Peter Berry, the track announcer at Mountaineer Casino and Resort, made headlines in December of 2018, due to, of all things, a moth. About 50 yards after the field broke from the gate, Berry’s call suddenly stopped and it sounded like a gulp coming over the PA system. Then his call continued with, “A moth right down the gullet – would you believe it?”

Berry added to his unique calls in last night’s fourth race, which was won in a romp by Gran Edition, a 3-year-old son of First Dude. After the colt made a powerful four-wide move entering the stretch to take the lead with Adrian Flores, Gran Edition cruised past the finish line 8 1/2 lengths in front, and a surprised Berry bellowed, “Now I do have the right horse here, don’t I? . . . Just check here . . . yup . . . No. 6 . . . Gran Edition . . . 37-1. He didn’t just win . . . he absolutely buried them.”

It was the first victory in seven starts for Gran Edition, who was bred by Ponder Hill. The colt earned $8,990 in the one-mile, $15,500 maiden special, and he paid $77.40 while becoming First Dude’s Florida-leading 61st winner of 2020. The stallion is less than $5,000 from reaching the $2 million mark in progeny earnings and with six runners in the entries at four tracks today, it appears imminent.