Sunday, September 07, 2008

SHOPTON LANE GOES ALL THE WAY IN FORMAL GOLD STAKES

OCEANPORT, N.J. * Malih Al Basti Racing Stable’s Shopton Lane took control out of the gate and never looked back, taking the $70,000 Formal Gold Stakes at Monmouth Park on Saturday, covering the mile and a sixteenth over the sloppy main track in 1:43 4/5.

Trained by Bruce Levine, the meet’s top conditioner, Shopton Lane returned $2.80 and $2.10 as the odds-on choice in the field of four older horses. It was three lengths back to Indy Wind, who rallied up the inside to complete a $7.80 exacta and paid $2.40 to place. Rikman was third with Sinners N Saints fourth. There was no show wagering on the Formal Gold.


“This colt was easy to ride,” said winning jockey Jose Lezcano, who tops the rider standings at Monmouth Park. “We got the early lead and he just kept on running all the way around. I didn’t even really have to ask him.”

Saturday’s win marked the third in five starts this year for Shopton Lane, a 4-year-old colt by Quiet American from the Phone Trick mare Lightfoot Lane.

Live racing continues at Monmouth Park on Sunday, Sept. 7 * first post 12:50 p.m. The 2008 racing season runs through Sept. 28.

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