Filly wants Crown fever

If history is any indication, Ryan Anderson would like to be anywhere but in front with Cabana Fever when the 2-year-old filly pacers reach the three-quarter point of Saturday’s $600,000 Breeders Crown final at Woodbine Racetrack.

Cabana Fever has been on the lead at that point only twice in her young career – and those races resulted in her only losses. She has won six of eight starts, including her Breeders Crown elimination when she was sixth at the three-quarter point, but closed with a 27.2-second final quarter and won by a length over Southwind Rio in 1:53.1.

After all, the only time being in the lead matters is when crossing the finish line.

“If you treat her right and get her covered up, she’s got a heck of a kick for home,” trainer Joe Seekman said. “She’s gotten into some tough spots, but has been able to come home with a late kick. She’s going to need a trip, but I think she’s got a very strong chance. That’s her style.”

Heck of a kick, indeed. She won her debut with a 26.3-second final quarter after being seventh – nine lengths behind the leader – at the three-quarter mark. She won a Simpson Memorial division from fifth place at three-quarters and took an International Stallion division thanks to a :26.2 final panel. Her only off-the-board finish was in the She’s A Great Lady final, when she took the lead at the half before fading to sixth on a sloppy track at Mohawk.

The She’s A Great Lady is no doubt one of the favorite races of Cabana Fever’s owners, Lee and Linda DeVisser. The couple own She’s A Great Lady, who was a Breeders Crown champion in 1996. Cabana Fever is a daughter of the DeVissers’ Beachy Lady and 2002 Horse of the Year Real Desire. Beachy Lady is a daughter of Jenna’s Beach Boy, a three-time Crown winner for the DeVissers, and She’s A Great Lady.

“Everything is good with her,” Seekman said about Cabana Fever. “We kind of expected she would do fairly well; she put in a few nice qualifiers in the spring. She’s even a likable filly; some of them get a little nasty, but she’s very well mannered.”

Cabana Fever will start from post two in the Breeders Crown final. Favorite Little Miss Dragon, who won the other elim in 1:52.3, will be in post three. The connections of the elimination winners got to choose their starting positions.

“Everybody seems to not like the rail at Woodbine for some reason,” Seekman said, explaining his post selection. “A lot of people like the two, so I was just going with the flow. We don’t race there that often, so I was just trying to follow suit.”

Following, after all, is what Cabana Fever does best. (BC)

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