MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (August 4, 2012) – An accomplished colt with graded-stakes wins on his résumé, Stud El Aguila’s Indiano proved too classy for his eight overmatched sprinting rivals when running off to a 5 ½-length victory in the $55,000 Giant Ryan Stakes at Calder Casino & Race Course Saturday, running the 6 ½-furlong distance over a fast track in 1:16.84.

“He felt very good today,” winning rider Luis Saez said. “He was the best horse going into the race, and he proved it.”

Sent from the gate as the overwhelming 3-5 favorite, Indiano settled comfortably in second through the early stages of the Giant Ryan, content to track the pacesetter Abdel’s Ghost through opening splits of :21.93 and :44.90.

“He was happy where he was,” Luis Saez said of the colt’s early-race positioning. “I know this horse well. He likes to run up with horses and be close, so that’s what I wanted to do with him. And that’s what he wanted too; he just took me to that spot.”

As the sprinters moved through the turn, Saez asked Indiano to engage the leader, and the colt responded emphatically, quickly pulling on even terms with Abdel’s Ghost before charging by that rival at the top of the stretch and extending his lead while unchallenged through the wire.

“When we came to the stretch, I just had to touch him a little, and when I did he took off,” Saez said

Trained by Marty Wolfson, Indiano returned $3.20, $2.60, and $2.20 for his popular win. Abdel’s Ghost paid $7.20 and $5.20 when holding on for second, while the late-running Close It Out returned $3.20 when beaten an additional 1 ¾ lengths in third.

With his victory in the Giant Ryan, Indiano is now a nine-time winner in 15 career starts, including seven stakes triumphs, and boasts a career bankroll of $415,196.