Breakin the Fever wins third straight Leon Reed Memorial

Breakin the Fever hasn't been quite as dominant this season as in 2015 and 2016 when he was voted Finger Lakes Horse of the Year, and he was sent off as the 9-5 second choice in the $50,000 Leon Reed Memorial on Monday to 8-5 Foreset.

The 5-year-old warhorse proved the bettors wrong.

Breakin the Fever is now 5 for 7 in 2017 and 5 for 6 at his home track. He has now won the Leon Reed three straight years. In June, he won the George W. Barker for the second consecutive time.

Foreset moved up along the inside from post 1 to take a clear early lead in the Reed Memorial, a six-furlong race for New York-breds. Saratoga Giro and Breakin the Fever raced side by side early while several lengths back.

Breakin the Fever went after Foreset on the far turn, and entering the stretch Foreset, Breakin the Fever, and three-wide Saratoga Giro were lapped on each other.

Breakin the Fever got the best of Foreset in upper stretch and jockey Navario Alvarez let Breakin the Fever drift out a bit and get a good look at Saratoga Giro. He pulled away to win by two lengths.

Peter's Project rallied from well out in the track to be third, 2 3/4 lengths behind Saratoga Giro. Foreset finished fourth, another half-length back.

The win likely clinched a third Horse of the Year title for Breakin the Fever, who is now 17 for 20 at Finger Lakes and 20 for 32 in his career.

Breakin the Fever paid $5.60 and was timed in 1:10.87 over the sloppy track. The win was his seventh from eight starts over wet surfaces. Bred, owned, and trained by Ronnie and Debra Breed, Breakin the Fever has now earned $564,997.

The Reed was the second win of the day for the Breeds and Alvarado.This was the 10th running of the Leon Reed Memorial, which is named for the longtime assistant starter at Finger Lakes, who was killed on the job in November 2005.