Laurel: Beggarthyneighbor jumps from maiden win to take Dancing Count

Beggarthyneighbor, jumping directly into stakes company following a narrow win over maidens in his third career start, emerged from a three-way fight for the lead in midstretch to capture Saturday’s $100,000 Dancing Count for 3-year-olds at Laurel Park.

Ridden for the first time by Malcolm Franklin, Beggarthyneighbor ($5.40), the favorite in field of seven, closely stalked the pace of Costas Fiftieth through a half-mile in 45.25 seconds. Turning into the stretch of the six-furlong race, Costas Fiftieth, Beggarthyneighbor, and Trippi’s Secret were tightly bunched. Trippi’s Secret, a 9-1 shipper from Charles Town, took a narrow lead with a furlong remaining, but Beggarthyneighbor, surged to the front inside the sixteenth pole and prevailed by a length while completing the distance in 1:09,80.

Trippi’s Secret held second by a nose over late charging Ill Conceived as Costas Fiftieth faded to fifth.

“From start to finish I was confident,” Franklin said. “I had horse the entire race. Turning for home he gave all that he had and didn’t back off.”

Based at Belmont Park with trainer Chad Brown, Beggarthyneighbor is a son of Half Ours owned by Klaravich Stables and William Lawrence. After finishing third in each of his first two starts, Beggarthyneighbor got up by a neck, improving his Beyer Speed Figure 11 points to an 80, while defeating maiden special weight company on New Year’s Day at Aqueduct.