Claiming

Chart notes

OBVIOUS was away in good order, stalked, then joined a speed duel down the backstretch, pulled away from the pack with SHORT RIB on the turn and dueled with that foe for the length of the stretch, finally pulling away from that stubborn rival in the final yards. SHORT RIB broke best and was outside of a three horse speed duel to the turn, was joined to the outside by OBVIOUS and fought that one gamely through the final quarter and gave way grudgingly in the last few jumps. LIBERTY LIBERTY tracked the leaders from the inside position, awaited some racing room on the turn and finished with some interest while never a threat to the top pair. GREGS CITY ZIP broke well and was in the inside of a three horse duel down the backstretch, was put into a hard drive from the quarter pole and kept on well to the finish line. OLYMPIC SILVER was part of the chasing group early, was shuffled back a bit, launched a bid on the turn, was five-wide into the stretch and loomed a threat but switched leads repeatedly and flattened out. ALPHABETICAL broke alertly and was keen to go on but was taken under a hold, stayed to the outside while making up ground on the field through the turn, emerged from the stretch within striking distance but lacked a response in the final stages. BALLROOM HUSTLER broke alertly and was in part of a quartet chasing the early speed, dropped back a bit entering the turn, then appeared to clip the heels of BUEN CHICO, stumbled and recovered, but was unable to make up the lost ground. BUEN CHICO was with the leading pack down the backstretch while between horses, started to lose ground on the turn, and finished one paced to the wire. J C EXPRESS was slow to begin, chased the field through the turn, managed to make up some ground with an inside run but flattened out badly in the final furlong. BUBBLES IS ON FIRE broke in a tangle at the start, spotted the field several lengths and was never a factor. THERE WAS A STEWARDS' INQUIRY INTO THE INCIDENT INVOLVING BALLROOM HUSTLER NEARING THE QUARTER POLE. THE STEWARDS DETERMINED THAT THE RUNNER CAME IN TIGHT, ATTEMPTED TO SPLIT RIVALS, CLIPPED HEELS AND WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR HIS OWN TROUBLE ON THE TURN. THE STEWARDS RULED THAT THERE WOULD BE NO CHANGE TO THE OFFICIAL ORDER OF FINISH STEMMING FROM THE INCIDENT.