SARATOGA SPRINGS – They may take awhile, but miracles do happen on the racetrack. The most recent occurred before 31,692 witnesses in Saturday’s 10th race on turf at the Old Spa, when the 3-year-old colt Dancing Forever charged through a narrow hole along the rail under Jose Espinoza to break his maiden by a half-length.
Now, there’s nothing unusual about a well-bred Phipps Stable runner (by Rahy out of Dancinginmydreams), trained by Shug McGaughey, winning at Saratoga. What’s miraculous is that Dancing Forever was ever born – three years after his dam survived a terrible injury similar to the one Barbaro suffered in this year’s Preakness.
“Dancing Forever, he’s kind of a miracle horse,” McGaughey said yesterday. “(Dancinginmydreams) was a lot like the Barbaro thing. We had high hopes for her, and when that (injury) happens, it’s just like a sinking ship. And then the ship came back to the top when you get a nice colt like this, and have him able to win at Saratoga.”
Dancinginmydreams was meant to be any kind. A daughter of Seeking the Gold, she is a full-sister to champion filly Heavenly Prize, and seemed on the way to following in her footsteps.
After winning her first start at Saratoga as a 2-year-old, she was beaten a nose in the Matron Stakes, then was favored at 6-5 in the Frizette when tragedy struck. Turning for home, Dancinginmydreams shattered the long pastern bone in her right hind leg and was quickly pulled up by Pat Day, her life in the balance.
“(The pastern) was broken into a hundred pieces,” McGaughey said. “The doctor said it looked like a shotgun went off in there without breaking through the skin.
“Dinny (Ogden Mills) Phipps is the one who made the call. It was ‘let’s give it a try and see what happens.’ I think the vets, Hunt and Selway, were both in favor of maybe putting her down.
Dinny asked them, ‘without her suffering, can we get her to New Bolton (the equine hospital in Kennett Square, Pa., where Barbaro is recuperating)? They said yes. And Celeste (Kunz, the former NYRA veterinarian) did a great job, too. It was like (Dancinginmydreams) was in a hospital in that van going to Pennsylvania.”
Surgery was performed to stabilize the leg, the first of five operations performed on the filly during her stay at New Bolton. Thirteen months later, she was sent to the Kentucky farm of Steve and Linda Caddel, who specialize in horses that need extra care.
“They’ve done an excellent job with her,” said McGaughey. “She’s got Dancing Forever, and now he’s a winner, and a 2-year-old filly by Forest Wildcat, and a yearling by El Prado.
“It’s a feel-good story. Dancing Forever is probably a horse that shouldn’t be here. It was exciting, seeing him plow his way through there. Between him and Espinoza, I think they both really wanted to win.”
