Cat Singer, making his first career start on turf, turned in a course record-setting performance in winning the featured $34,000 allowance/optional-claiming event Friday at Fair Grounds.Cat Singer completed about 5 1/2 furlongs on the Stall-Wilson turf course in 1:03.26 with the rail out 15 feet.Ridden by apprentice jockey James Graham, Cat Singer, dismissed at odds of 11-1, went to the front and never looked back, setting fractions of 22.26 for the quarter-mile and 45.48 for the half and holding off favored Wudantunoit by a half-length.The previous record of 1:03.37 was set by Beware Avalanche exactly four years ago Friday.The stakes winning Ohio-bred son of Sir Cat won in his 4-year-old debut for new trainer Toni Gabriel and posted his fifth victory in 10 lifetime starts, improving his earnings to $142,676 for owners Joe Sugar Jr. and Eugene Daniels.Cat Singer paid $24.40 to win.
(Chart, Equibase)