Ide Ball Digs Deep at Fair Grounds

Midwest Thoroughbreds’ Ide Ball alternated for the early lead and then withstood two late challenge to capture Sunday’s $51,000 allowance optional $50,000 claiming feature at Fair Grounds by a head.

The winner, trained by Tom Amoss, responded to a determined ride from Fair Grounds’ leading jockey Rosie Napravnik to tour the six-furlong distance in 1:10.79, increase his career earnings to $388,705 with his 14th lifetime win in 39 career starts and return mutuels of $7.80, $4.40 and $2.80.

Dan Lynch, Ken Sentel and Merrill Scherer’s Goodtimehadbyall launched a bold late bid to gain the place, paying $11.60 and $6 while finishing a half-length in front of Thoroughbred Legends Racing Stable’s Moonlark, who returned $2.80 to show.

Richard, Bertram and Elaine Klein’s Homerun Berti dueled with the winner early to alternate setting early splits of 22.01 and 45.39 before tiring late.