Bear River won his third straight race, and first stakes, on Independence Day at Ellis Park with a front-running score in the $125,000 Dade Park Dash.
The 5 ½-furlong sprint for 3-year-olds was originally scheduled for the turf, but switched to the main track following heavy overnight rains. Bear River took the lead early on, battling with Barksdale through the first half-mile. Turning for home, Bear River began to edge clear and gamely held sway in the stretch, defeating How’s Ur Attitude by 1 ½-lengths in 1:03.78 over a muddy main track.
Bear River is now 4-0-2 in 13 starts and has earned $291,805 for owner Charles Marquis and trainer Keith Desormeaux. The chestnut was bred in Kentucky by Dreamfields Farm, Don Brady and Brendan Burke.
Currently ranked sixth on the 2024 Second-Crop Sire list, Flameaway has four stakes winners, two graded winners, 10 stakes horses and more than $1.8 million in progeny earnings to date. A son of sire of sires Scat Daddy, Flameaway stands for $25,000 S&N.
