Saturday, August 28, 2010
DYNASLEW RALLIES TO WIN BALLSTON SPA
By Jenny Kellner
Patiently ridden by Eibar Coa, the 4-year-old Dynaformer filly sat just two lengths behind Silver Reunion, who led the field of 10 fillies and mares through opening fractions of 23.44, 47.54 and 1:11.15 over the firm Inner Turf course. Silver Reunion straightened for home with a clear lead, but Dynaslew was just hitting her best stride and after battling briefly with the pacesetter, began edging to the front and hit the wire in 1:40.58 for the 1 1/16th miles.
“In the stretch, she just kept digging and digging and digging,” said Coa of Dynaslew, whose previous graded stakes victory came in the Grade 3 Beaugay at
The victory was the third in five starts this year for Dynaslew, who in her previous start finished fourth, beaten just a neck, by Proviso in the Grade 1 Diana at the Spa on July 31.
Trained by Seth Benzel for Live Oak Plantation, she earned $240,000 for the victory, nearly doubling her bankroll to $486,850. Overall, Dynaslew is 5-4-0 from 13 starts.
“I was real happy with our position,” said Benzel. “Eibar has ridden this horse to a ‘T.’ Dynaslew is a versatile filly who doesn’t need to have the lead … Eibar felt our filly had that option, but she didn’t need it to win. It’s a perfect union between the two.”
The homebred Dynaslew returned $17.60 for a $2 win bet.
De La Rose winner Miss Keller closed well on the far outside to gain third, a length back, and was followed under the wire by Danzon, Scolara, Strike the Bell, Maram, favored Phola, Cherokee Queen, and Mekong Melody.
“She’s probably a filly that needs a little softer ground,” said Todd Pletcher, trainer of the beaten favorite. “We were hoping with the rain earlier in the week that the ground would have more of a cut in it, but the course seems to be playing pretty firm today.”
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