BY CHURCHILL DOWNS PRESS OFFICE

LOUISVILLE, KY—Dancing N Dixie rallied from the outside to edge Mo Fox Givin by a neck at the wire and won Saturday’s fifth running of the $233,418 Tepin for 3-year-old fillies at Churchill Downs.

Trained by Mark Casse and ridden by Jose Ortiz, Dancing N Dixie completed one mile on firm turf in 1:36.04 for owners Gary Barber, Rocky Top Stables and Chris Moore’s LEMB Stables.

Previously, Dancing N Dixie finished third in three consecutive graded stakes events. She finished just a length behind winner Waskesiu in the Grade 3 Florida Oaks at Tampa Bay Downs on March 9 then was less than a length off of winner Buchu in the Grade 2 Applachian at Keeneland on April 6. In her last race, the 3-year-old gray or roan filly was just a length-and-a-half behind Dynamic Pricing in the Grade 2 Edgewood at Churchill Downs on May 3.

Pipsy (Ire) set the pace and led the field of eight 3-year-old fillies through early fractions of :23.83 and :47.76. The closers, including Dancing N Dixie who raced in seventh down the backstretch, began to make their moves around the far turn. Mo Fox Givin found open seam in deep stretch and spurted to the front nearing the sixteenth pole but it was Dancing N Dixie, who made a sweeping wide move in the stretch and rallied home strongly for the over-the-top win at the wire.

Mo Fox Givin was second, a half-length in front of Kathynmarissa in third. Poolside With Slim (Ire), Just Better, My Brazilian Girl, Simply in Front and Pipsy completed the order of finish. Dozen Diamonds, Kodiac Wintergreen (Ire) and Voodoo Magic were scratched.

Dancing N Dixie paid $11.78 to win.

“She’s a very nice filly and got unlucky in her last two starts,” Ortiz said. “She kept finding more the more I asked her.”

With her win Saturday, Dancing N Dixie improved her career record to three wins and three thirds in 10 starts with purse earnings of $320,550. Saturday’s victory was worth $135,315.

She was is a graduate of the 2023 Ocala Breeders’ Sales June Sale where White Type Stables selected her out of the Blue River Bloodstock consignment for $35,000.

Dancing N Dixie is by Pleasant Acres Stallions’ Neolithic out of Foolhearted Woman, by Uncaptured. Dancing N Dixie, who was bred in Florida by the late Freddie Hyatt, is the only winner for Foolhearted Woman. Foolhearted Woman has an unraced 2-year-old filly, Morning Brew, by Curlin’s Honor; and a yearling colt, Freddie’s Honor, by Curlin’s Honor.

Brock Sheridan contributed to this report

Return to the June 29 issue of Wire to Wire

A man was left in critical condition by a shark attack, suffering a severe bite to his right forearm while he was fishing in Florida yesterday morning.

The man, who is in his 40s, was on a boat off Fernandina Beach, north of Jacksonville, caught the shark while fishing and tossed the fish back in the water after it bit him, Action News Jax reported.

The Nassau County Sheriff’s Office Marine Unit received a distress call over its emergency radio at 11:15 a.m. and when they reached the boat, they found the man had “lost a lot of blood,” according to a Facebook video the sheriff posted.

“Upon arrival, NCSO deputies found the victim with a critical injury. Acting swiftly, a deputy boarded the vessel and applied a tourniquet to stop the bleeding,” NCSO said on Facebook.

“The victim was immediately airlifted to a nearby hospital. He is currently listed in critical condition but is expected to recover.”

Nassau County, Florida, is about 150 miles north of Volusia County, considered the “shark bite capital of the world,” where there were 17 bites in 2021, according to the Florida Museum of Natural History’s International Shark Attack File.

Individuals in the state suffered 16 attacks last year, or 44% of all of the attacks in the US. 

One intriguing storyline to follow throughout the 2023 college football season was the dramatic improvement of the South Florida Bulls under Alex Golesh. In Golesh’s first season as the program’s head coach, the Bulls improved to 7-6 after a 1-11 season in 2022.

A big reason for that was the emergence of sophomore quarterback Byrum Brown. The 6’3″ 209-pound North Carolina native already owns 12 program records at USF. While he may be a Heisman long shot, it’s impossible to deny his impact on the program.

EA Sports College Football 25: Memphis Tigers Rank #19 In Game’s Top Offenses

In 2023, Brown and Heisman Trophy winner Jayden Daniels were the only players to post at least 3,000 yards passing and 800 yards rushing. Now, Bet365 gives Brown 250/1 odds to win a Heisman of his own.

Brown is not the only G5 player listed by the sportsbook and is not the G5 player with the highest odds to win the trophy. Those odds belong to Liberty’s Kaidon Salter.

RECRUITING: P4 Target Lineman Chooses South Florida

Last season, Brown averaged 253.2 passing yards per game, going over 300-yards in a game four times. Only 19 years old, Brown’s best days are likely ahead of him as well.

South Florida are set to open the 2024 campaign on August 31 at 7 PM against Bethune Cookman.

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.