DEE TEE GETS FIRST BARN WIN AS KICKIN AWES IN CHICAGO
In dramatic style, Kickin N Screamin provided Dee Tee Stables with its' first victory as a racing concern Saturday, closing from 16 lengths back after a half mile to win by a length at the finish. The 5yo daughter of Chester House, sent off as 4th choice at 7-1, lagged early as Jose Velez bided his time and saved ground around the first turn as instructed by Chuck. The leaders made the half mile in a solid :47.3 and three-quarters in 1:12.0, which found Kickin 16.5 lengths back with little more than a half mile to run.
From there, Velez began to motivate KNS and ease her outside for the turn, and she responded with a relentless sustained run that pulled her to within 2 lengths of On a High Cloud (2-1) with an eighth of a mile to go. Once straightened for the drive by Velez, Kickin N Screamin again showed the late action that she displayed in her first Dee Tee start at Tampa and pulled away to hit the wire a widening length in front while finishing in a sharp :31.3.
The joy and delight from throng of Dee Tee partners and DTers in attendance was visible in the winner's circle and trophy (!) presentation, (not the least of which might have been brought about by the $16.80 win, $137 exacta and $680 trifecta mutuels). The victory comes in the 11th start for Dee Tee as a stable, and pushes the group's record to 1-4-1-1 dating back to April 2007 through the efforts of Sumwonlovesyou (6/0-3-0-1) and KNS (5/1-1-1-0).
The opportunity to get to the winner's circle today is of course thanks to Chuck, and this particular victory goes in no small part to assistant trainer T.C. who has worked with Kickin N Screamin from the time she was acquired last fall at Keeneland.
Everyone with any tie to Simon Racing, Dee Tee Stables and DerbyTrail.com shares in this win today as it has been a team effort in so many ways. I can't accurately relate what today's result means to me personally either, and won't try right now... Suffice to say that I think we collectively accomplished something a lot of people thought we could not do, and there is an extra measure of satisfaction in that.
Here is the link to the chart of the race:
http://www.drf.com/drfPDFChartRacesI...=20080517&RN=4
We will be getting win photos for everyone involved in Dee Tee and likely something else to commemorate the win.. Thanks to everyone for their support and enthusiasm.. Hope the day was special for those that had hoped to be a part of winning a horse race with their own horse.
Steve and Chuck
