DAYTON, OH. – Trainer Nancy Takter thought long and hard about giving Kissin In The Sand a week off after a convincing 1:49 win in the Milton Stake at Woodbine Mohawk outside Toronto last Saturday. But a change in plans, possibly caused by a realization that Hatfield Stables of Ohio co-owns the magnificent mare with Marvin Katz of Toronto, resulted in an epic battle with Shartin N and another 1:49 score in the $175,000 Dayton Distaff Derby on Saturday night (Oct. 3).
The 1:49 triumph equaled the Hollywood Dayton track record for older pacing mares, set three races sooner by Miss You N in a $25,000 Mares Open. Dexter Dunn was in the sulky behind both winning mares.
Shartin N (Tim Tetrick) set sail from the get go and cut all the fractions (:26.3, :54.2 and 1:21.2) before getting snapped by Kissin In The Sand a few steps from the finish line. The winner was content to get away fourth and stayed in that spot until past the three-quarters marker, despite moving into the outer flow in second over position before the halfway juncture. Caviart Ally (Andrew McCarthy) was third to cross the wire.
Kissin In The Sand was actually dispatched at odds of 4-5 over even money Shartin N and didn’t disappoint. The five-year-old daughter of Somebeachsomewhere now sports 23 wins in 54 lifetime starts and boosted her career bounty to $1,470,594.
From Hollywood Dayton Raceway