Mad for Fame takes Jack Betta Be Rite Stakes as longest shot on the board

Mad for Fame got her moment of fame on Monday at Finger Lakes, springing a $43 upset as the longest shot on the board in the $50,000 Jack Betta Be Rite Stakes for New York-bred fillies and mares.

This was the stakes debut for Mad for Fame, a 4-year-old Sir Whimsey filly trained by Rachel Sells for Hudson Valley Thoroughbreds. The filly won back-to-back claiming races at Penn National in December and February. However, when facing a better class of competition, she was fourth in an allowance/optional-claiming event in March at Penn National, and then sixth in an allowance on Aug. 9 at Finger Lakes off a layoff.

Under jockey Tammi Piermarini, Mad for Fame was fifth in the field of six early as Tax Me Naught led the way through moderate opening splits of 24.22 seconds for the quarter and 48.94 seconds for the half. Mad for Fame was fourth, and still about 4 1/2 lengths back, as the field approached the quarter pole. She rallied strongly through the lane as Tax Me Naught attempted to get away on the inside path, splitting foes late to get up by a half-length.

The Jack Betta Be Rite was the first stakes victory for Sells, who began training in 2017.

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Fleeta Bella rallied on the outside to edge Tax Me Naught by a neck for second.

The final time for the 1 1/16 miles was 1:48.70.