Champagne S.

Chart notes

U. S. S. VALOR got away narrowly last and was coaxed from the gate, raced three wide in pursuit from near the rear of the tightly packed field, remained patiently handled between and behind foes through to nearing the quarter pole, angled out at that station bumping and then nudging EARTH SONG out a path to make a lane swinging five wide into upper stretch, rallied with a quick turn of foot to collar the top pair a furlong out, then drew clear under a light drive before being geared down in the late stages to the finish, the outcome in no doubt. GAUDREAU coaxed from the start, advanced on the early leader CLUB REIGN before emerging with narrow, brief and sole command, then got engaged in head to head combat inside from JOHNNY HOCKEY with six and a half furlongs to go, knocked heads with that rival three paths off the inside down the backstretch and then just off the inside through the turn patiently handled, shook off that foe inside the five-sixteenths pole, spun just off the inside into upper stretch let out for the drive confronted by CLUB REIGN, dug in once more head to head and got overhauled in tandem with that rival by the top one a furlong out, proved no match and ran on to secure the place honors clear of the rest. CLUB REIGN led early on before being displaced from command seven furlongs out, settled four paths off the inside down the backstretch in close aim of the developing duel, tucked three wide through the turn and came under coaxing with five-sixteenths to go, continued three wide into upper stretch offering up a bid to challenge the aforementioned foe for command straightened away, dug in dueling for the front through to the eighth pole when overhauled by the top one in concert with GAUDREAU, then weakened in the late stages while safe for the show honors. EARTH SONG five paths off the inside down the backstretch, tucked four wide through the turn and came under encouragement with five-sixteenths to run, got bumped by U.S.S. VALOR to his inside at the quarter pole and just inside that station when attempting to keep that rival in behind the top pair, went six wide into upper stretch opening a lane and then weakened in the late going. JOHNNY HOCKEY broke in at the start and was corrected, advanced after the break just off the inside and issued a challenge for the front six and a half furlongs from home, dueled inside of GAUDREAU from the two path down the remainder of the backstretch before tucking inside through the turn, came under urging three furlongs out, faded and took the inside route into upper stretch, then tired in the drive. RAKU shied in at the start filling the space left vacant by JOHNNY HOCKEY and was corrected, chased two to three paths off the inside down the backstretch and then just off the inside through the turn coming under coaxing and tipping out near the quarter pole, went five to six wide into upper stretch and tired through to the finish.