Trainer Marshall Godsey and owner Chester Thomas, who campaigns as Allied Racing Stable LLC, each celebrated the first stakes win of his career when Dingdingdingding upset the 32nd running of the $50,000 Forego Stakes at Turfway Park Saturday.
The win also earned Dingdingdingding his first career stakes trophy.
“I thought he ran a real nice race,” said Godsey. “It set up good for him. He was the only four-year-old in the race and the only horse with just one win, so I thought he might have been outclassed, but he ran a classy race himself. I think he has a good future ahead of him.”
Jockey Gabriel Lagunes used the rail to guide Dingdingdingding to the 25-1 upset, scoring by 1-3/4 lengths over the closing Batten the Hatches. Six Spot made a late charge to get third, a head farther back.
Mesoma set a quick pace for the 6-1/2 furlong race over Polytrack, clocking the first quarter in :22.49 and the half mile in :45.05. Dingdingdingding broke from post five and raced in fourth down the backstretch toward the inside. He made his move leaving the backstretch, and as the field reached the quarter pole he slipped between Mesoma and the rail to take the lead into the stretch. Dingdingdingding drifted out late but held his advantage to finish in 1:17.53.
“It opened up on the rail and I had a lot of horse,” said Lagunes, who earned his first Turfway stakes win with the effort.
Fourth and following were Mesoma, Plenty Elusive, Sweet Platinum, Forfeit, Big Blue Spirit, the 4-5 favorite Doubledown Again, Impassable Canyon, Saturday Launch and Becknerville.
Dingdingdingding rewarded his backers at the Florence race track with $53.40 to win, $15.80 to place and $7.40 to show.
Dingdingdingding now has two wins, one second and two thirds from nine starts. The Forego gave the gelding the biggest check of his career, $28,830, pushing his career earnings to $67,157. Bred by Alpha Delta Stables LLC, Dingdingdingding is by Candy Ride (ARG) out of the Forest Wildcat mare Yaddo Cat.
Godsey is the son of former trainer Claudie Marshall Godsey Sr., who turned his operation over to his son in 1990.