Maiden Claiming

Chart notes

SON OF SHANGHAI broke outward at the break, causing a chain reaction of bumps involving UPRIGHT and HOLY SMOKES, quickly recovered and showed good speed, angled towards the rail going into the clubhouse turn but right in front of LAURA'S KIDOUGH forcing that one to take action to avoid clipping heels, pulled the rider quickly to the lead before the six furlong pole, then repelled an early bid from EXCESS ENGLISH with the rider trying to temper the pace, pulled clear when asked to go on near the quarter pole, responded to strong handling down the stretch, drifted out a bit late but held. O'BANION (IRE) sent hard from the break, was successful in gaining the rail and the lead early, backed off the pace when SON OF SHANGHAI and EXCESS ENGLISH quickened in front, saved ground then angled out to the five path for the stretch run, was set down and produced a nice late run but came up short. THE SLAP took up sharply going into the first turn, then steadied again near the just past the thirteen-sixteenths pole, bided time along the rail then started to move forward through the far turn, got a clean run three wide into the stretch, ran on well and was making up ground until having to shift to the inside when SON OF SHANGHAI drifted in front then was out-nodded for second. AMERICAN EMPIRE got the rail position behind the early pacesetters, ran up into the traffic and steadied slightly near the three-quarter pole, dropped back to a mid-pack position down the early part of the backstretch run before making a forward move heading into the far turn, bided time on the inside then tipped out to the two path, had trouble changing leads through the stretch and was out finished. COUNTRY BOY hustled to contest the early pace then backed off through the clubhouse turn, got bounced around a bit between horses near the seven-sixteenths marker, launched a bid through the turn, came into the stretch up the rail and responded when called upon but was not enough. LAURA'S KIDOUGH was very keen going into the first turn, steadied off heels then veered out sharply in a move for self-preservation, but in turn forced UPRIGHT and HOLY SMOKES very wide, pulled the to the front ranks, was hard to place between horses down the backstretch with the rider desperately looking for a way out near the seven-sixteenths pole, found a path near the quarter pole, swung five wide into the stretch and kept to task while never posing a serious threat. EXCESS ENGLISH came away well and raced forwardly through the first turn, entered the backstretch run contesting the early pace with SON OF SHANGHAI but backed off a bit, content to stalk that one through the far turn, got in tight quarters at the top of the stretch, steadied off heels and could not recover. WOLF'S LIFE was last away from the gate and slow into stride, fell far behind early, chased the field without making up much ground despite being under a drive for the last half mile, did manage to pass a couple of stragglers before the finish. UPRIGHT took a bump from SON OF SHANGHAI after the break then in turn bumped into HOLY SMOKES, then got sandwiched between those two a few strides later, got going then took another bump from LAURA'S KIDOUGH entering the first the first turn then got carried wide when that rival shifted out sharply, avoided any further incidents while racing four to five wide down the backstretch and through the turn but had nothing to offer in the stretch and was not persevered with late. HOLY SMOKES got carried very wide into the first turn, was content to race four to five wide down the backstretch and near the rear of the pack, moved in a couple of paths for the run through the turn, came under pressure near the five-sixteenths marker but did not respond.