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Derby News
Rushaway Stakes Also Popular At Entry Box By: Mark Hoard (March 23, 2006) - Turfway Park's $500,000 Lane's End (GII) and $100,000 Rushaway Stakes both drew overflow fields when entries were taken Thursday, and the big news of the day turned out to be the exclusion from the field of probable Lane's End favorite Strong Contender. The John Ward, Jr. trainee was the odd horse out when the race, which runs with a maximum of 12 starters, drew 13 entries. Due to the conditions of the race, Strong Contender was ranked last in terms of earnings and therefore will not be in the starting gate Saturday afternoon. The result is a wide-open field that should give the bettors plenty of value. Several trainers well known on the Derby trail entered in the Lane's End. Speaking for Nick Zito, who trains Superfly and Hemingway’s Key, assistant Tim Poole said, "We’re fortunate to have two horses in the race and we hope they live up to their billing." Hemingway’s Key will wear blinkers for the first time in the Lane’s End. Todd Pletcher, who has horses in each of the 3-year-old stakes here Saturday, has the well-traveled Tahoe Warrior in here. The son of Carson City has never won on the dirt, but is two for three on the turf. Wayne Lukas will saddle Sharp Attack, who was well-beaten by Lawyer Ron in the Southwest Stakes last time out. Lukas' colt could provide some value; he is undefeated in two starts over the Turfway surface, including a 10 1/2 length victory in a first level allowance race. The post-time favorite could well be Laity from the Frank Brothers barn. Laity is not currently a Triple Crown nominee, but would almost surely be made eligible for the Spring Classics with a big race Saturday. The Claiborne Farm colt is a two-time stakes winner, most recently in the Battaglia Memorial, the local prep for the Lane's End, last month. Regular rider Corey Lanerie will be aboard. Silent Times, the Irish-bred colt who will be making his first start in the States, has been off since last September. While he hasn't raced on the Polytrack, he trains over it regularly. The son of Danehill Dancer does have some back class, winning a Group Two race in England and finishing just four lengths behind one of Europe's top juveniles Horatio Nelson in another stake. Commenting on post 12 that fell to Silent Times (IRE), trainer Eoghan O’Neill quipped, "We came all the way here to get the 12 post. Well, we will see how the race unfolds. He went well on the track today." Rushaway Stakes The Rushaway also has come up with a full field and looks to be a wide-open affair as well. High Cotton, from the Todd Pletcher barn, likely the favorite, drew the rail. In his lone start this year, he was eased in an allowance race won by Strong Contender at Gulfstream Park. Other horses that figure to take action in the Rushaway are the Nick Zito trained Fabled, who is making his two-turn debut; Mark of Success, second to Lawyer Ron in the Risen Star (GIII); Fidrych, who ships in from Oaklawn for John Servis; Kings Challenge, another Oaklawn shipper that has faced some tough company; and In A Flash, who has the advantage of making two starts over the Polytrack. The Rushaway will run just prior to the marquee race, the Lane’s End Stakes, which is the 10th of 12 races on Saturday’s card. It and the Rushaway will be carried live by ESPN2 from 5:00 to 6:00 p.m. The Lane's End field, with post positions, riders, and morning line odds, is:
1. Malameeze (John McKee) 20-1 |
 
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