by Ken Weingartner, Harness Racing Communications

Ken Weingartner

Freehold, NJ — Feel Like A Fool was feeling like a winner at The Red Mile in Lexington.

The 2-year-old gelding pacer won both his Red Mile starts, taking last weekend’s $146,000 division of the International Stallion Stakes by a neck over Fashion Delight in 1:50.4 and his $129,000 division of the Bluegrass by 1-1/4 lengths over Prana in a lifetime best 1:49.4 two weeks ago.

“He had a couple good hits down there,” trainer George Teague, Jr. said. “Whenever he stays flat, he’s a contender, that’s for sure.”

Staying on stride has been one of the few things to slow down Feel Like A Fool, who has won five of nine races and earned $453,149 this season. Despite making breaks in three starts, he has never finished worse than third.

USTA/Mark Hall photo

Feel Like A Fool was a winner this past Saturday in a division of the International Stallion Stakes at The Red Mile.

Feel Like A Fool won his first three races — a division of the Tompkins-Geers at Tioga Downs and twice on the New York circuit, in the Sires Stakes at Batavia and the State Fair Stakes at Vernon — before going off stride early and finishing third in a division of the Nassagaweya at Mohawk.

He was second in his elimination for the Metro Pace and second in the final, as well. He then went off stride twice in a New York Sire Stakes event and was second, beaten by a length and a quarter.

“He’s raced against Grand Circuit-type horses and if he can stay upright and get a clear path, get his race, he’s got a great turn of speed,” Teague said. “The front end is not his forte.”

Feel Like A Fool, who was purchased as a yearling for $30,000 at the Standardbred Horse Sale, is owned by Teague, Kovach Stables and Ted Gewertz. He is a son of Art Major-Fool That I Am and his third dam, I’m No Fool, is the mother of 2003 Breeders Crown champion I Am A Fool and multiple-stakes-winner Cam’s Fool.

Teague was uncertain about Feel Like A Fool’s future this year, although he might supplement the horse to the Matron Stakes at Dover Downs next month. The horse is not eligible to the Governor’s Cup at Woodbine Racetrack (eliminations Saturday; final November 6).

“You make your (stakes) payments in March and April and May and it was a little bit difficult to make them,” Teague said. “He was never easy (to work with). He’s wired a little bit different than a lot of horses. You have to be extremely careful in how you hook your cart and need the right amount of people attending to him.

“He’s getting better, but you still have to be real careful with him. I think he’s going to learn. I’m hoping he matures and outgrows a little bit of it. He’s always been funny about what he sees. If you just keep him occupied, he’s always had a big level of speed.”