4,000th victory of his North American career. La Mancha (Tim Tetrick, 1:52.3; $24.78), a Walner filly out of world champion Manchego, kicked off a pocket trip to take the second division of the Kentucky Golden Rod for sophomore trotting fillies and Benny B Hill (Dexter Dunn, 1:49.2; $2.20), a Captaintreacherous gelding out of Breeders Crown winner Peaky Sneaky, scored in the closing Kentucky Golden Rod division for sophomore pacing males.

Live harness racing at the Red Mile resumes on Monday (Aug. 31) with a 14-race card headlined by the $80,000 Kentucky Championship Series third preliminary for 3-year-old pacing fillies and the $80,000 Kentucky Championship Series third preliminary for 3-year-old trotting colts and geldings. First-race post time is 1 p.m. (EDT).

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Debonaire rode the pylons to victory in the lone $30,000 Kentucky Commonwealth Series

September 2, 2026

Lexington, KY — Hunterton Bred, Raised & Sold Debonaire (Andy McCarthy) rode the pylons to victory in the lone $30,000 Kentucky Commonwealth Series dash for freshman pacing males on Tuesday afternoon (Sept. 1) at the Red Mile. McCarthy sat third through fractions of :28, :55.4 and 1:24.2 before building momentum with an inside seam to collar pocket-popping Crazygirlsburnsage (Josert Fonseca) by three-quarters of a length in a 1:51.3 mile. Tony Alagna trains Debonaire, a colt by Bulldog Hanover -Baby Your The Best, for owners Brittany Farms, Steven Head and Micki Rae Stables. He paid $16.50 to win. Tony Alagna collected a training hat trick on the day. Alongside his victory with Debonaire, Alagna won two of the three $15,000 Kentucky Golden Rod divisions for freshman pacing males with Reflector (Todd McCarthy, 1:51.1 winning mile; $6.92 to win), a Bulldog Hanover colt out of stakes-winning mare Reflect With Me, and with A Bettor Dream (Andy McCarthy, 1:51.4; $4.04). The other Golden Rod division of the day was won by Fairway To Heaven (Andy McCarthy, 1:51.3; $3.54).

Redice extends win streak with lifetime mark in INSS

September 2, 2026

Anderson, IN – A duo of $67,500 divisions of Indiana Sire Stakes for two-year-old trotting fillies headlined the Tuesday (Sept. 1) card as Fine Wine and Hunterton Sold Redice stamped their claim to the winner’s circle in their respective splits. Storming the stretch, Redice driven by Atlee Bender for trainer Erv Miller put together another flawless victory in race 12’s INSS 2-Year-Old Filly Trot heat. Redice surveyed the 10-horse field out of the starting gate in post 3 with Dance Remix (Jordan Ross) getting away quickly as Brookview Hersey (Kevin Detweiler) shot out of a cannon to the lead at the first turn in :28. Redice pressed down on the gas from fourth cruising to the helm at the half mile mark in :57.3. Gladden trotted along the outside in second, looking to get a piece of the leader. Redice hit the final turn in 1:26.3 as she approached the stretch with open freeway. Redice did not look back hitting the nitro to smash the wire in a career best 1:54.3 in winning by four lengths. Gladden held on for second as Ican Hardly Wait got up for third. Redice added her fourth straight win in Sire Stakes to her resume, increasing her earnings to $169,000. The Rebuff -Fuzzy Dice filly is owned by the Ervin Miller Stable Inc, Anthony Lombardi and Stepbystep Racing. Redice was bred by Kjell Anderson, Lucas Wallin and Pieter Delis. The post-time favorite paid $2.40 to win Wednesday’s (Sept. 2) 14-race card features three divisions of the INSS 2-Year-Old Colts and Geldings Trot. The betting card showcases a $1,043 carryover in the Pick-6, a $10,000 guaranteed Late Pick-4 and a $10,000 guaranteed Late Hoosier High-5 offered in partnership with the USTA’s Strategic Wagering Program .

