On Monday (Sept. 8), Dancin Champion collected his third consecutive triumph in the $48,611 third round of the Kentucky Sire Stakes for older male pacers at The Red Mile by a head in 1:50.1. Fearless Bettor visited the winner’s enclosure for the first occasion this season in the counterpart for older female pacers after a victory in 1:50.2. The facility’s third leading driver, Todd McCarthy, steered each winner and had three stakes-winning drives on the day.
Dancin Champion Outlasts Lou Hill
Bet On Big Joe (Geremy Bobbitt) led the field of through a first split of :27.2 with Dancin Champion (pictured above) in second after leaving from post position four. Heavy favourite Lou Hill (Dexter Dunn) decided to take command prior to the half-mile marker in :55 relegating Bet On Big Joe to second and Dancin Champion to third.
Lou Hill hit the three-quarter pole in 1:23 and remained in control as the field hit the stretch. Dancin Champion closed with a rush to subdue Lou Hill with Bet On Big Joe rounding out the trifecta.
Using a :26.3 final quarter panel to cement hitting the finish line in front, Dancin Champion is trained by Ron Burke. The four-year-old son of Sweet Lou-Dancewiththebest equalled his lifetime best obtained over this same surface last year.
Dancin Champion improved his record to 35-5-6-4 and boosted his bankroll to $347,804.
Bred by Anvil And Lace Farm, Dancin Champion is owned by his trainer, Knox Services, Weaver Bruscemi and J&T Silva-Purnel & Libby.
The gelding paid $19.32 as the public’s second choice.
Fearless Bettor Pulls A Mild Upset
Assigned post position one, Fearless Bettor bided her time in third as Peace Talks (Dunn) and favorite Bath Bomb (Andrew McCarthy) exchanged blows for three-quarters of a mile. Peace Talks took the lead from the gate and established the first fraction of :27.4. Prior to the half-mile Bath Bomb decided it was time for her to be in command as she set fractions of :55 and 1:22.3.
As Peace Talks overtook Bath Bomb rounding the final bend, Fearless Bettor made her move. Using a :27.1 last quarter-mile, the four-year-old daughter of Betting Line-No Fear Dear annexed her first win from 15 starts this season for trainer Tony Alagna.
Bred by Anvil And Lace Farm, who was also responsible for Dancin Champion, Fearless Bettor is owned by Kentucky Basketball Hall of Fame member Sam Bowie. He purchased the mare privately from William Salmeri and Steve Elliott in July.
Fearless Bettor was previously trained by Tony Dinges and Steve Elliott. She captured the Kentucky Sire Stakes Final last fall at Cumberland Run and has been a regular in sire stakes competition in the Commonwealth during her three-year career.
The mare’s resume is 37-9-9-4 and she has earned $426,279 in purse money.
Fearless Bettor provided her supporters with $14.66 at the windows.
Six Wildcat Series Fifth Leg Events Support Feature Races
Untouchable As (Tony Hall, $9.52) won the first division for two-year-old male trotters in 1:56.2 for trainer Anette Lorentzon. David Miller and Lucchese took the second division in 1:56 for Rene Sejthen while paying $4.14. Imperative (A. McCarthy, $5.02) was victorious in the third division for Per Engblom in 1:55.4. Wukong (Andy Miller, $11.90) captured the fourth and final division in 1:56.3 for trainer Carter Pinske.
The two divisions for freshman male pacers went to Dragon Sting (Atlee Bender, $3.72) for trainer Erv Miller in 1:53.4 and Gunmetal (T. McCarthy, $2.70) for Brett Pelling in 1:54.1.
Racing will continue through Sunday (Oct. 5), following a Sunday through Wednesday schedule. Fans and horsemen can look forward to 5:05 p.m. post times on Sundays, and 1:00 p.m. post times on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays throughout the meet.
(With files from The Red Mile)