Favorite Takes Panhandle Derby

The highlight race this past weekend in Florida, and the fifteenth race on Saturday’s card was the mile and one eighth Panhandle Derby. The race would be run over the turf and was open to three year olds. A hurricane off the coast of Florida during the weekend made the conditions windy, but the storm stayed off shore enough to keep the rain at bay. Eleven horses drew into this years Panhandle Derby, all them them loading easily into the starting gate just before the race, though obviously some slightly uneased by the increasing wind. Then the tense moments began until the starting gates would crash open.

The gates flew open and it was P Parazi, owned by wispa out ot a lead over ceclaim13 trained Pieces Of A Dream (IRE) by two lengths. Three and one-fourth lengths back in third was pjlracing owned second betting choice Unintentionally. Running along in fourth and fifth was Arazihwan (AUS) and Leonidas (IRE), trained and owned by foxmax and spqr, respectively. Trailing the field early on in the race by eight and one-fourth lengths was Wooden Mast. trained by rrlogans.

P Parazi then lengthened his lead to three lengths over Pieces Of A Dream (IRE). Still in third was Unintentionally with Leonidas (IRE) now moving up into fourth, pushing back Arazishwan (AUS) into fifth. Still holding on in sixth was devarto trained Tower Court with Ruin, owned by theagakan right behind in seventh. Dropping back in eighth was belsup trained Luna Twist with post time favorite tenpin8 owned Dancing Tenpin (IRE) beginning to make a slight move now and currently in ninth. Dropping back into tenth was Daskamaraan (IRE), trained by horsestab with Wooden Mast still trailing the field.

P Parazi was beginning to loose his lead now which was now cut to two and a half lengths with Pieces Of A Dream (IRE) right behind. Unintentionally still clung on to third with Leonidas (IRE) in fourth. Making a big move now and rocketing into fifth was Ruin (IRE) with Tower Court struggling in sixth. Also making a big move on the inside was Dancing Tenpin (IRE) who was now up into seventh but was gaining with every stride. Also making a move from last and into eighth was Wooden Mast. Dropping back to the last of the pack was Luna Twist, Daskamaraan (IRE) and Arazishwan (AUS).

Then the field came charging towards the wire, they were in the final furlongs with P Parazi losing ground quickly on the rail and challengers Dancing Tenpin (IRE) and Wooden Mast both shooting forward toward the lead. They were at the wire now and it was race favorite Dancing Tenpin (IRE) to take the win by two and one-fourth lengths under jockey A. Darling with a speed figure of one hundred seven in a time of 1:48. The one hundred seven speed figure run by Dancing Tenpin (IRE) was a lifetime best for the chestnut son of Theatrical (IRE). Crossing the wire in second was Ruin (IRE) with Wooden Mast finishing third.

Also rans include: Leonidas (IRE), Unintentionally, P Parazi, Tower Court, Pieces Of A Dream (IRE), Luna Twist, Daskamaraan (IRE) and Arazishwan (AUS).