Top Reacher and Command Center set for Red Mile rematch

Lexington, KY. Two-year-old trotter Top Reacher has handed the Kentucky Championship Series its sharpest storyline through the opening fortnight, upsetting stablemate Command Center at 24-1 in the series’ first leg, and the pair meet again Wednesday (Aug. 12) as the meet builds toward $550,000 in finals action on Sept. 17-19.

Command Center went off the 1-2 favourite in the trotting colts and geldings opener on Monday (Aug. 3). Top Reacher, with Mattias Melander in the bike, glided into the pocket after Captain Kenny J broke stride past a :28.2 opening quarter, tracked the pace to a :57.2 half, then split rivals in the final strides to score in 1:54. Command Center, driven by Dexter Dunn, loomed within a length approaching three-quarters in 1:26.1 and snatched a brief lead into the stretch, only to be disqualified from second to third for a lapped-on break. Marcus Melander trains Top Reacher, a Muscle Hill colt, for owner-breeder Daniel Plouffe.

The same Monday card produced a national mark holder in Gobstopper. Tim Tetrick’s Sweet Lou colt left the pylon post behind a :29.1 opening quarter, brushed to the front approaching the final turn, cleared to three-quarters in 1:25.1 and drew off for a two-length win in 1:53.1. The form lines up, Gobstopper arrives off a 1:50.1 win at The Meadowlands that stands as the season’s fastest freshman pacing mile, and he defends his unbeaten record in Race 8 on Tuesday’s card against Midwind Buxton (Todd McCarthy) and Hold Fast (Atlee Bender).

Tuesday (Aug. 4) belonged to the Kentucky Commonwealth divisions, with Whateverittakes As (Tony Hall, $3.14 to win) and Kountry Win (Yannick Gingras, $6.92) splitting the $30,000 races in matching 1:54.3 miles.

Sunday’s (Aug. 9) marathon card threw up a photo finish of its own. Funky Buddha, with Tim Tetrick sitting behind a :26.4 opening quarter, brushed to the front to clear Sea Bistro Hanover and held that speed to a :53.3 half and 1:20.3 three-quarters before the 6-5 favourite locked eyes with him the length of the stretch.Funky Buddha hung on by a scant nostril in 1:47.2, with Sneaky Squeaky closing for third. Tony Dinges trains the Sweet Lou colt for owner Rick Berks.

Kiss me If you can made it a good day for the fillies on the same card. Austin Hanners sat the pocket behind tempo-setting Heart Of Secret through a :27.3 quarter and a :55 half, then fired his charge rounding for home to grind past the leader and hold on by half a length in 1:51.4, with Sweetest Of All closing for third.Todd Luther trains the In Range filly, bought for $160,000 at the 2025 Lexington Selected Sale by Greg
Luther Racing.

Top Reacher, drawn post 5, and Command Center, drawn post 2, go around again on Wednesday, with the disqualified favourite looking to atone in the second trotting colts and geldings preliminary. Gobstopper’s title defence in Race 8 on Tuesday’s 15-race card carries a 1 p.m. (EDT) post time.

All roads lead to finals weekend, with the $400,000 Kentucky Championship Series finals set for Sunday, Sept. 17, followed by the $100,000 Kentucky Commonwealth finals on Sept. 18 and the $50,000 Goldenrod finals on Sept. 19, all at The Red Mile.

For complete race entries, click here: US Trotting entries.

By Harnesslink Media