HOT SPRINGS -- When long shots Chortle and Yucca broke on top for the early lead in the 36th running of the $100,000 Carousel Stakes, Spring Included trainer Steve Hobby said he knew his horse was in prime position for a victory.
Breaking from the outside post in the seven-horse field, Spring Included settled into third down the backstretch then charged past the two 25-1 shots at the top of the stretch and cruised to victory in Wednesday's feature for older fillies and mares in Oaklawn's Racing Festival of the South.
Spring Included, the 8-5 favorite, won the 6-furlong race in 1:09.71, her second stakes victory in three Oaklawn starts this year. She was coming off a 1 3/4-length victory in the $100,000 Spring Fever on Feb. 15.
"She's just been so good this year," Hobby said of the 4-year-old Kentucky bred daughter of Include. "She tries every time. She runs every time. She never surprises me."
Chortle and Yucca dueled for the early lead, posting quick fractional times of 21.57 for a quarter and 44.79 for the half-mile.
Spring Included was still a half-length back when they reached the top of the stretch, but jockey Joe Rocco Jr. had the filly a half-length in front with an eighth of a mile to go and coasted home 21/2 lengths in front of late-closing Street Story.
"She's a really nice filly and she seems to be getting better every race," Rocco said. "It seemed to make sense to sit behind the speed instead of using more horse early. They were going pretty quick up front and she relaxed nicely for me. She came running when I asked her."
"Having the outside post allowed us to set back off of them and not have to worry about it," Hobby said. "Joe said, 'You guys go. We'll sit here and wait.' Everything set up for us just right."
Spring Included paid $5.40, $2.60 and $2.20.
Second betting choice Street Story, trained by Steve Asmussen, paid $3.80 and $3. Street Story was ridden by Luis Quinonez, who was filling in for Oaklawn leading rider Ricardo Santana, who was taken off of all of his mounts after the first race because of an illness.
Chortle crossed the finish line third but was disqualified and placed fourth behind Electric Temptress because of an incident at the start.
Electric Temptress paid $2.40 to show.
Yucca, who dueled with Chortle through the fast opening fractions, faded to sixth.
Spring Included's victory boosted her bankroll to $300,097 for Arkansas owners Alex and Joan Lieblong, and gives her five victories in 12 career starts.
"She has a lot of versatility," said Hobby, who had not won a Racing Festival of the South feature race since Sue's Good News won the Instant Racing Stakes in 2003. "She's run long, turf, dirt, polytrack, but we've decided sprinting is her best. ... She doesn't have to have the lead, and she may actually be better following. She tends to look around and loaf a little if she's on out front for too long.
"I'm really actually happy those two went out for the lead and she had to pass them turning for home."
Sports on 04/09/2015