Claiming

Chart notes

ROYAL SPIRIT settled just off the inside near the rear of the field under patient handling until placed to coaxing just outside the quarter pole, angled four to five wide into upper stretch set down for the drive, had ST. JOE LOUIS come inwards and attempt to hem him in behind MERCI bumping him just at the eighth pole, gained clearance just after that bump and burst on through the lane to issue a challenge taking command over a host of rivals latched on seventy yards from home, then prevailed going away at the end. ST. JOE LOUIS (GB) settled unhurried just off the inside under reserve in mid pack, tipped three wide in the clear nearing the seven-sixteenths and nudging ASSIDUOUSLY four wide, made contact with that rival once more when placed to coaxing three wide at the three-eighths, went six wide into upper stretch, came inwards attempting to keep ROYAL SPIRIT in behind a rival and bumped with that foe a furlong out before getting nudged aside, then offered up a mild kick to secure the place honors in a blanket finish to the wire. MERCI three wide through the first turn, tracked two to three wide from just off the pace coming under coaxing three furlongs from home, angled five wide into upper stretch, offered up a bid a furlong from home, then ran on to the finish but was outfinished in the final strides while along for the show honors in a blanket finish. ASSIDUOUSLY (GB) two to three wide near the rear of the field, got nudged four wide near the seven-sixteenths by ST. JOE LOUIS, went four wide through the far turn under coaxing nearing the quarter pole, went six to seven wide into upper stretch and offered up a mild bid outside to the end. ICARUS coaxed from the start, tracked the pace along the inside from a loose pocket, came under coaxing three furlongs from home and spun just off the inside into upper stretch, rallied to take narrow command a furlong from home, came outwards bumping FAST GORDON just inside that station and forcing HARD RYE GUY to steady in behind, got caught seventy yards from home and was out-finished in the late stages. FAST GORDON just off the inside in closest aim of the leader, came under coaxing at the three-eighths and angled four wide into upper stretch, dug in under a drive heads apart for command a furlong out, got bumped just inside that station by ICARUS, who came outwards and then weakened in the late going. HARD RYE GUY saved ground near the rear of the field, came under coaxing just off the inside at the three-eighths, spun two to three wide for home and had a brief seam between rivals before that seam closed up with three-sixteenths to go, got lightly coaxed along behind foes a furlong out, then got forced to steady when ICARUS bumped FAST GORDON directly in front near the sixteenth marker and was never clear to the finish. STOP THE SPREAD coaxed from the start, showed the way rated on the pace along the inside, came under coaxing at the five-sixteenths under pressure for the initial time, cut the corner into upper stretch and was under assault from a host of rivals stacked across the track a furlong out when yielding command, then weakened through to the line.