Dancing Edie drives to game win in Ken Maddy

Grade 1 winner DANCING EDIE (Moscow Ballet) closed determinedly up the inside

and gamely outfinished runner-up Lady Gamer (Game Plan) to capture Wednesday's

$114,900 Senator Ken Maddy H. (G3), the opening-day feature of the Oak Tree at

Santa Anita meet. With Corey Nakatani guiding the way, the Craig Dollase-trained

mare notched her first victory in 2007 when completing about 6 1/2 furlongs over

the firm downhill course in 1:13 1/5.

Fantastic Spring (Fantastic Light) sprinted to the lead when the gates

opened, establishing fast early splits in :22 1/5 and :44 before retreating.

Dancing Edie was chasing the pace in midpack before angling to the inside for

the stretch drive, and she quickened noticeably to gain a short lead in deep

stretch. Lady Gamer offered a strong rally to her outside to just miss, edging

out third-placer Strong Faith (Pioneering) and fourth-placer Macadamia (Artax)

in a tight finish.

Off as the 5-1 second choice, Dancing Edie paid $12, $5.60 and $4.60. Lady

Gamer capped the $117.80 exacta ($1) at 22-1 and returned $23 and $10.80. It was

a neck back to the 6-1 Strong Faith, who closed boldly from far back in the

stretch, and another nose to the 63-1 Macadamia, another deep closer. Show

yielded $4.40, the $1 trifecta gave back $700, and the $1 superfecta (4-5-7-11) totaled

$10,802.90.

Clinet (Ire) (Docksider), Sophie's Trophy (Valid Wager), Runaway

Rosie (Include), Itsawonderfullife (Ire) (Danehill Dancer), Super Freaky (Smart

Strike), 8-5 favorite Attima (GB) (Zafonic) and Fantastic Spring completed the

order under the wire. Stylish Wildcat (Forest Wildcat), Spenditallbaby (Unusual

Heat) and True and True (Is It True) were withdrawn).

Bred by Fast Lane Farms and Donald Reiker, Dancing Edie is campaigned by

Julian Basin, Fast Lane Farms and J. Paul Reddam. The five-year-old bay's

scorecard reads 20-4-7-2 with a bankroll of $782,535. Winner of last year's John

C. Mabee H. (G1), Dancing Edie finished second in the Yellow Ribbon S. (G1),

Gamely Breeders' Cup S. (G1) and Fran's Valentine S. in 2006, as well as racking

up a third in the 2005 Del Mar Oaks (G1). She opened this season with a close

second in the Redondo Beach S. and recorded an unplaced effort in the CashCall

Mile Invitational S. (G2). She was exiting a runner-up in this year's Mabee.

Produced by the Slewpy mare Duchess of Ack, the winner is a half-sister to an

unraced juvenile filly named Dawn Star Rising (Decarchy) and a 2007 colt by Powerscourt (GB).