Starter Optional Claiming

Chart notes

ALICIA'S KID had a slim lead down the backstretch, edged clear with five sixteenths from the line, spurted away by upper stretch and was kept to the task to hold safe in the end. SOUPER RIVER settled on the fence in midfield, began to pick up the bit when urged midway around the bend, angled out four wide, gathering momentum turning for home and found his best stride late to get his head down right at the wire to place share. FAST BOAT TO SKYE tracked three wide outside rivals in the early stages, battled three wide between horses for the place share in upper stretch, ran determinedly to the finish line but just lost out on the runners up share at the line. ONE MORE BREW chased the pacesetter on the rail down the back straight, could not keep with the winner through the turn, dueled gamely inside down the stretch for second money but was unfortunately on the losing end of a tight three way photo at the finish and settled for a minor role in the end. TRICKY MAGICIAN traded bumps with the outside rival on the break, recovered to track two wide between horses down the backstretch, ran evenly through the turn and continued to be one paced on the fence in the stretch running. BLUE MAX had one rival beaten along the backstretch, started to make a move when splitting foes five sixteenths from home and showed some late interest going between runners in deep stretch. MASTER SPY stalked near the back of the pack three deep outside rivals, made a brief run, going around foes five wide midway around the bend, continued in the five path straightening out for the drive but could not get involved down the lane. MIDNIGHT ARKLE travelled in the two path, between runners in mid-pack in the beginning, was asked for more three wide still with horses on both sides midturn, offered little run and had little to show in the drive to the wire. COMMANDER JOE exchanged bumps with inside runner on the break, got the worst of it to trail down the backside, made little progression when scrubbed on for run on the fence through the turn and failed to fire on the rail down the lane. SHADY EMPIRE sat alone in midfield by the half, was coaxed four more while four wide with rivals on each side midpoint around the bend, travelled in the wrong direction at the quarter pole and emptied out in upper stretch.