Florida-bred Dynaslew overtook the pacesetting Silver Reunion near the sixteenth pole and crossed the finish line half a length in front of that rival to win the $200,000 Ballston Spa Handicap (G2) at Saratoga on Saturday, her second career triumph in a graded stakes race.
Dynaslew, a homebred for Ocala’s Live Oak Plantation, had come up just short of a Grade 1 victory at Saratoga last month, finishing fourth in the Diana Stakes, just a neck behind the victorious Proviso, in a blanket finish. Dynaslew had set the pace in that race, but on Saturday, the 4-year-old Dynaformer filly stalked Silver Reunion in second place for much of the 1 1⁄16-mile race on a firm inner turf course.
Jockey Eibar Coa had Dynaslew about two lengths behind the leader as Silver Reunion carved out fractions of 23.44 seconds for a quarter-mile and 47.54 for a half. Dynaslew ranged up on the far turn to get within half a length of Silver Reunion at the top of the lane and gradually wore her down through the stretch, finishing in 1:40.58.
“In the stretch, she just kept digging and digging and digging,” said Coa. “She never stopped running.”
Dynaslew returned $17.60 for a $2 win bet as the sixth choice in a field of 10 fillies and mares. Silver Reunion finished a length in front of Miss Keller for the place. The favored Phola finished eighth, failing to rally after running toward the back of the pack early.
Dynaslew earned her first graded stakes win in the Beaugay Stakes (G3) at Belmont Park in May and was the runner-up to Shared Account in the All Along Stakes (G3) at Colonial Downs in June. She has five wins and four runner-up finishes from 13 career starts and has earned $365,852.
“I was real happy with our position,” said winning trainer Seth Benzel. “Eibar has ridden this horse to a T. Dynaslew is a versatile filly who doesn’t need to have the lead. Eibar felt our filly had that option, but she didn’t need it to win. It’s a perfect union between the two.”
–E-mail Nick Fortuna at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
– Photo of Florida-bred Dynaslew by Adam Coglianese
