Star Dabbler gets off the mark

Grade 2 victor STAR DABBLER (Saint Ballado) sent out his first winner

Thursday evening when Aba Dabbler captured the 3RD race at Penn National.

Trained by Timothy Keefe and ridden by Craig Gibbs, the nearly 5-2 favorite

employed stalk-and-pounce tactics en route to her three-length decision. Aba

Dabbler, who had finished third in her July 1 debut, covered five furlongs on

the fast track in :59.

Star Dabbler broke his maiden by seven impressive lengths at Belmont Park in

the spring of his three-year-old campaign. Quickly following up with a

convincing allowance/optional claiming score, the Michael Hushion charge next

proved his class by checking in second in the 2006 King's Bishop S. (G1) at

Saratoga. Star Dabbler continued his progress in his two-turn bow in the Indiana

Derby (G2), setting the pace, being headed, and showing courage to come again to

force a dead heat on the wire. Unfortunately, that turned out to be his final

career start, and he retired with a record of 7-3-3-1, $319,936.

Star Dabbler is a full brother to stakes winner and sire Run Production. They

are out of Meadow Silk (Meadowlake), a half-sister to Canadian champion juvenile

filly Silken Cat (Storm Cat), who is herself the dam of champion sprinter and

successful young sire Speightstown (Gone West). This is the family of Grade 1

winners Mani Bhavan (Storm Boot), Turk Passer (Turkoman), Cherokee Colony

(Pleasant Colony) and Crusader Sword (Damascus).

The seven-year-old Star Dabbler stands at Richland Hills near Midway,

Kentucky, for $5,000, live foal.