Claiming

Chart notes

COLONEL POPPY came away from the gate in good order, rated a couple of lengths behind the dueling leaders to the half, bided time through the turn, then responded when roused approaching the quarter pole, bid up the rail, gained the lead inside the furlong pole, and held sway under steady handling to the wire. KYKEON veered out after the break and made contact with COWBOY JUSTICE, gained the inside track and a piece of the early lead, dueled with DARK BARON to the far turn, finally gained the advantage from that rival in upper stretch, but could not hold off the winner late and had to settle for the place. DARK BARON dueled outside of KYKEON to the stretch, weakened in upper stretch but kept on well to save third. COWBOY JUSTICE broke off balance then took a bump from KYKEON at the start, settled near the rear of the field through the early stages, moved up under a ride through the far turn, then ran on some late in the stretch to improve. STREAMSONG was allowed to settle and raced last early, made a tepid middle move on the far turn to regain contact with the main pack, could not sustain the bid but did make mild improvement. ROUNDBALL ROCK missed the break and came away a step slow, tracked three-wide to the half-mile pole, then was being coaxed along into the far turn to bid for the lead near the quarter pole, came under pressure in upper stretch, and flattened out in the final furlong. ROYALLY FLUSHED hustled from the start, was not fast enough to contest the lead, tracked three-wide to the far turn, did not respond when roused near the three-furlong pole and came up empty for the stretch run.