Maiden Optional Claiming

Chart notes

OLD BLUE CLIFF travelled in midpack on the rail at the half, rated kindly inside waiting to pounce throughout the turn, was looking for room at the top of the lane behind runners in the three path, rallied at the furlong marker shifting in nearing the sixteenth pole and burst away for the win in deep stretch. BURLAP travelled between foes in midfield in the early going, was ridden for more midpoint on the turn to pose a threat five wide straightening out for the drive and stubbornly ran to the finish just getting up to win the nod for place at the wire. FIELD HOCKEY sat just off the contesting duo outside in the early stages, loomed four wide turning for home and determinedly ran to the finish just missing on holding for the place share in the end. CHAIRMAN RAINBOW stalked near the rear outside down the backstretch, started to pick up runners three wide at the two furlong marker, was behind rivals in the four path at the top of the lane looking for a seam and finished up gamely with horses on either side to be involved in the place photo at the wire. LAST MONARCH was steadied on the fence at the nine sixteenths marker to trail, advanced smartly inside running on the turn and weaved through runners down the stretch offering a solid late run to be involved for a smaller share at the finish. GOLDEN WIND was bounced around at the break, hustled for the lead down the back straight, took over control narrowly through the turn inside, opened up mildly in upper stretch and weakened very late losing numerous positions crossing the finish. JMR SPEEDY ESCAPE broke inwards at the start, tracked the front trio down the backside, was roused midpoint on the turn making little gain, checked briefly on the fence nearing the sixteenth pole and could not recover in time to be a threat. SUGARTAP settled outside in mid field four deep, continued four wide through the turn keeping pace with others, angled six wide for the drive but could not get involved in the stretch run. CHIPOTLE PEPPER broke out but was quickly gathered in at the start, was then headstrong between horses at the half, began to bear out on the turn at the quarter pole and was not a factor in the drive to the wire. ARAFAT took the field narrowly down the backside, surrendered the front between rivals at the three furlongs marker, chased the frontrunner through the turn, battled until upper stretch, stopped at the furlong marker and galloped across the wire. RIDERS CLAIM OF FOUL #1 LAST MONARCH AGAINST #3 OLD BLUE CLIFF AT THE NINE SIXTEENTHS POLE WAS DISALLOWED. RIDERS CLAIM OF FOUL #5 JMR SPEEDY ESCAPE ON #3 OLD BLUE CLIFF NEARING THE SIXTEENTH POLE WAS ALSO DISALLOWED