Two Keys teams met at Larry & Penny Thompson Park in Miami for the 2026 Race of the Thoroughbreds on Oct. 2, and local runners came away with wins in both the boys and girls races.
Coral Shores entered just one athlete in the girls race, but junior Ali Wheatley was a safe bet, winning the event in 21:38.
Marathon’s Molly Joly was close behind in second place, crossing the line in 21:49. Teammate Rebecca Merryman was next for the Fins, placing 11th overall in 25:31, followed by Ariella Dworniczak in 28:26. June McKnight, Ava D’Ascanio, Sophia Roberts, Casey Torres and Sophia Rodriguez rounded out the Dolphin competitors, helping Marathon to a third-place team finish.
In the boys race, Marathon sophomore Lucian Burns rode away with the win, crossing in 16:39 and leaving the field far behind. Burns finished a whopping 1 minute, 46 seconds ahead of the runner-up, with his dominant performance helping propel the Dolphins to third place in the team standings.
Tony Bursa was Marathon’s next finisher, placing 15th in 20:13, followed by Anthony Vargas, who claimed 20th in 20:30. Landon Anderson finished in 21:07 and twin brother Brayden crossed in 21:32 to complete the Dolphins’ scoring five.
Burns was not the only Keys runner to crack the boys top 10. Coral Shores’ Victor Lopez placed ninth in 19:20, while teammate Wyatt Meyers crossed one minute later. Will Thies finished in 21:13, followed closely by Dillon Matthews in 21:15, with Tristan Sanchez crossing in 22:15. The Hurricanes’ scoring five combined for a fifth-place team finish.
This week, the Fins will enjoy a much-needed rest from racing while the Hurricanes and Conchs return to Larry & Penny Thompson Park for the 305 Classic on Oct. 9.
