Safety Zone Upsets In Peach State Classic

The highlight race this past weekend in Georgia was the Peach State Classic (G3) run over a mile and a quarter. A full field drew into the race this weekend, all loading into the starting gates into what would be an uneventful prelude to the exciting race that would follow.

When the gates crashed open it was Band Seeker, owned by b4rca, in the lead by a slight head over Myledes (IRE), trained by ets9. One-fourth length back to third was win owned Divine Inspiration. Racing along in fourth and fifth was Endurance Key and Safety Zone, trained and owned by geewestink and catamount2 respectively. Out of the gate last and trailing the leader by seven and three-fourth lengths was Summer Slew, trained by capitanio.

Band Seeker increased his lead over the competition to one length with Divine Inspiration now in second and Endurance Key in third. Dropping out of it and into fourth was Myledes (IRE) with Safety Zone still in fifth. Moving up one place into eleventh making his move early was seppy owned and trained New York Thunder, putting corza5 owned Buddha’s Undies back into twelfth. Still trailing the field, now back by twelve and three-fourths lengths was Summer Slew.

Coming in the turn into the stretch it was Endurance Key who gained the lead by a head over Band Seeker. Safety Zone was making his run and was now up to third from the outside. In fourth and fifth were Divine Inspiration and the favorite, karen owned Formulated Risk (GB) was beginning to make his move, charging up into fifth and gaining. Falling back into sixth and losing ground was Myledes (IRE). Vicki trained Fly Buda had fallen back into seventh with Storming Through, trained by super10 along in eighth. Moving up into ninth was New York Thunder with longshot Laudum, owned by zoshka, fading into tenth. Losing ground in eleventh was Pacific Avenue, trained by firfight10. Holding ground in twelfth was Buddha’s Undies with Kansas City Lights, trained by bearcub not giving away any ground. Still trailing the field and back by fifteen and a half lengths coming for home was Summer Slew.

Now the field came charging to the wire, the race almost at its end and it was an upset by Safety Zone to win by two and a half lengths with jockey D. Post riding setting a speed figure of one hundred sixteen, a lifetime best for the chestnut son of Spinning World. Owner/Trainer catamount2 was elated with the win. Along in second was Endurance Key with Band Seeker in third.

Also rans include: Formulated Risk (GB), Divine Inspiration, New York Thunder, Storming Through, Fly Buda, Kansas City Lights, Summer Slew, Buddha’s Undies, Myledes (IRE), Pacific Avenue, and Laudum.