Gobstopper darts to Kentucky Championship Series victory

September 2, 2026

Lexington, KY — Hunterton Bred, Raised & Sold Gobstopper zipped off cover from quick early fractions to pounce and score a 1:50 victory in the $80,000 fourth preliminary of the Kentucky Championship Series for 2-year-old pacing colts and geldings on Tuesday afternoon (Sept. 1) at the Red Mile. Leaving from post 7, driver Dexter Dunn pushed into a mid-pack seat with Gobstopper as Wishawave (driven by Scott Zeron) hustled to the front from the pylon post. Wishawave relinquished command as Atlantic Ivey (Atlee Bender) brushed forward to the top through a :26.1 first quarter, but Zeron soon tipped out of the pocket to circle back to the lead. As Wishawave rolled to a :54.2 half, 8-5 favorite Night Agent (Andy McCarthy) edged off the pylons from fourth to advance uncovered up the rim with Gobstopper securing a tow second-over. Night Agent marched to within a length of the leader by three-quarters in 1:22.2 but gave way spinning for home while Dunn fanned off cover with Gobstopper and darted toward the lead. Gobstopper got the jump on his rivals and held firmly to the finish for a half-length win chased by Rumble And Sway (Tim Tetrick), who rallied from third-over for second, with Blazin Lou (Marvin Luna) kicking from near last for third and Just Perfect Stuff (Joey Putnam) closing from fourth-over for fourth. Tony Dinges trains Gobstopper, a colt by Sweet Lou -Captiva Island, for owner Rick Berks. The colt won his fourth race from seven starts, amassing $132,920 in earnings, and paid $6.90 to win. Debonaire (Andy McCarthy) rode the pylons to victory in the lone $30,000 Kentucky Commonwealth Series dash for freshman pacing males. McCarthy sat third through fractions of :28, :55.4 and 1:24.2 before building momentum with an inside seam to collar pocket-popping Crazygirlsburnsage (Josert Fonseca) by three-quarters of a length in a 1:51.3 mile. Tony Alagna trains Debonaire, a colt by Bulldog Hanover -Baby Your The Best, for owners Brittany Farms, Steven Head and Micki Rae Stables. He paid $16.50 to win. Tony Alagna collected a training hat trick on the day. Alongside his victory with Debonaire, Alagna won two of the three $15,000 Kentucky Golden Rod divisions for freshman pacing males with Reflector (Todd McCarthy, 1:51.1 winning mile; $6.92 to win), a Bulldog Hanover colt out of stakes-winning mare Reflect With Me, and with A Bettor Dream (Andy McCarthy, 1:51.4; $4.04). The other Golden Rod division of the day was won by Fairway To Heaven (Andy McCarthy, 1:51.3; $3.54). Live harness racing at the Red Mile resumes on Wednesday (Sept. 2) with a 12-race card headlined by the $80,000 Kentucky Championship Series fourth preliminary for 2-year-old trotting colts and geldings. First-race post time is 1 p.m. (EDT).

Inverness Ave & Zidane Kemp win Commonwealth at The Red Mile

August 31, 2026

Hunterton Raised & Sold Inverness Ave (Tim Tetrick) tipped from a pocket trip and edged by odds-on leader Untouchable As (Tony Hall) for a neck win and to post the fastest win of the two $30,000 Kentucky Commonwealth Series divisions for sophomore trotting males with a 1:51 effort. Ernie Gaskin conditions the gelding by Helpisontheway -Arvika. Hunterton Raised & Sold Zidane Kemp (Joe Bongiorno) converted a pocket trip to win the other dash by 2-1/4 lengths over first-up Lindy Living (Dexter Dunn) in a 1:51.3 mile. Inverness Ave paid $9.36 to win and Zidane Kemp returned $6.62.

