Starter Optional Claiming

Chart notes

NAPA SPIRIT (IRE) assumed control on the outside moving comfortably along the back straight clearing to the front end getting to the rail by the half, battled on the inside with a pesky foe around the entire turn, put away the early challenger outside when spurting away in upper stretch and was kept to the task late to hold on for the win from a fast closing late rival. VAMOS VIEJO had a sluggish start seeing the field leaving the gate, improved on the fence rating kindly at the half, just started to make a rally when lacking running room on the rail having to be checked sharply at the five sixteenths pole, angled out at the quarter marker gathering himself, shifted out seven wide having aim on the winner at the top of the stretch and closed with a rush but it was too little too late and had to settled for second best under a troubled trip. ALWAYS A WAY lacked early foot lagging behind the pack at the half outside foes, continued at the rear around the bend, angled outside three wide with a quarter mile from home starting to get into gear, shifted widest to the eight path for the drive and closed in belatedly for the show money. TRULY MISCHIEF broke outwards on the start, pressed the issue under a snug hold in the beginning inside, took back at the half giving inside position to the leader, moved outside making a rebid at the three furlong marker, dueled stubbornly outside the pacesetter throughout the turn, could not continue on up top three wide at the head of the lane and faded late holding for a minor role at the wire. CADFAEL was brushed on the inside at the break, had a good spot on the rail sitting in the middle of the pack by the half, inched up inside runners in tight quarters midway on the turn, skimmed the fence at the top of the lane in contention for a piece of the prize but failed to fire in the last eighth of a mile. WET AND WILD stalked outside rivals in the five path close to the back end down the backstretch, made little headway going three wide outside horses on the oval and could not get involved having little finish in the stretch drive. HEAT MERCHANT tracked the front duo while three deep outside of two foes down the back straight, continued outside two rivals going four wide on the turn holding his own, had a chance for a small share five wide straightening out for home but weakened in the late going. RYE'S MY GUY settled in midfield having rivals on either side in the early stages, was hard ridden trying to hold position between foes three wide midway around the bend, moved to the four-path fighting for a minor share at the top of the stretch, had little in the late stages and folded in the final furlong.