Derby News

Photo By: Rick Schmitt/CDI

With a City lights up the Turfway Park toteboard with his big upset in the Lane's End (GII)

With a City on his way to a huge upset, paying $99.60, in the Lane's End (GII) at Turfway Park Saturday. With a City came from seventh place after three-quarters of a mile to score a 1 1/4 length victory in the 1 1/8 mile race, stopping the timer in 1:51.11.

With a City, trained by former Wayne Lukas assistant Mike Maker, was coming off an eighth place finish in the John Battaglia Memorial. Dismissed at 48-1 by the bettors broke well from post 2, settling in mid-pack of the field of 12. After a sensible pace of 47.38 for the half and 1:11.88 for 3/4 mile, jockey Brice Blanc swung the son of City Zip four wide around the far turn, moving quickly to the leaders and drew off in the stretch for the victory.

Seaside Retreat, an 11-1 shot also closed from far back to get second. Malameeze, another deep closer, got up for third, another length and a half back, at 15-1. The parade of longshots continued when More Than Regal, at 10-1, wound up fourth.

Winning owner Ron Peltz, who races under the name of Equirace.com LLC, said he was writing the $6,000 check to make his yet to be nominated colt eligible for the Triple Crown. The late nomination period closed at midnight Saturday, March 25. Peitz purchased the colt some three months ago.

Maker was ecstatic after the race. "This feels great. I've had him since the first week of February. The Kentucky Derby has been the plan all along. We might look at going to the Arkansas Derby."

Maker's biggest win other than today came in the Hawthorne Gold Cup (GII) in 2004 with Freefourinternet, also owned by Equirace.

With longshots taking the top four spots, there was plenty of disappointment in how the betting favorites fared. Silent Times (IRE), the post-time choice at 7-2, never got into the race, finishing eleventh. Laity, who had won the Battaglia here last month, finished just ahead of Silent Times, in tenth. The Nick Zito trained Superfly, the second choice in the wagering at 4-1, wound up fifth, but was never a threat at any point. His stablemate Hemingway's Key, also well-back at 5-1, was sixth.

The win was With a City's fourth in 11 starts. The $300,000 payday increased his lifetime bankroll $359,680.

With huge payoffs in all the exotics, there were no $2 or $1 superfecta tickets. Even so, the 10-cent superfecta paid a whopping $19,783.69. With a City's straight prices were $99,60, $38.20 and $17. Seaside retreat was worth $11.20 and $7.80 to place, and Malameeze $11.40 to show. The $2 exacta was $930.20.

Rushaway Goes To High Cotton

High Cotton, trained by Todd Pletcher, scored a near wire-to-wire victory in the $100,000 1 1/16 mile Rushaway Stakes on the Lane's End undercard.

High Cotton, who broke a bit tardily from post one, was rushed up to the lead by jockey Chris DeCarlo entering the first turn. DeCarlo maintained a half-length lead down the backstretch and into the far turn. He asked his colt for some run midway on the turn, and the son of Dixie Union responded, widening his lead through the stretch to finish 2 1/4 lengths ahead of longshot maiden Special Interest. Bear Character, another at a big price of 31-1, got up to be third.

The winner, who was second in the Kentucky Jockey Club at Churchill Downs last fall, got his second win in seven lifetime starts. Plans for his next race were unclear, as Pletcher was not in attendance. The winner paid $8.80, $5.00 and $4.40. Special Interest was worth $27.60 and $19.00. Bear Character was worth $31.20. The $2 exacta was $375.20.

« Back To Derby News

Derby Info