Starter Optional Claiming

Chart notes

SMALL TALK co-trailed on the outside along the backstretch, stalked while only ahead of one runner on the turn, started to mount a rally four wide at the five sixteenths pole circling rivals, gathered more speed in the six path with a quarter mile from the wire, had a strong sustained run down the lane, drifted in late taking command outside at the sixteenth pole and edged away for the win at the finish line. LEGAL ATTACK (GB) drifted outwards on the break having a slim advantage in the beginning, was taken a hold of on the fence into the turn to sit in the third flight keeping pace on the rail around the bend, edged up inside with five sixteenths to go, shifted out off the leader in the two path with three sixteenths from the wire, dueled determinedly between foes with a furlong to go and drifted in slightly nearing the wire when capturing the runners up share in the end. GUILDSMAN (FR) was checked ever so slightly after the break to co-trail on the inside down the backside, took the short way around the bend, narrowed the gap scraping paint at the quarter pole just behind the leader, kept looking for a seam in the stretch drive unable to extend his stride, finally angled out in the four path having clear run but with seventy yards remaining finished up well but could not get to the winner in time. ABSOLUTE CHAIRMAN dueled five deep on the outside in the early stages, was urged for a bit more shaking loose from the quartet of other rivals wanting the lead at the nine sixteenths pole, rolled along quickening the tempo considerably through the turn unchallenged, was still clinging onto a diminishing lead on the rail in mid-stretch, was collared outside with a sixteenth from home giving way to the top two runners, had to be checked on the fence in tight in deep stretch and held for a minor share at the finish line. FOREST BUZZ had the two path between foes in the mix up front after the start, was reined back at the nine sixteenths pole, stalked outside in the third flight around the bend, advanced three wide with three eighths remaining to be in the conversation four wide at the top of the stretch, had little left in the late stages and flattened out between foes with a sixteenth left to run. MANNIX (IRE) was part of the fivesome fighting up top while going in the three path early on, tracked the frontrunner inside another through the turn, chased the leader three wide at the top of the lane, could not find another gear late and weakened between horses in the final furlong. ROYAL BLUSH pressed the issue up front in the four path in the beginning, had a tracking role outside keeping a close eye on the leader at the half, was asked for more run when scrubbed on at the three eighths pole but was unable to match strides with rivals on each side, shifted out to the six path with three sixteenths from home but could not play a role in the late running. RIDERS CLAIM OF FOUL #7 ABSOLUTE CHAIRMAN AGAINST BOTH #1 LEGAL ATTACK AND #5 SMALL TALK IN THE FINAL SEVENTY YARDS WAS DISALLOWED