2007 Lane's End Stakes Day

By Cindy Pierson Dulay, About.com Guide

Turfway Park in Florence, Kentucky hosts the $500,000 Lane's End Stakes (G2), the major local prep for the Blue Grass Stakes and ultimately the Triple Crown. Twelve made the starting gate facing 1 1/8 miles of Polytrack, with Hallandale Beach Stakes winner Twilight Meteor sent off as the 5-2 favorite over 3-1 second choice Hard Spun, fourth at Oaklawn in the Southwest Stakes after winning the LeComte at the Fair Grounds.

Starbase and Bullara dueled on the front end while Hard Spun pressed the pace in third out of trouble in the three path, as they clicked off fractions of 22.78, 47.24, and 1:11.62 over the fast surface. Favorite Twilight Meteor sat back in seventh early while racing on the rail the whole way. The frontrunners tired on the far turn allowing Hard Spun to easily take over the lead, and through the stretch, he drew away under minimal urging from jockey Mario Pino, completing the trip in 1:49.41. It was 3 1/4 lengths back to Sedgefield in third, and 3 1/4 more back to Joe Got Even in third.
Results chart

Previous

• Hard Spun wins the 2007 Lane's End Stakes
• Hard Spun in the winner's circle
• Hard Spun parades after winning the Lane's End
• Second place finisher Sedgefield
• Third place finisher Joe Got Even
• Beaten favorite and 6th place finisher Twilight Meteor
• Dominican wins the 2007 Rushaway Stakes
• Dominican in the winner's circle
• Awesome Hero wins the 2007 Hansel Stakes

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