Claiming

Chart notes

CONTRARY CHIEFTAIN broke inward after the break and veered in front of DO IT FOR DAVE, then got a good position on the inside and settled near the head of the tracking pack, started a bid near the seven-sixteenths pole but had to steady briefly in traffic, gathered up and angled to the two path for clear run, responded to vigorous handling down the stretch and got up just in time. ZOOKEEPER broke well, and went straight to the lead without much prompting, opened up on the field setting reasonable fractions to the stretch, repelled a bid by CHAMPAGNE PEGASUS at the top of the stretch then was challenged by CONTRARY CHIEFTAIN to the outside, held well but was outfinished in the shadow of the wire in a solid effort. LOVE OF THE SPORT was not asked for speed in the early going, stayed to the inside but behind the tracking pack, got a clean run to the top of the stretch, tipped out to the three path and ran on well down the stretch to gain the third spot. CHAMPAGNE PEGASUS got away well and raced close up in the two path through the first turn, tracked the pacesetter to the far turn, attempted to go after the leader under heavy pressure from the quarter pole but flattened in the stretch and was passed for a minor award. MUCHO MACHISMO came a way from the gate looking for forward position, allowed ZOOKEEPER to establish the early pace and tracked close behind, remained in contention to the far turn then was unable to keep up when the pace quickened from the quarter pole and chased the leaders to the wire. DO IT FOR DAVE broke a step slow and then had to steady as CONTRARY CHIEFTAIN took his path after the break, hurdled some rough patches in the grass passing the finish for the first time, launched a tepid rally from the half-mile marker and stayed to the inside, improved position somewhat but was not making an impression in the late stages. RULER OF ANGELS was taken in hand from the break, settled near the rear of the pack through the early stages while racing in the two to three path, was last going into the far turn but started to rally while wide, turned into the stretch five wide then finished up evenly, unable to make an impact. PORT O' CALL a little slow into stride then got hung four wide on the first turn, made some forward progress under handling down the backstretch, held position while racing wide on the far turn then ran out of steam at the top of the stretch and had little to offer from that point. COOPERKLIMT was a little keen and raced three wide into the first turn, became boxed in for the whole of the backstretch run, was unable to quicken with the pace of the race in the far turn and finished up one-paced at the tail of the field.