Photo of Keeps Miss Dixie and Brandon Bates by Dean Gillette
Keeps Miss Dixie and Brandon Bates used one big move to get to the finish line first Saturday, November 14 in the $18,000 Fillies and Mares Open 2 Pace. The duo rallied home in :26.4 for the win in 1:52.2.
Keeps Miss Dixie began from post five and that is where she got away, sliding over to the inside behind others as Droppin Bikinis and Joe Putnam used their inside post to their advantage and got the early lead to the quarter in :26.3. It wasn’t long before Kaks The Boss and Atlee Bender were on the move, taking over at the half in :55.3. This prompted others behind her to also move to the outside with Keeps Miss Dixie picking up cover behind JK’s Spirit and Jordan Ross.
The field was tightly bunched around the final turn and Keeps Miss Dixie stayed in the two path as long as she could before moving three wide to get into position for the stretch drive. Once she had clearance she went to work, rolling past opponents and getting the lead, stretching out to a one and one-quarter length advantage at the wire. Teelatini and John DeLong also closed gamely on the outside for second followed by Reason to Shine A and LeWayne Miller for third.
Keeps Miss Dixie paid $15.60 for the win. The three-year-old daughter of Keep It Real is owned by Fought Racing, Brian Carsey, and Sara Haynes. Walter Haynes Jr. trains the filly, who was bred by Samuel and Joanne Samples.
It was the eighth win of the year for Keeps Miss Dixie, who now has 10 career wins from 35 starts. She was close to her career best with the win Saturday, just two ticks off her mile set earlier this fall in 1:52.0. She has been with the Haynes Jr. barn her entire career and now has more than $158,000 in earnings. She was a second place finisher earlier this year in the $250,000 Indiana Sires Stakes Super Final.
In the very next race, tough race mare Can’ttouchthese and John DeLong scored a convincing win in the $22,000 Fillies and Mares Open Pace, stopping the timer in 1:52.2. The four-year-old JK Endofanera filly used two moves during the mile before taking over in the stretch and striding out to the two and one-half length win over Angel Hill and Trace Tetrick. Jules Hill and Jordan Ross finished third.
Can’ttouchthese paid $5.20 for the win. She is owned by breeders William DeLong, Wm. Patrick DeLong, and Doug Riccolo. It was her ninth win of the season and her 26th overall. Her earnings tally is now over the $700,000 mark and she is a member of the sub 1:50 club, taking her 1:49.2 mark earlier this year at Harrah’s Hoosier Park.
