Maiden Optional Claiming

Chart notes

WILLY STYLES was brushed inside at the start, settled on the fence near the rear on the first turn, continued to lope along on the rail down the backstretch making no headway, started to lengthen stride creeping up taking the shortest way around the last turn, shifted out gaining momentum and gathering more speed four wide full of run at the head of the lane and relentlessly wore down the well rated frontrunner who fought gamely in deep stretch when driving on past outside for the win in the last seventy yards. STORMY CLOUD had the lead while just of the fence in the early stages, cantered on the rail up top controlling the pace to a crawl stacking up the field with a half mile still to run, moved very comfortably still dictating terms on the front end on the final bend, opened up when called upon for more at the furlong marker but needed more late when unable to withstand the powerful late surge outside by the winner in the final seventy yards. NIGHT STRIKER had a good spot nestled on the rail sitting back just off the pacesetter in the early stages, inched up even closer still having a rail saving trip on the last turn, scraped paint in the mix turning for home, was no match for the front duo who had it to themselves in the last eighth of a mile but still showed grit inside winning the duel for the third place share in deep stretch. NO CAPE broke in at the break, was well placed tracking outside on the first bend, continued to hound the pacesetter outside along the backstretch as well as throughout the final bend, had the two path between rivals in the hunt at the top of the stretch, could not quicken with the lead pair at the furlong pole and faded slightly losing the duel outside for the show money in the late going. JOSHUA STRIKE broke a step slow to begin, was forced out by the inside rival having to go four wide on the beginning turn, narrowed the margin while five deep with the group tightly bunched at the half mile marker, tried to circle horses but had to go five wide in the process around the final bend, still doggedly kept running on down the stretch and finished up solidly considering the extra wide journey. BORDER FOX was bumped off stride by the outside foe on the break, had runners on both sides while sitting in the third flight on the first turn, had the three path in midfield with the group clustered up at the half, dropped back three wide at the three eighths pole but did show some late interest improving between runners throughout the stretch drive. A REAL WAR STORY had to be checked soon after the break when the outside runner angled in sharply, fought the riders restraint tossing its head while going five wide in mid-pack around the first corner, advanced four deep on the outside at the half, offered a mild run when hard ridden three wide at the midpoint of the far turn until the quarter pole but could not finish down the lane and yielded in the final furlong. SANHEDRIN had the rail sitting in the third flight inside a couple of rivals, made little headway in the two path but now between foes midway along the backside, was in tight between and behind horses two wide at the three eighths pole, clipped the heels of the rival in front who was tiring at the five sixteenths marker stumbling badly almost dislodging the rider on the far turn and could not recover afterwards to be a factor. ALMASTY FIVE travelled between horses having only a couple of runners beaten early on, shared the rear with foes on either side four furlongs from the wire, had to shift out four wide avoiding the troubled runner at the five sixteenths pole and had little to offer after that incident while in the five path in the stretch drive. APELDOORN travelled three wide keeping in touch with the front three rivals in the first bend, took closer order on the top pair while in the three path by the half, was urged on two wide between foes at the three furlong marker but was backing up by the five sixteenths pole offering no response and folded just off the rail in the stretch running by the furlong marker. TWENTY OVAS broke out at the start, shared the rear inside another while choosing to go three wide on the first of two turns, closed the gap three deep at the half mile marker with the tempo slowing down considerably, was forced out five wide midway on the last bend due to a troubled runner and came up empty getting to the rail in upper stretch. STEWARDS GENERAL INQUIRY REGARDING THE RUNNING AROUND THE FINAL TURN IN THE VICINITY OF THE FIVE SIXTEENTHS POLE RESULTED IN NO CHANGE