Danny A. Limongelli’s BANJO PICKER (Swear By Dixie) overcame a stretch-long
duel and an inquiry to shock the field in taking the $112,000
Gravesend H. (G3)
at Aqueduct on Sunday. Trained by Steve Krebs, the gelding broke sharply and led
the field through splits of :22, :45 1/5 and :57 2/5 before finishing up six
furlongs on the fast track in 1:10 under Tara Hemmings. As the 47-1 longest shot
in the field, Banjo Picker returned $96, $45.60 and $21.40
Pioneer Empire (Pioneering) fought gamely with the winner throughout the lane
but came up short on the bob at the wire, settling for the place a head back.
The 45-1 shot was worth $33.40 and $18.20 while completing the healthy $1,234
exacta. Saay Mi Name (Not For Love) closed strongly along the rail but could not
pass the top pair, settling for the show another neck behind. The chestnut
returned $7.80 at 7-1 and was on the bottom of the $7,239 trifecta.
Super Fuse (Lite the Fuse) was a closing fourth, completing the 1-2-5-9
superfecta which paid $12,810, and was trailed by Introspect (In
Case), Acclimate (Forestry), Spooky Mulder (Brunswick), Exciting Metro (Carson
City), Presidentialaffair (Not For Love) and 9-5 choice Smokume (Smoke Glacken).
Clever Electrician (Clever Trick) was withdrawn.
Banjo Picker moved his lifetime mark to 25-8-4-3 with earnings of $241,374.
The bay five-year-old took the Lyman Sprint Championship H. earlier this year
and also owns placings in the Devil’s Honor H. and Vincent Moscarelli Memorial H.
The winner was bred in Pennsylvania by Elizabeth R. Houghton and was
produced from the winning Sean’s Gold (U. S. Flag). Banjo Picker counts a 2005
filly named Silhouette Island (Patton) as a half-sister.