SV Photography
By Sarah Mace
Breakin the Fever (Roaring Fever), who is bred, owned and trained by Debra Breed, proved once again that he rules the roost at Finger Lakes Gaming & Racetrack, where he has twice been named Horse of the Year.
On Monday, the 5-year-old gelding posted his third straight victory in the featured $50,000 Leon Reed Memorial Stakes. This was his eighth stakes win and twentieth win in 32 career starts. He is 17 for 20 at Finger Lakes.
Bettors felt that Breakin the Fever was facing some serious competition in the Leon Reed, sending him off as the slender second choice (1.80-1) behind the speedy Foreset (1.70-1).
Breaking from post five with regular rider Nazario Alvarado in the irons, Breakin the Fever vied with Saratoga Giro (7-2) to his inside for the lead, but Foreset, who broke slowly out of post one, rushed up the fence to take a one-length lead by the first point of call (22.16).
Second by a length along the back stretch and into the turn, Breakin the Fever confronted Foreset at the head of the lane while Saratoga Giro closed from third.
In the final furlong, Breakin the Fever dug a little deeper, gained a clear lead and drew off to win by 2 lengths. Saratoga Giro in second finished 2 3/4 lengths in advance of Peter’s Project. Foreset was fourth, followed by Sundae On Sunday and Zoo Yorker. The final time for six furlongs over the sloppy (sealed) track was 1:10.87. [VIDEO REPLAY]
Breakin the Fever is one of four winners from four foals to start out of Breakers West, a winning daughter of Rodeo owned and bred in New York by Francis Casey and trained by Breed.
The gelding, who has earned $564,997, has held top form for three racing seasons and gets generous 6-7 month breaks each winter. He does his best work on the lead, but is versatile, able to win from just off the pace as on Monday, or even rallying from mid-pack. Breakin the Fever’s top career performance came in the 2016 Hudson Handicap at Belmont, when he defeated multiple graded stakes-placed runner and millionaire Weekend Hideaway by a half-length.
The Leon Reed Memorial is named in honor of the Finger Lakes assistant starter who tragically died following a starting gate accident in November 19, 2005. Reed was 47 and worked at Finger Lakes for 21 years.
