Touching Promise Dances to Ballerina Victory
Image:
Description:
Photo: Four Footed Fotos
Touching Promise repeats in the Ballerina Stakes at Hastings.
Russell J. and Lois Bennett's homebred Touching Promise took control early and never looked back, rolling to an easy victory in the $100,000 Ballerina Stakes (Can-III) at Hastings Racecourse for the second consecutive year.
Sent off at 7-2 odds despite being the defending champion and coming into the race off two consecutive stakes wins at the track and at the Ballerina distance of 1 1/8 miles, Touching Promise left the gate just behind 2-1 favorite Lady Rosberg.
It wasn't long before Touching Promise took over af three turns, approaching the second of three turns while being chased by Lady Rosberg through a moderate 1:12.28 for six furlongs on a sloppy track. Keeping up her momentum into the stretch under Amadeo Perez, Touching Promise strode on out to the wire, widening her lead with every stride to win by 4 1/2 lengths.
The final time was 1:49.78.
Winning for the sixth time in 27 starts, 24 of which were at Hastings, Touching Promise paid $9.00, $4.50, and $2.90. Locket kicked in late to get second for the fifth straight time in stakes company, returning $4.60 and $2.60. Lady Rosberg held third, paying $2.40.
Touching Promise, a Touch Gold mare trained by Barbara Heads, was a front-running winner of the British Columbia Cup Distaff and Delta Colleen handicaps in her two most recent outings.
The Ballerina marked the end of a long and distinguished career for Gallyn Mitchell, Hasting's all-time leading rider who was aboard Lady Rosberg and had earlier announced his retirement effective Oct. 12.