Crazygirlsburnsage dug deep in the final strides and survived a three-across finish to set a new Hollywood Gaming at Dayton Raceway track mark for freshman gelded pacers on Tuesday, Nov. 3.
Sent off as the heavy favourite in the $20,139 conditioned pace, Crazygirlsburnsage (Austin Hanners) received the first call from post five, parking Ourcoltofmanycolor (Brewer Adams) during the first half-mile. Crazygirlsburnsage controlled the tempo through fractions of :26.1, :53.2 and 1:21.2.
A pocket-sitting Dancin Again (Chris Page) pressured the leader at the three-quarters, and the pair raced in tandem around the final turn and into the stretch. Dancin Again closed down the lane, with Go Pyromaniac (Cam McCown) arriving late, but Crazygirlsburnsage held on by a nose for the 1:51.1 victory. Dancin Again was second in the photo, with Go Pyromaniac third.
In his first start outside of Kentucky, Crazygirlsburnsage won for the third time in 15 starts and took a new mark. He was a bargain $16,667 purchase at last year’s Lexington Selected Yearling Sale. With the win, his career earnings jumped to $116,269. The son of Perfect Sting-Sage N is owned by Greg Luther Racing LLC and is conditioned by Todd Luther. He paid $2.60 to win.
In the first of two divisions of the co-featured $27,778 conditioned claiming trot, Zidane Kemp turned in a sparkling performance, drawing away from his rivals for an emphatic 11-1/4-length victory.
Driven by Luke Hanners and sent away as the 4-5 favourite, Zidane Kemp raced near the front from the outset. Dusty Dungarees (Trevor Smith) blasted from post four to secure the early lead at the opening quarter in :28. As the field of eight straighten up to pass the grandstand for the first time, Hanners pulled Zidane Kemp to the outside and the lead before the half-mile station in :56.4. A fired-up Zidane Kemp quickly separated himself from the field, opening up by four lengths at the three-quarters in 1:24.2 and continued to widen his advantage through the stretch, sprinting home in :28.1 to stop the timer in 1:52.3. Dusty Dungarees held on for second, while longshot Hey Trixey (Jeremy Smith) rallied from eighth at the half to finish third.
John Ryan Melsheimer trains the winning sophomore for the Mel Rose Stable. The consistent Readly Express-Ma Can Do It gelding has been first or second in half his 20 seasonal starts, winning nine. The win price was $3.60.
Nelli Up ($65.60) delivered a 31-1 upset in the other co-feature. With Kayne Kauffman in the bike, he travelled third through :28.1, :57.4 and 1:26.1 panels before chasing down Arch Hill (Luke Hanners) to prevail by a nose in 1:55. Galen Erso (Tyler Smith) was third. The Ryan Miller-trained Nelli Up is now six-for-33 on the year. Miller Racing Stable Inc., Horseplay Racing Stable, Paul Hershberger and Edward Marrinan own the four-year-old son of Muscle Up The Goal-Ornellaia Dream.
Drivers Jeremy Smith and Luke Hanners enjoyed a good night, visiting the winner’s circle three times each on the 14-race card.
Racing continues at Dayton Raceway on Wednesday with a 14-race program.
(With files from Dayton Raceway)