Kant Hurry Love catches gets up in the final stride of Sunday’s Dancin Renee Stakes at Belmont Park. NYRA Photo/Susie Raisher
By Melissa Bauer-Herzog
It looked like Grannys Connection would be an all-the-way winner of the $125,000 Dancin Renee Stakes at Belmont Park Sunday, but a last-second surge by Kant Hurry Love spoiled the party.
Bred by Dr. John and Laura McDermott, the 4-year-old Kantharos filly won her stakes debut. She got her nose out of the gate first in the 6-furlong dirt race for New York-bred fillies and mares and settled just behind Grannys Connection through a :22.72 first quarter. Grannys Connection started pulling away on the turn and looked like she was home free, but started to falter as they entered the final furlong and Kant Hurry Love took advantage.
Set down to go after the leader, Kant Hurry Love grinded to the front and pulled even with Grannys Connection just before the wire. Only a few strides later, she had her head in front with a brief photo-finish inspection officially naming her the winner over Grannys Connection by a nose after 1:10.40. Sterling Silver ran out of ground and settled for third, three-quarters of a length behind the top two.
“This is a really nice filly,” jockey Trevor McCarthy said. “The first time I rode her, I picked her up at the draw and she won really easily at Aqueduct – just playing with them. Today was definitely a big step up for her, but she showed the ability in the morning and afternoon.”
It was a fifth win and 14th top-three finish in 16 starts for Kant Hurry Love, who increased her earnings to $367,750. Trained by David Duggan for Ken Wheeler Jr., the filly has won four of her last six starts, three at Aqueduct since coming off a short layoff Jan. 6.
Duggan eyes a stakes start at Saratoga with the Union Avenue Handicap Aug. 11 looking likely.
“This was a testing ground to find out if we belonged or if we’re just a winter filly,” he said. “So, we’ll re-evaluate and make sure she comes out of it OK, but based on what I saw today there’s no reason she shouldn’t go there.”
Agent Debbie Easter bought Kant Hurry Love for $40,000 from consignor Fort Christopher’s Thoroughbreds at the 2020 Fasig-Tipton selected yearlings showcase as the first foal out of the Langfuhr mare She’s All Love. Also bred in New York by the McDermotts, She’s All Love is a half-sister to stakes winners Candid Desire and Bonus Points. Candid Desire also hails from the New York-bred program and earned $516,723 in a 65-race career while the Maryland-bred Bonus Points piled up $574,684. Further back, the family traces to breeder Robert Meyerhoff’s deep program featuring the likes of Grade 1 winner and successful sire Include, 12-time winner Encaustic, 10-time winner Implicit, eight-time winner Broad Rule and others.
She’s All Love also has an unraced 2-year-old Keen Ice colt name Triple Word Score who sold for $50,000 at last year’s Fasig-Tipton Midlantic fall yearling sale. She hasn’t had a foal the last two seasons.
