Philadelphia Jim Takes Muddy Dancing Count

Michael Gill's Philadelphia Jim splashed his way to an easy victory in the $60,000 Dancing Count Stakes Wednesday at Laurel Park.

The win was the third of the day for owner Gill, who won 110 races at Laurel and Pimlico in 2002, and ranked second in the nation with 228 victories.

Philadelphia Jim, under jockey Ramon Dominguez, grabbed the lead from the start and covered the muddy six-furlong distance in 1:10.5. He crossed under the wire 3-1/2 lengths the better of Gimmeawink. For Gold finished third.

Philadelphia Jim was a popular $3.80 winner with the New Year's Day holiday crowd. The Dancing Count Stakes was restricted to 3-year-olds.

"This is a very promising young horse," Dominguez said. "He does things so easily, which really excites me. He has the attitude of an older horse and that is really going to take him a long way. He was handling the surface with no trouble at all and running easily the entire trip. I moved my hands on him slightly at the top of the lane. He changed leads and drew off at will. He's a very fast horse."

"We were a little worried about the mud because he acts like he doesn't want to train in it but he sure handled it, so we're happy," trainer Jerry Robb said. "I'm very happy with the way he ran."

The Kentucky-bred son of Mr. Greeley, bred by Charles Jacobi, was sold for $300,000 at the Ocala Breeders' Sale in February. He won for the second time in three starts while more than doubling his career earnings to $66,800.

(Chart, Equibase)