Miss Fancy Nancy and Atlee Bender turned their winning performance into a fiesta during Cinco de Mayo at Oak Grove. The duo won by open lengths in a time of 1:52.3 in the $14,000 conditioned optional claimer.
Two Indiana horses started side by side from post one, featuring Ponda Eagle, and post two with Miss Fancy Nancy. Bender had Miss Fancy Nancy ready to take off when the gate opened and was the first horse called by Track Announcer Peter Kleinhans. However, Ponda Eagle and Marcus Miller took a few extra steps to get going before powering out and taking over the lead heading into the first turn. Miss Fancy Nancy was taken back to third as the field passed by the quarter in :27.1. Miss Fancy Nancy was then out and on the move to take over in front of the grandstand the first time, sliding over with ease heading into the second turn. Once on the lead, Miss Fancy Nancy relaxed into her leadership role and had full control of the field.
In the final turn, horses began to reposition themselves for the stretch drive. However, Miss Fancy Nancy had a lot of pace, striding home in :28.1 for the win by one and three-quarter lengths under wraps. Lyons Spirit and Darrell Moore moved up late to finish second while Ponda Eagle, a son of Capt Midnight, finished third.
Miss Fancy Nancy was the favorite of the field, paying $3.02 for the win. The four-year-old daughter of JK Endofanera is owned by A Piece of the Action Stable and trained by Wayne Oke.
A Sires Stakes contender last year at Harrah’s Hoosier Park, Miss Fancy Nancy picked up her first win of 2026 in the effort. She now has nine wins and nearly $300,000 in earnings. Her career best time of 1:50.2 was taken last summer at Harrah’s’ Hoosier Park. Duane Miller and Gene Borkholder bred and raised the mare, who is the last Indiana sired foal from the Somebeachsomewhere mare Singit Like Aretha. She has a half sister named Alwaysanun with a mark of 1:52.3 and earnings of more than $182,000.
