SHAKOPEE, MN – There was a big upset in the $40,400 Bob Morehouse Stakes at Canterbury Park Memorial Day evening. Dickey Bob, the odds-on favorite to win his 4th straight Morehouse was nipped at the wire by 10-1 shot, Fire N Guns.
Dickey Bob popped well at the start under Luis Valenzuela and looked to have the race in hand, even with 50-yards left in the 350-yard dash. Fire N Guns, however, under a furious drive under Ry Eikleberry got up just at the wire, narrowly edging the favorite in a very tight photo finish.
“I didn’t think I’d get there,” said Eiklberry, “but Dickey Bob slowed a little bit and I just keep riding hard through the wire and we got there.”
After what seemed to be an interminable delay, causing many in the crowd to feel that a dead heat decision was imminent, the placing judge put up Fire N Guns as the winner.
Winning trainer Ralph Haglund wasn’t sure of anything until the race was official.
“I just didn’t think that we had this one,’ he said, “and when the ‘2’ was up on the board, I said ‘Let’s go!’”
Haglund trains his horses off of his farm and said the five-year-old had been working well ahead of the race.
“I put one work in him and he responded well,” Haglund said. “I felt good going in the race, but we still had Dickie Bob to contend with and he loves this racetrack.”
While the official margin has to be listed as a nose, a nose hair may be more accurate.
Fire N Guns paid $22.60 for the win and stopped the timer at 17.930. The Freighttrain B gelding was bred and is owned by Fred Pelzer.
Dickey Bob paid $2.80 to place and Corona White Socks was third ($3.20).
