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Photo by Coady Photography.
by Frank Vespe
For the improving Start Line, the future may be starting right now.
The four-year-old Jump Start gelding rolled to a nearly-three-length win Saturday night at Charles Town in a $27,000 allowance test, giving him two straight victories and pushing his season earnings past the $100,000 mark. And it marked the fourth straight race — including the West Virginia Breeders Classic, in which he finished third — in which Start Line has finished in the money.
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Saturday’s win might have been the most impressive of Start Line’s career.
The rugged field included multiple stakes winner Dynamic Strike, 2016 Caixa Eletronica Handicap winner Judge Carr, and millionaire Lucy’s Bob Boy. Lucy’s Bob Boy, a seven-year-old who has won 26 races in his fabulous career, was making his first start since finishing seventh in an allowance over the strip in June.
Saturday, Lucy’s Bob Boy — following his time-tested script — grabbed the early lead under jockey Wilfredo Santiago. The Sandra Dono trainee took the field through a quarter-mile in 23.95 seconds and a half in 47.65, maintaining a one-length lead at each marker. Judge Carr, with Jose Montano up, was his closest pursuer after the half.
Meanwhile, Start Line was biding his time in fourth after a half-mile, a couple of lengths behind the speed. Shortly thereafter, he began to make his move while three wide around the turn.
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Leaving the far turn, Start Line put his head in front, and he steadily widened his lead from there. Lucy’s Bob Boy, meanwhile, tired in the late stages to finish fourth, five lengths behind the winner. Judge Carr held second, while Dynamic Strike rallied for third.
Start Line is a family affair, indeed. He was bred by Tim and Judith Grams, is owned by their Grams Racing Stable LLC, and is trained by Tim Grams. Bred in West Virginia, Start Line is out of the stakes-placed Silver Ghost mare Silver Buckle.
Start Line paid $7.60 to win as the 2.80-1 third choice and topped an exacta worth $25. He now has seven wins from 19 career starts, with earnings of $183,024.
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