by Paul Ramlow, USTA Internet News Manager

Lexington, KY — It took three heats, but Deweycheatumnhowe was a winner in the $684,000 Kentucky Futurity on Saturday at The Red Mile.

USTA/Mark Hall photo

Deweycheatumnhowe (2) edged past Celebrity Secret in the final strides of the $136,800 race-off to win in 1:59.3.

Owned by Ray Schnittker, Ted Gewertz, Charles Iannazzo, and the Deweycheatumnhowe Stable, Dewey and co-owner/trainer/driver Schnittker edged past Celebrity Secret (John Campbell) in the final strides of the $136,800 race-off to win by a head in 1:59.3.

Celebrity Secret cut the fractions in the race-off, hitting the quarter in :30.2, the half in 1:02, and the three-quarters in 1:33.1. Dewey pulled off the rail at the top of the stretch and these two raced side-by-side until the final strides, until Dewey just got up for the win.

The victory was the 21st in 23 lifetime starts for Deweycheatumnhowe. He has now earned $3,085,178 lifetime.

“After the first heat I was extremely confident and I wasn’t nervous but I should have been,” said Dewey’s co-owner Frank Baldassare. “So I think I screwed up by not being nervous and anxious. Maybe the horse felt it and said ‘this guy’s taking me for granted.’ Then the third heat I was nervous and it came right back to every other race — the feelings I had in all 18-19 races — nervous in just watching him — and it was tremendous!”

Celebrity Secret powered past first heat winner Deweycheatumnhowe in the stretch to win the $273,600 second heat of the Kentucky Futurity on Saturday at The Red Mile.

USTA/Mark Hall photo

Celebrity Secret (6) defeated Crazed (4) to win the $273,600 second heat of the Kentucky Futurity.

John Campbell was in the bike for trainer Staffan Lind as the Yankee Glide-Aimee’s Promise colt scored in 1:52.3 in winning for the sixth time this year and passed the $1 million mark in career earnings in the process.

Campbell sent Celebrity Secret right to the front in this race and was in command at the opening quarter in :27.4 with Clerk Magistrate second on the outside and Deweycheatumnhowe third. Clerk Magistrate took over the lead at the :56 half-mile marker and was engaged by a first-over Deweycheatumnhowe at the 1:24.4 three-quarter pole. Dewey took over the lead in the stretch, but was no match for Celebrity Secret who powered past the leader and tripped the timer in 1:52.3. Crazed also rallied for second, while Deweycheatumnhowe had to settle for third.

When asked if he thought his horse could win, owner Sam Stathis said, “Yes I did. I was a little concerned because Secret didn’t pop like I thought he would in the first heat. Dewey is a fantastic animal, he’s proved it over and over, but Secret is an amazing horse as well.”

Deweycheatumnhowe closed from far back at the top of the stretch to post his 20th lifetime win in taking the $273,600 first heat of the Kentucky Futurity.

USTA/Mark Hall photo

Deweycheatumnhowe (10) defeated Clerk Magistrate (9) to win the $273,600 first heat of the Kentucky Futurity.

The Muscles Yankee-Trolley Square colt scored in a time of 1:52.3 for co-owner/trainer/driver Schnittker.

Dewey started from the 10 hole and was ninth at the opening quarter as Crazed (Tim Tetrick) went to the front and cut the opening fraction in :27.1. Define The World (Paul MacDonell) came first over on the leader at the :55.1 half-mile marker, but Crazed remained strong and was still on top at the 1:24.1 three-quarter pole.

Meanwhile, Deweycheatumnhowe was still at the back of the back on the far turn, but came charging down the stretch on the far outside, only to be joined by Clerk Magistrate (Trevor Ritchie). These two raced as a tandem toward the wire, with Dewey just getting up for the win by a head. Make It Happen (Brian Sears) also rallied to finish third, while Crazed faded to sixth.

“In the early part of the race I was thrilled,” said Claire Chappell, wife of co-owner Ted Gewertz, “because Ray was coming from off the pace, and Ray has always said that Dewey would be better from behind. All we really needed to do was get a good post position for the second heat. Because Dewey is so big and strong I felt all along if it came down to three heats the advantage would be his.”