Ocean Storm sails to win William Wellwood Memorial

August 29, 2026

Milton, ON – Hunterton Raised & Sold Ocean Storm swept down the center of the track off a covered ride and bounded to equal the stakes record with a 1:52.4 victory in the C$570,000 Grade 1 William Wellwood Memorial, for 2-year-old trotters, on Saturday night (Aug. 29) at Woodbine Mohawk Park. With elimination winner Gio’s Hope breaking stride after the start, Honcho and Free Scottie hustled from wide draws to the fore with Detonater Hanover, the other elimination winner, easing into third through a :26.4 first quarter. Honcho planted on the point into the backstretch but soon faced pressure as Detonater Hanover tipped out and looped to the lead before a :56.2 half, at which point Top Reacher angled outside from sixth to lead the outer tier to the final turn. Ocean Storm caught cover and followed Top Reacher’s tow through the last turn. Driver Yannick Gingras fanned off cover with Ocean Storm just after three-quarters in 1:24.4 and came bearing down on the dueling leaders in the stretch. Ocean Storm surged past his rivals in the final sixteenth and won by three-quarters of a length over Access Now, who split horses late to take second. Top Reacher grabbed third from Detonater Hanover in fourth. “I was really impressed with him in the elimination last week,” said Gingras, who won for the fifth time in the Wellwood after first scoring in the 2010 edition and winning three straight from 2013 to 2015. “He was loaded with trot, moved from the rail to three high and in a couple of strides stormed home. “It’s just his third lifetime start; I didn’t want to do anything too fancy with him. By the seven-eighths pole, I felt pretty confident. I was inching by them and my horse was still trotting. It definitely feels special to win for (Cameron) Capone – his brother is like a second brother to us and we go a long way.” “He came along great, really nothing wrong with him,” trainer Cameron Capone said after the race. “We had a bit of trouble once we put the hopples on because he was racing in New York, so I just wanted to put hopples on. But once we took them off, he’s been all trot. Top of the lane, second over… we were both licking our chops, I think. It was awesome to have (Yannick) do it because I have a lot of trust in him and so do the owners, so it was great.” Winning just the second race from three starts in his career, Ocean Storm has now earned C$302,489 for owners ADH Holdings, Paul Kautz, Jeff Gural and Jean Pierre Barjon. His 1:52.4 mile – a lifetime best – equaled the stakes record set by Alarm Detector in 2017 and matched by Ardonne in 2025. “After start number one, we knew we had something special,” said Mike Butler of ADH Holdings. “The group came together late; we came into this horse late in the season, and it’s been nothing but pleasurable. This horse has really come along, and I don’t even think we know what this horse is capable of yet. It’s absolutely unbelievable. I knew last week we were going to win tonight, it was no question. We knew we would. Coming into it, we knew we had something special, we just didn’t know what we had. At the end of that elimination, we knew tonight was going to be our night.” Sent off as the favorite in the betting, Ocean Storm paid $5.50 to win.

Jula Florence trips-out to NYSS victory at Batavia Downs

August 26, 2026

Batavia, NY — Hunterton Raised & Sold Jula Florence ( Chapter Seven -Jula Shes Magic) sat a perfect pocket trip before striking late to score a narrow victory in the $110,200 New York Sire Stake for 2-year-old trotting fillies at Batavia Downs on Wednesday (Aug. 26) night. Seveallisto (Leon Bailey) and Jula Florence (Tyler Miller) both left from mid-pack and lined up one-two in front of a full field of fillies who trotted to the quarter in :28.2. Seveallisto continued to dictate the fractions at the half when Anabella (Brett Beckwith) came calling first-over on the outside and drew alongside Jula Florence, and both just a length behind the leader. Seveallisto led the girls through turn four where Anabella tailed off, affording Jula Florence room to tip off-cover at the top of the stretch. From there, Jula Florence trotted hard to make up over 1-½ lengths, catch Seveallisto and forge ahead late by a neck to win in 1:58.2. It was the third win of the year, all in NYSS action, for Jula Florence ($4.48), who is owned by Andy Miller Stable, Windsong Stable and Dumain Haven Farm and trained by Julie Miller. Jula Racing was the winning breeder. There were also two $20,000 NYSS Excelsior Series races on the card. The first was won by Solar Queen (Met’s Hall-Supreme Seven, 2:00.3, $4.74 – Matt Kakaley/Rob Harmon) who is owned by Go For Glory Stable and Matthew Lamont and bred by WInbak Farm. The second went to Native Pride ( Chapter Seven -Oh My Goodness, 1:59.3, $2.44 – Jeff Gregory/George Ducharme) who is owned by FTM Racing Stable and bred by Blue Chip Bloodstock. Live racing will resume at Batavia Downs on Thursday (Aug 27) at 5 p.m. and there will be a guaranteed pool $7,500 in the Pick-5 wager in the first race, in conjunction with the United States Trotting Association’s Strategic Wagering Program.

