Pep Stakes
6 furlongs Dirt Stake Purse $20.00 Fillies Three-Years-Old. At FON

1st      Sweating Bullets                  Panionios Racing          9-2 (HRP) *6-5 (SRF)

Well, our review correctly predicted Sweating Bullets the winner but expected her to be the favourite which she was not. She was instead the third betting choice and was brilliant in changing tactics for this event. This was her third straight win and third straight switch of approach. Two races back she stalked the pace in the Shesastonecoldfox never more than a length back never farther than third before making her move in the stretch. Then she went a battling wire-to-wire nose win in an allowance event and today laid a close five horses back before edging up around the far turn and taking over in the stretch. Nice versatile win for the young lass.

2nd      Smoochi                Acber Farms                  *9-5 (HRP) 7-5 (SRF)

As we expected, Smoochi was the main source of competition. It was no surprise she was installed the 9-5 favourite as she had a win in the $125.00 Sandpiper Stakes on her resume. In this race, she trailed the field to the far turn before starting her run and nearly timed it right, hitting the finish line but a nose short.

3rd     Dervish And Banges           Delta Farms               5-2 (HRP) 6-1 (SRF)

I was a bit surprised that Dervish And Banges was second favourite as I had her a 6-1 shot. Turns out the public had it right though as she moved into contention on the backstretch and fought it out to the finish line to be beaten only a nose in the photo.

4th      Dipstick                            The Sidley Stud                20-1 (HRP) 2-1 (SRF)

I’m stunned the other way with the odds as my 2-1 third choice, Dipstick was 20-1 on the tote board. She wasn’t all that terrible as she contested the race into the stretch and weakened in the late going.

Categories: STAKES ARTICLES, Ungraded