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My Afleet outduels Medal Count in Dueling Grounds Derby Saturday's inaugural running of the $250,000 Dueling Grounds Derby lived up to its name with an epic battle between brave front runner My Afleet and 7-5 favorite Medal Count. Although headed by Medal Count down the stretch, the 8-1 chance exhibited the heart of a lion in his stakes debut. Refusing to flinch after Medal Count fired his best shot, My Afleet responded with a last-gasp volley of his own to prevail by a pixel. Jeffrey S. Amling and Merriefield Farm's My Afleet was last seen wiring older foes in a 1 1/2-mile allowance at Saratoga, and the James Lawrence II charge presented no mystery about his tactics here. The gelded son of Afleet Alex soon shrugged off early pace rival Laddie Boy and dictated terms beneath Leandro Goncalves. Woodfield Springs crept into a stalking role, and Medal Count followed him through to improve his position down the picturesque backstretch at Kentucky Downs. Global View likewise took closer order as the field rounded the far turn. Swinging into the long homestretch, My Afleet braced for the inevitable challenges. The most dangerous of all was offered by Medal Count, who dove through on the inside in a potentially decisive move. But My Afleet showed unswerving resolve, and the two pulled well clear of the rest in a virtual match race to the wire. My Afleet forced his nostril ahead in time to finish 1 5/16 miles on firm turf in 2:14 and returned $19. Can'thelpbelieving, the 5-2 second choice, rallied belatedly for third, four lengths astern of the duelists. Global View tired to fourth, trailed by Captain Dixie, Rankhasprivileges, Woodfield Springs and the tailed-off Laddie Boy. Proud Azteca and Pumpkin Rumble were scratched. My Afleet's scorecard now stands at 9-3-2-1, $268,860. Unplaced in his two outings as a juvenile, the gray broke his maiden in his second try this season, but first-ever turf attempt, at Keeneland April 6. He took four tries to clear his entry-level allowance condition. Caught by Can'thelpbelieving in a 1 3/8-mile event at Saratoga July 18, he prevailed at that level next time at the Spa on August 10, and earned his way into stakes company here. Bred by Amling and C. Noell in Kentucky, My Afleet was produced by the winning Lasting Approval mare My Own Story, a half-sister to stakes victor Voy Por Uno Mas. Earlier in the $200,000 Kentucky Downs Juvenile, Goncalves employed diametrically opposite tactics to great effect aboard Croninthebarbarian. Held up last in the 10-horse field in the opening stages, the Garry Simms trainee overpowered longtime leader and 9-5 favorite Luck of the Kitten in deep stretch. Croninthebarbarian surged two lengths clear in a final time of 1:26 for seven grassy furlongs. Luck of the Kitten crossed the wire 3 1/4 lengths to the good of Czar, who grabbed third in a photo with Skerkis and Reality. A homebred racing for Ol Memorial Stable, Croninthebarbarian paid $10.40 as the 4-1 second choice. The Stroll colt was third in his unveiling on the Churchill Downs dirt, but thrived on the switch to turf in a July 20 Ellis Park maiden. Despite getting roughed up at the start, he rolled to a 4 3/4-length decision, and continued his progress on Saturday to up his line to 3-2-0-1, $143,500. The Kentucky-bred is out of the Tale of the Cat mare Sweet Ober Melissa, from the further family of 1987 Irish Derby hero Sir Harry Lewis. The $204,800 Kentucky Downs Juvenile Fillies provided the venue for Nicky's Brown Miss to break her maiden in her fifth start. In the process, she gave owner/co-breeder Savino Capilupi his first career win as a trainer. The seven-furlong affair got off on an unfortunate note when So Cal, the 5-2 second choice, went amiss a few strides from the gate and fell. The debut Saratoga maiden winner was then vanned off, at last report, in distress. Meanwhile, Nicky's Brown Miss was reserved just off the contested pace set by To Be Determined. Aunt Sherri, another close stalker, took a slim lead in the stretch, but had no answer to the late thrust of Nicky's Brown Miss. Perfectly ridden as a pick-up mount by Francisco Torres, the 8-1 shot rallied to a 2 3/4-length victory and furnished a $19.60 payout. Late Spring, the slight 5-2 favorite, was along for third, and To Be Determined faded to fourth of the 11 who finished. Nicky's Brown Miss boosted her bankroll to $133,180 from her 5-1-0-2 record. The daughter of Big Brown was a well-beaten sixth in both of her outings on the Monmouth Park dirt, but showed much more on the grass. She was an encouraging third at Belmont on July 10, and garnered black-type when third again in the August 10 Colleen back at Monmouth. Bred by Capilupi in partnership with the Big Brown Syndicate, Nicky's Brown Miss was twice an RNA at the sales. She was led out unsold for $67,000 as a Keeneland September yearling and for $80,000 at OBS this March. The bay is the first registered foal from the multiple stakes-placed Successful Appeal mare Nicksappealinglady, who hails from the immediate family of multiple Grade 1 star and $1.9 million-earner Ladies Din. Bet Horseracing Free Online at TwinSpires.com
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