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Texas Fever knocks off rivals in Kentucky Cup Juvenile Stonerside Stables' homebred TEXAS FEVER (Victory Gallop) resiliently withstood the late rally of Chitoz (Forest Wildcat) to win Saturday's $100,000 Kentucky Cup Juvenile (G3). The Michael Stidham-trained juvenile pressed the pace in the four path until surging to a clear lead in midstretch, but the bay colt wasn't home free. Under the urgings of jockey Julien Leparoux, Texas Fever gamely held by a neck, winning his stakes debut in the process. He completed 1 1/16 miles over Turfway Park's Polytrack in 1:44 4/5. A 5 3/4-length maiden winner in his previous start at Arlington Park, Texas Fever returned $7.80, $4.20 and $3.40 as the 5-2 second choice. Chitoz, who just missed as the narrow 5-2 favorite, gave back $4 and $3.60 and capped the $31.60 exacta. It was 2 1/2 lengths back to the near 5-1 Blackberry Road (Gone West), who finished well for third after being steadied entering the stretch and paid $3.80. The trifecta yielded $146.20, and the 8-9-7-2 superfecta, with the 14-1 Horse Doctor (Horse Chestnut [SAf]) another two lengths back in fourth, was $1,687.40. Pulaski Runner (Tale of the Cat), T. J.'s Posse (Posse), Shekinah (Johannesburg), Delaware Manor (Delaware Township), Poni Colada (Volponi) and Citizen John (Proud Citizen) rounded out the order of finish. The Kentucky-bred winner hails from the unraced Fortyniner Fever (Forty Niner), who also produced the three-year-old filly Bold Angel (Cat Thief), winner of this year's Sam Houston Oaks; a yearling filly by Forest Wildcat; and a 2007 filly by Saint Liam. The 12-year-old mare is out of Angel Fever (Danzig), which makes her a half-sister to 2000 Kentucky Derby (G1) winner and successful sire Fusaichi Pegasus (Mr. Prospector). Texas Fever improved his mark to 4-2-0-1, $80,460, and is now probably headed to the October 27 Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1).
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