INSIDE STRAIGHT
scores upset in Oaklawn Handicap.
HOT SPRINGS — Inside Straight pulled a big upset Saturday, wearing down heavily favored Midnight Storm and winning the 71st running of the Oaklawn Handicap at the Racing Festival of the South.
At odds of 19-1, Inside Straight stayed on the heels of the front-running Midnight Storm until the two horses were heading for home. Inside Straight passed the California shipper in the final furlong, and Domain’s Rap also caught Midnight Storm before the wire to grab second place.
It was the seventh win in 20 lifetime races for the 4-yearold New York-bred horse by Super Saver. It was also the first graded stakes win for jockey Geovanni Franco.
“My horse broke very sharply,” Franco said. “He was alert. He was feeling good. He was nice and relaxed. I knew the horse to beat was [Midnight Storm] so I just followed him and tried to beat him down.”
Jockey Mike Smith, who won the 2016 Oaklawn Handicap aboard Effinex, immediately took Midnight Storm to the front and held that lead until he reached the top of the stretch. Goats Town and jockey Jon Court engaged Midnight Storm at the quarter pole, but when his short-lived bid failed, Inside Straight was there to take over.
“He was full of run,” Franco said. “Full of strength.”
“The five horse [Inside Straight] fired big in the lane,” Midnight Storm trainer Phil
D’Amato said. “And we just got outrun.”
It was the second consecutive race in which a late run
foiled a victory for the 1-2 post-time favorite. Midnight Storm finished second to a hard-charging Shaman Ghost in the Santa Anita Derby on March 11.
“Maybe that last race might have taken a little steam out of him,” Smith said. “I don’t know. He felt fine, he was running well, he looked good, he trained good, but he certainly didn’t fire his A race. He ran a C today.”
“Midnight Storm is a nice horse, and I was scared he was going to be the lone speed and we weren’t going to have much pace to run at,” winning trainer Robertino Diodoro said. “All we could worry about was our horse.”
Nine-year-old Domain’s Rap and jockey Ramon Vazquez got up to edge Midnight Storm for second by a head.
“He always tries,” Vazquez said. “And I am so proud of him because he is so old. He always gives his all in a race.”
Inside Straight paid $41.40, 13.40 and 5. Domain’s Rap paid $9 and 3.40. Midnight Storm paid $2.10.
Inside Straight earned $450,000 for owner Randy Howg.
In 10 races for Diodoro, Inside Straight has four wins, one second and three thirds. He improved to 2-1-1 at Oaklawn. Inside Straight was purchased privately in June through an agent.
“He’s had kind of a rough campaign, a tough campaign since we bought him,” Diodoro said. “He’s done a lot of traveling. He’s not that big a horse, but he’s carried good weight. He’s just gotten better and better with each race and today he proved it. [It’s] been a good purchase.”