James E. and Marilyn Helzer’s EUROEARS (Langfuhr) remained perfect from six
starts when dismissing a graded-stakes quality field in Saturday’s $162,000
Duncan F.
Kenner S., one of six stakes events on Louisiana Derby Day at Fair Grounds.
Trained by Bret Calhoun and piloted by Ramsey Zimmerman, the 6-5 favorite
stalked the pace in second as Semaphore Man (Formal Gold) clocked splits of :22
and :45 3/5. Euroears cruised past the longtime leader in midstretch and
ultimately drew off by 3 1/4 lengths, completing the fast-track six furlongs in
1:09 1/5. The decisive winner paid $4.60, $3 and $2.10 while spearheading the
$14.80 exacta, $30.60 trifecta and $74.20 superfecta (3-6-2-1).
Semaphore Man finished a clear second, two lengths ahead of Noonmark (Unbridled’s
Song). King of the Roxy (Littleexpectations) checked in fourth in his seasonal
reappearance for Todd Pletcher, and Les Grands Trois (Officer) trailed
throughout. Roi Maudit (Elusive Quality) and Truelyonbroadway (Yes It’s True)
were withdrawn.
Euroears was bagging his third stakes victory, following scores in the F.W.
Gaudin Memorial S. and the grassy Colonel Power S. in his past two. The
four-year-old chestnut has now bankrolled $265,032. Bred in Kentucky by Gary E.
and Bonnie Peterson, Euroears is out of Grade 3 queen Unky and Ally (Heff).
In the $100,000
Bienville S. later on the afternoon, Richard Lister’s homebred
DANCEROFTHEREALM (GB) (King of Kings [Ire]) rallied late down the middle of the
course to garner her second straight stakes victory at Fair Grounds. Winner of
the Dr. A.B. Leggio Memorial S. in her previous outing, the Malcolm
Pierce-trained mare was overlooked at nearly 11-1 on Saturday and returned
$23.80, $10.40 and $6.80. Danceroftherealm now owns a 12-5-0-2 record with
$234,730 in earnings.
With Miguel Mena up, the five-year-old trailed at the back of the pack as
Princess Janie (Elusive Quality) established fractions in :22 1/5 and :47 before
giving way to Smitty’s Sunshine (Seeking a Home), who passed the five-eighths
mark in :58 4/5. Danceroftherealm let it all hang out in the final sixteenth of
a mile, closing fast on the far outside to win going away by 1 3/4 lengths.
Jazzy (Arg) (Mutakddim), the 2-1 favorite, came running late for second and paid
$4.20 and $3.80. It was a half-length back to the Kindling (Boundary), who gave
back $11.60 at 38-1.
Tres Dream (Chester House), Smitty’s Sunshine, Bewitching Miss (Sword Dance
[Ire]), Iron Lips (GB) (Iron Mask), Chagall (Successful Appeal), Taletobetold
(Tale of the Cat), Princess Janie and Stylish Wildcat (Forest Wildcat) rounded
out the order of finish following the defection of Spanish Ghost (Silver Ghost).
Bred in England, Danceroftherealm is out of the stakes-winning and Grade
2-placed Now Dance (Sovereign Dancer), making her a half-sister to stakes hero
Timetobewild (Time for a Change) and stakes vixen Touchnow (Pleasant Tap). She
has an unraced three-year-old half-brother named Naval Strike (Smart Strike).