BY BROCK SHERIDAN
Jockey Diego Herrera on Florida-bred Chicken Dance used a ground-saving trip in the second turn before steering into the two path at the top of the stretch to run down front-running Bolero Bay and win the $95,750 Not Surprising at Gulfstream Park Saturday. In producing his first career stakes victory, Chicken Dance was the best of nine 3-year-olds going a mile-and-a-sixteenth on the all-weather course, winning by a length-and-a-half ahead of Bolero Bay for the Florida-bred exacta.
Chicken Dance raced mid-pack, two lengths behind Bolero Bay through quarter-mile splits of :24, :48.33 and 1:12.29 but the comfortable pace was not enough to hold off a determined Chicken Dance. The gelded son of Neolithic, the ever-productive resident at Pleasant Acres Stallions, got to the front in deep stretch to finish in 1:42.66 on the fast track. Bolero Bay was two lengths clear of Khon Han in third followed by Moonstrocity, Florida-breds Nickel C, Justin Smiles and Move Jesse Move then Behold the Kind and Florida-bred Timshel.
Trained by Fernando Abreu, Chicken Dance paid $15.60 to win.
It was the second straight victory and fifth in seven starts for Chicken Dance, who entered the Not Surprising off a head victory in a first level allowance race for older Florida-breds going a mile on the turf at Gulfstream on April 24.
Making his first four starts at Gulfstream, Chicken Dance won first time out in a six-furlong maiden special weight in October. He returned in January after nearly three months off to take a $17,000 optional claiming starter allowance at six furlongs. Abreu switched him to the turf in February for his third race, but he finished third behind winning Florida-bred My Favorite Bird in a $35,000 optional claiming starter allowance going a mile-and-a-sixteenth. He then won under the same conditions going a mile on the turf on March 6 before traveling to Tampa Bay Downs for the $110,000 Lamholm South Sophomore against Florida-breds, finishing fourth behind winner Mr Mo’s Magic, again at a mile-and-a-sixteenth on the grass.
Chicken Dance has now earned $164,250 for owner Paterpop Racing.
Bred in Florida by Tom McCrocklin of Ocala, Chicken Dance is the last of six foals out of the Florida-bred mare Gator Hall, by Graeme Hall. Gator Hall has four winners from six starters including stakes-placed Florida-bred Windy City Red, by Chitu.
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