Photo by @CoadyPhoto
By Sarah Mace
Whatever demons made Randy Howg’s Inside Straight (Super Saver) refuse to break in his last start, the Saginaw Stakes at Belmont Park on July 2, the Grade 2-winning, 5-year-old son of Super Saver clearly had those demons mastered by Saturday afternoon, when he scored a narrow and game victory in the $75,000, one-mile Cotton Fitzsimmons Mile Handicap at Turf Paradise.
For Inside Straight’s return to the races, trainer Robertino Diodoro made several adjustments, not least of which was getting the 5-year-old gelding out of New York. Following a pair of convincing victories last spring at Oaklawn – an allowance, then the Grade 2 Oaklawn Handicap – Inside Straight had two abysmal outings at Belmont Park. He finished last in the Grade 1 Met Mile after ducking in at the break, then refused to start in the Saginaw.
Also for his Turf Paradise debut, Inside Straight switched back to turf for the first time since he won a grass allowance at Remington Park in October 2016. Finally, the bay added blinkers. One or more of the adjustments did the trick.
Burdened with post nine (of 10) with the top impost of 124 pounds, Inside Straight moved aggressively after the bell under jockey Glenn Corbett, cleared most of his rivals and, by the time the field entered the clubhouse turn, settled in second to stalk pacesetter Way Striking.
On the bit and saving ground round the first bend, Inside Straight continued to track 1 1/2 lengths behind Way Striking along the backstretch through early fractions of 23.82 and 48.16.
Getting on even terms with the pacesetter midway on the far turn, Inside Straight engaged Way Striking for the length of the stretch in a ding-dong battle that lasted into the final fifty yards. Once Inside Straight began to shake free, his work, however, was not yet done.
A late-charging High Security posed a serious late threat, but Inside Straight dug in once more, hung on to the lead and won the photo by a head in a final time of 1:36.63 over the firm grass. Pacesetter Way Striking had to settle for third another 1 1/4 lengths back.
Bred by SF Bloodstock LLC and foaled at Vinery NY at Sugar Maple in Poughquag, Inside Straight is one of two stakes-performing New York-breds out of Dance Alexa, an unraced Maryland-bred by Southern Halo purchased by SF Bloodstock at the 2010 Keeneland November sale for $80,000. The mare has produced 13 foals in all, of which 10 have started and eight are winners. Dance Alexa’s other registered New York-bred is Conquest Superstep, an older full sister to Inside Straight who finished second in the 2015 running of the Fleet Indian.
Inside Straight was a $160,000 purchase by Maverick Racing at the 2014 Keeneland September yearling sale. He began his career in New York for WinStar Farm and trainer Todd Pletcher. Third in the Aspirant stakes at Finger Lakes in September 2015, he won his last start for these connections on May 4, 2016 by more than 10 lengths in the mud at Belmont at the $40,000 claiming level.
The horse resurfaced at Assiniboia Downs on July 9 in Howg’s colors and trained by Robertino Diodoro. The Fitzsimmons is his third stakes victory for these connections, in addition to the Manitoba Derby and Oaklawn H. From 23 career starts, the gelding has won eight times with two seconds and a fourth while earning $797,064.
