By Sarah Mace
Bet down to odds-on favoritism, Inside Straight, a gelded New York-bred son of Super Saver, parlayed a stalking trip into victory over sloppy going in the 1 1/8-mile, $75,000 Manitoba Derby for 3-year-olds at Assiniboia Downs Monday.
Ridden by Scott A. Stevens, Inside Straight got away cleanly from post three (of seven) and set up in fourth in the two path to stalk the pace. Up front 16-1 longshot Break the Silence was pressed along by Media Melee through a quarter in 47.60 and six furlongs in 1:12.80.
Advancing in the turn with a bold three-wide move, Inside Straight passed the frontrunners in upper stretch and took command.
As Inside Straight charged to the wire, second choice Ruck made a bid at the rail. Opening up at last, Inside Straight secured the victory by 1 1/4 lengths. After a mile in 1:39.80, the final time for nine furlongs was 1:52.60 over the sloppy main track.
Ruck finished second, 3 1/4 lengths ahead of Power Driven, who nosed out Solve for third. Completing the order of finish were Media Melee, Break the Silence, and Witts Henny Penny, who was never involved.
Conditioned by Robertino Diodoro for owner Randy Howg, Inside Straight began his career in New York, racing in the colors of WinStar Farm and trained by Todd Pletcher. Third in last year’s Aspirant stakes at Finger Lakes, the bay gelding won his last New York start on May 4 by more than 10 lengths in the mud at Belmont at the $40,000 claiming level.
Resurfacing in Winnipeg on July 9, Inside Straight finished third in the Harry Jeffrey Stakes in his Canadian debut and has now become a stakes winner north of the border. With four wins, a second and a pair of thirds in 12 starts, Inside Straight has earned $181,071
Pilot Stevens told the Winnipeg Sun, “For this horse, in his last two wins, he’s won by five lengths and 10 lengths in the slop,” said Stevens. “I didn’t ask for this much rain, but [the race] turned out exactly how I pictured it and it set up perfect. He’s a nice horse and the pace set up good for him. I was able to lay a little closer than he did in the prep race [the Harry Jeffrey Stakes] and that was probably the key. He didn’t have any traffic trouble whatsoever.”
Continued Stevens, “I had a lot of horse down the back side. At that point, I was just sitting and waiting to turn him loose, rather than to make him move. It’s like a car with gas. You hit the accelerator and the car takes care of the rest.”
Bred by SF Bloodstock LLC and foaled at Vinery NY at Sugar Maple in Poughquag, Inside Straight is out of Dance Alexa, an unraced Maryland-bred out of Southern Halo.
Dance Alexa has produced eight winners in all from nine foals to start, and Inside Straight is her fourth stakes horse. Her second foal Dance Daily (Five Star Day) won the Grade 2 Santa Ynez Stakes in 2006. Mission Viejo Halo (Luhuk) is a two-time stakes performer. Her only other registered New York-bred to date, Conquest Superstep, a full sister to Inside Straight, finished second in the 2015 running of the Fleet Indian.
For a great series of race photos, visit the Winnipeg Sun.
