Melrose Park, IL --- Fresh off a wire to wire score in last week’s American National at Balmoral Park, Our Dragon King made it two in a row as he knocked off four other 2-year-old pacing colts, winning the $110,000 Abe Lincoln Stake by a half-length in 1:54.2.

Maywood Park photo

Our Dragon King won the Abe Lincoln Stake for 2-year-old pacing colts in 1:54.2 on Friday night at Maywood Park.

Cleverly handled by driver Brian Carpenter Our Dragon King elected to back into the three-hole after leaving hard, a move that turned out to be a winning one.

 “I knew those other two inside of me (Blatantly Bad & Big Brad) were going to be storming out of there so I just backed off and settled in behind them,” explained Carpenter.

Spying all the action as favored Blatantly Best (Marcus Miller) rolled through splits of 27.1, 56.1 & 1:25.0 Carpenter managed to maneuver his charge to the outside as the field moved up the backstretch.

 “I did not want to be first over so I figured I’d let somebody else make the first move,” said Carpenter in the winner’s circle. “Once Tim’s horse Lb’s Alamericanjoy started to tire after his first over try I was able to slip to the outside and my horse really turned it on from there.”

Storming up three wide as the field moved into the final turn Our Dragon King rolled up alongside Blatantly Best as the field turned for home. Gamely wearing down the pace-setter in the lane the son of Dragon Again-Fox Valley Monika cruised by in the closing yards to notch his seventh win in 15 starts this year. Blatantly Best was a hard fought second while Big Brad finished third.

The Dirk Simpson trainee who now boasts earnings of $279,148 for owners William Beck, Desyllas Racing and Carol Reiken returned $4.80 & $3.20. There was no show wagering on the race.