Captain Arturovico coasted to victory in the $35,000 Kentucky Sire Stakes division

August 24, 2026

Hunterton Sold Captain Arturovico (Dexter Dunn) coasted to a pillar-to-post victory in the lone $35,000 Kentucky Sire Stakes division for 4-year-old pacing males on Monday (Aug. 24) at The Red Mile. Dunn put the Ron Burke pupil on the lead to a :27.3 first quarter and sneaked modest fractions of :56 and 1:23.3 to then sustain in a :25.4 kick for the finish to win by a length in a 1:49.2 mile over Damn The Torpedoes (Tim Tetrick), who pulled from a pocket trip in the stretch but gave chase in second. Whelk Blue Chip (Josh Sutton) gave pursuit down the center of the track for third with Somelousomewhere (Scott Zeron) finishing fourth and Handsome Stranger (Andy McCarthy) last of the quintet. A 4-year-old gelding by Captaintreacherous -Tilikum, Captain Arturovico has now won seven races from 16 starts this season and his 19th race from 46 starts in his career, good for $586,819 in earnings. He competes for owners Burke Racing Stable LLC, Weaver Bruscemi LLC, Larry Karr and Phil Collura. Sent the odds-on favorite, he paid $2.14 to win.

Isabella Bi wins Delmonica Hanover II

August 22, 2026

DELMONICA HANOVER II (Pocono Downs)– The Tactical Landing filly Hunterton Raised & Sold Isabella Bi sat in third, backed out behind clearing first-up favorite Nuance nearing the far turn, then was able to gradually wear down the chalk by a head, with the 1:51.4 final time, just two-fifths off the divisional track record set by Yo Tillie in the Delmonica Hanover Final last year. Newly-elected Hall of Famer Ake Svanstedt drove Isabella Bi, a 9-1 proposition who took off her shoes for the contest, trains her, and co-owns her with Joe Sbrocco & JAF Racing, Little E LLC, and Mr Lars Olsson.

Inexpressable has just enough to take Beal at Pocono

August 22, 2026

Wilkes-Barre, PA – The Walner colt Hunterton Raised & Sold Inexpressable seems to be peaking at an opportune time of the 2026 harness racing season, adding to his resume by winning the Grade 2 $300,000 Earl Beal Memorial Trot for 3-year-old males on Saturday afternoon (Aug. 22) at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania. He lowered his mark to 1:51.1 in the game neck victory over favorite Diabolic Hill. Diabolic Hill was sent away wide at the start and kept on going to reach the lead by a :26.4 quarter. Inexpressable came out from third and made a sharp move to the lead, then got a much-needed breather to a :56 half. The next challenge came from Minoan, who gradually came up into contention, with Magic Punk on his back and Diabolic Hill waiting in the pocket as the field sent by the three quarters in 1:23.2 and raced along to the stretch. The outside horses had a little bit too much difficulty making up ground quickly enough, but Diabolic Hill, perched in the pocket behind the pacesetter, went to the Pocono Pike to try to catch the leader up the rail. But Inexpressable dipped down deep into the solid foundation that Lucas Wallin had established, and he was able to ward off the potential pocket rocket by a neck, with Magic Punk rushing up late but settling for third. Inexpressable, the winner of the Yonkers Trot, was sent off at 4-1 on a Pocono card where favorites did not have the easiest of times. Inexpressable was a $325,000 yearling purchase, and with this win he raised his lifetime earnings to $408,270 for Wallin Racing Stable Inc. and Karin Walter-Mommert.

Redice delivers in INSS at Hoosier

August 22, 2026

Anderson, IN – It was a barrage of Indiana Sire Stakes action on Friday (Aug. 21) at Harrah’s Hoosier Park, with rookie trotting fillies and pacing colts in action, to go along with the 3-year-old colt and gelding pacers. A few horsemen dominated the proceedings, with the Erv and Alvin Miller barns combining to take half of the 14 races, while driver John De Long tallied five wins on the evening. Two-year-old trotting fillies kicked off the stakes festivities, with Hunterton Born and Sold Redice flexing her muscle as the 1-9 favorite with Atlee Bender aboard for Erv Miller in the $66,500 first split. Leaving from post six, Redice trotted to top on the first turn, leading the field of eight to the quarter in :28. In The Buff (Kyle Wilfong) moved around her to the point, taking the field to the half in :58 before Redice was back out for more from the pocket at three-quarters in 1:27.3. From there, Redice asserted herself in the lane, sprinting home in :27.2 to cruise by four lengths in 1:55.