Dance With Gable overcomes traffic at Sacramento

Dance With Gable, claimed for $40,000 in his last start, stalked the pace in perfect position, then overcame trouble as he made a winning move near the quarter pole to upset the $81,000 California State Fair Sprint Handicap at Sacramento on Saturday.

Frumious, making his first start as a 3-year-old, shot to the early lead in the six-furlong race, blitzing the field with fractions of 21.15 and 42.76 seconds. The pace proved too fast for defending champion Tribesman, the 3-5 favorite who sat third down the backstretch behind Frumious and Dance With Gable.

Tribesman tried to move up on the turn but could make no headway. Dance With Gable tried unsuccessfully to move up inside Frumious and checked momentarily a second time when he tried to split Frumious and Dance With Gable. But he had momentum and burst clear into the lane, opening a 3 1/2-length lead before withstanding a late rally by Bamaha Breeze, who finished second in the six-furlong race for California-breds. Jack Hes Tops was third, another 1 3/4 lengths back, five lengths in front of Tribesman.

The winning time was 1:08.25. Dance With Gable returned $20.40.

A 5-year-old Dance Floor gelding, Dance With Gable is owned by Arbitrage Stables, Avila, and Pro Selection Stable and is trained by Mike Machowsky. It was his third victory in seven starts this year and seventh in 17 lifetime starts while raising his career earnings to $189,997.