Your Dancer Memorial crowns first time stakes winner

Perils Of Love(KY) held off challenges both early and late to grab a length and a half victory in this week’s Your Dancer Memorial. The five year old out of Afleet Alex posted a career best 105.1 speed enroute to his first career stakes victory. It was his fifteenth victory in his thirty eight career starts, and it brings his career earnings to the $231331 mark. His first stakes victory also edges him closer to a ranking in the Older Turf Sprint division, taking him to a rank of 1007 after the win. Winnings at the betting were somewhat slim, though the could have been worse with the third favorite winning. The winner paid $9.60 $4.20 $3.10 across the board. He also contributed to a $32.10 payout in the exacta and $71.30 in the trifecta.

Bert’s Prospect(ENG) broke out on top early, but wasn’t able to get much breathing space, with Perils Of Love(KY) running stride for stride with him, and Call Me Surely also close on the outside. At first call, the three were bunched within three quarters of a length, with another half length to the next nearest. Call Me Surely started dropping even as they approached the half, but Perils Of Love(KY) kept the pressure on, allowing Bert’s Prospect(ENG) only a scant half length cushion at the half . As they crossed the half, Perils Of Love(KY) turned up the heat, finally managing to edge past the leader as theey hit the third call. The stretch belonged to Perils Of Love, opening up the gap on the field, crossing the line a length and a half ahead of Bert’s Prospect(ENG) who held on to second place. Rising Tides(AUS) was closing furiously, closing nearly seven lengths in the second half before running out of ground, settling for third place, two and three quarters out.