Matt James Wins $10,000 in DerbyWars Saturday $25,000 Game
It’s all too often said, “what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas,” but on Saturday Matt James (Ontopya) was begging What Stays in Vegas to stay in the winner’s circle. This week’s Saturday $25,000 Game ended up with a thrilling and dramatic finish extending beyond the wire. One hundred thirteen players went toe-to-toe for a $10,000 top prize including a valuable entry into the DerbyWars October $100,000 Game. Thirteen races from Belmont, Keeneland and Santa Anita set the stage, the last of which hosting some tense moments and ultimately providing a victor.
The rest of the field, let alone James himself, could hardly foresee such a furious rally as the one he made late in the contest. After picking up a square place price on Approvethismessage ($11.40) in Keenland’s sixth race, the contest opener, James watched the field separate itself. For the next five races, he saw his horses finish out of the money, and while the results were chalky, he was quickly losing ground. As Keeneland’s ninth race, the seventh contest race, approached James figured out there was no possible reason Her Emmynency should have been seventeen to one and took advantage of it. When Her Emmynency took down Keeneland’s Grade I Queen Elizabeth II in dramatic fashion, James found himself back in contention, and contend he did.
James added Moyo Honey ($18.20) in the ninth, Battleback John ($9.00) in the tenth and came into the thirteenth and final chasing Roger Ball (Nj_mustang) who was ahead of James by $18.90. The one mile turf race at Santa Anita gave James options and he used them to his advantage. Stays in Vegas was seven to one, the perfect price to slingshot him to first with the leader on favorite Lucky Folie. In a driving stretch battled, Stays in Vegas edged Lucky Folie and longshot Mirage, but not without plenty of contact. The way things stood, with Stays in Vegas winning and Luckie Folie second, James would be the champion, but the inquiry sign lit up with the top three flashing.
For the next eight to ten minutes, possibly the longest eight to ten minutes of Jame’s life, the California stewards contemplated their action in the matter. Even without having stock in the race, the decision was agonizing, but when track announcer Trevor Denman came on to announce there would be no change to the winner and Lucky Folie would be placed third, James had officially rallied to take the Saturday $25,000 Game. Stays in Vegas stayed in the winner’s circle and $10,000 would stay in Matt James’ pocket.
1st Place - Matt James (Ontopya) - $10,000
2nd Place - Michael M (Herekittykittykitty) - $5,000
3rd Place - Roger Ball (Nj_mustang) - $2,875
4th Place - Barbara Bowley (Sophia) - $1,900
5th Place - Edward Peters (Fantini33) - $1,765
6th Place - Travis Reese (Tsreese) - $875
7th Place - Pete Leggero (Raffie) - $650
8th Place - Whitey Proietti (Whiteyp) - $635
9th Place - Jade Bamford (Jaderok72) - $350
10th Place - Terry Hay (Walletlifter) - $350