By Randy Monk
sports.desk@theindependent.com

In a blanket finish, Heres a Memory nipped Lovesablumin at the wire with Real Battleaxe only a head behind for third in front of a large and boisterous crowd.

The great mare, Bold Accent, in the race named in her honor, would have approved of the spirited stretch battle in the four-furlong dash waged by the three horses and their riders to the wire.

Scott Young, who Caster brought up from Oklahoma to ride the mare, was excited about the first stakes win of his career.

"When we decided to come up and run, we thought that the race wouldn't be so tough, but when we looked at the past performances, I thought, wow, we might be running for third or fourth," Young said.

"I knew we had a chance if we could beat the nine horse (race favorite Nikki Nine) out of the gate. When we did I breathed a little easier but the four horse (Real Battleaxe) and the five horse (Lovesablumin) were right with me."

Riding one race earlier in the day proved to be a fast and valuable lesson for the young rider.

"I rode a horse earlier in the card (Tee Times Two in the fourth race) to test the track, and I thought it was a little better on the outside," Young said. "Since the nine (Nikki Nine) didn't fire out with us, I thought I had those two where I wanted them, but I was really surprised when they started pulling away at the top of the stretch."

Both Terry Houghton on Marvin Johnson's Real Battleaxe, and Jerry Carkeek on Terrell Hemmer's Lovesablumin edged away at the top of the stretch, and Young had to ask Heres A Memory for more.

"I knew I still had horse, she's really game and Boyd does a great job with her. She was top-fit," Young said. "I went to work, I couldn't afford to change hands with the whip or we'd lose momentum so I hand rode her and she did the rest."

Young still didn't know if he had gotten up at the wire to nip Lovesablumin' until he came back and saw the result on the board.

There's a good chance that Young will be back in Grand Island next Saturday to ride longtime Fonner favorite Tonight Rainbow for Caster in the Grasmick Handicap.

"I'd like to come up and ride next week in the Grasmick," Young said. "A couple things are up in the air, but I'd love to come up and ride him."

Heres a Memory paid $11.60 to win, $5.60 to place and $4.40 to show in a race ran in 46.2 over the fast track.

The Heres a Memory-Lovesablumin exacta returned $86.20, while the trifecta was a healthy $595.00

Hoofprints

* The fastest four furlong time of the meet was turned in by Milton Gaede's I'm Real in the sixth race, as the eight-year-old stopped the clock in 45.8.

* Gaede and Beth Butler teamed up to win two races on the card. Along with I'm Real, the duo won the last race of the day with Hooligan.

* Hooligan's win in the nightcap ignited a 10-cent superfecta pay off of $2,627.40.

* Grand Island residents June O'Neill and daughter Tressa O'Neill reached the winners circle with first-time starter Sweettalk'n Junior in the third race. The Larry Donlin trained four-year-old gelding out of the dam Sweet Fantastic nipped favored Moon Over Mocha at the wire.