Garden Dancer entered to race!

Garden Dancer, the tough-as-nails nine-year-old gelding who can still compete successfully in claiming races, is entered to race later this afternoon in the 8th race at River Downs.

The event is a 5-1/2 furlong $4,000 claiming race. Here are the entries:

Post Position	Horse	A/S	Morning Line Odds
1	Cucina Nick	8/G	8-1
2	Dynomightrunaway	7/G	15-1
3	Kate's Trooper	6/G	10-1
4	Garden Dancer	9/G	4-1
5	Quick American	11/G	5-2
6	Gold Album	7/G	2-1
7	Iain'tmadatcha	6/G	6-1

As you can see, Garden Dancer is among the favorites. He has been very busy this year, having already raced nine times with three victories to his credit. He is most effective coming from off the pace, so quick fractions up front would greatly increase his chances of victory.

Quick American, the 5-2 morning line favorite, is definitely the horse to beat. He has been very consistent as of late, never turning in a poor performance and always finishing right in the mix of things. Interestingly, he has confronted Garden Dancer on four occasions this year -- and finished ahead of 'Dancer in all of them.

Also interesting is the fact that four of the seven horses in this field are emerging from the same race, the 2nd at River Downs on May 26th, a 5-1/2 furlong $4,000 claiming event just like today's race. The results were:

Finishing Position/Horse/Margin over next horse
1 Del Mar Storm (2 lengths)
2 Gold Album (nose)
3 Quick American (2 1/4 lengths)
4 Garden Dancer (8 3/4 lengths)
5 Cucina Nick (3 1/4 lengths)
6 Rhode to Silence

So basically, Garden Dancer is going to have to improve 2 1/4 lengths -- or Gold Album and Quick American regress 2 1/4 lengths -- in order for Garden Dancer to win. Can he do it? I'll be cheering him on!

-Keelerman