Making his fifth appearance in the Memorial Day Handicap at Calder, Dancing Guy showed that at age 8 he still has what it takes to win. The gallant gray gelding demonstrated his trademark late stretch run and mowed down the leaders in the final strides to win the grade III race by a neck over Shotgun Fire. High Ideal, the even-money favorite, was third. Dancing Guy apparently has a penchant for winning on holidays, as his last victory came in the 2002 Americana Handicap on July 4. He also won the Memorial Day Handicap in 2000, not to mention the 1999 Thanksgiving Day Handicap. He is trained by his owner, 80-year-old Newcomb Green, who claimed Dancing Guy as a 3-year-old for $25,000. Monday's victory pushes the gelding's lifetime earnings to $849,548. The son of Robyn's Dancer was bred in Florida by Farnsworth Farms.Dancing Guy completed the 1 1/16 miles in 1:45 2/5 and paid $22.00, $7.60, and $4.00. Shotgun Guy was worth $10.80 and $4.40 and High Ideal paid $2.80
"Things went well for him today with the fast pace in front of him," Green said. "He was really rollin' at the end."(Chart, Equibase)
