Sir Fidgity Wins Nail-Biter in Illinois Futurity

(from Hawthorne report)
John Wallace and Ron Armstrong's Sir Fidgity edged Persuaggle by a nose in a game stretch run of Saturday's $118,575 Jim Edgar Illinois Futurity.

Trained by Anthony Mitchell and ridden by jockey Larry Sterling Jr., Sir Fidgity stopped the clock in 1:47 for the 1 1/16-mile distance test for 2-year-old Illinois breds.

Setting the early fractions were Jaguar Friend and Jake's Fever as the two carved out the quarter in :24 and the half in :48. Sir Fidgity sat right behind those two while Persuaggle was only a few lengths further back while caught extremely wide in the first turn. As the field headed into the far turn, Sir Fidgity joined the leading duo as they went three quarters in 1:12 3/5.

Turning for home, Sir Fidgity took the lead, but Persuaggle, ridden by Eddie Perez, came to him with a huge rush and grabbed the lead by a half-length. Digging down, Sir Fidgity battled back and got up by a nose at the wire.

The win was the third in five starts for Sir Fidgity, all with Sterling aboard. The $71,145 winner's share in the Edgar boosted Sir Fidgity's earnings to $121,785 for his career.

Sir Fidgity returned $6.20, $4.00 and $2.40. Persuaggle came back $9.00 and $4.80 while Iron Rogue closed to finish third, paying $3.20 to show.

Sterling was pleased with Sir Fidgity's effort. "We were a little closer than I wanted to be but that's the way the track was playing today. When that horse came to me in the stretch (Persuaggle), he looked like he was going by me. My horse tends to goof around when he gets the lead, but when I was passed he really fought back."

(Chart, Equibase)