Plentiful upsets Manitoba Derby with stalking trip

Longshot Plentiful benefited from a fine ride by Tyrone Nelson to capture the 69th running of the $75,000 Manitoba Derby on a holiday Monday at Assiniboia Downs.

Witt’sdollarnight hooked up with 2-1 favorite Diamondmaze through quick fractions of 22.80 seconds and 47.80 in the nine-furlong event for 3-year-olds. After breaking from post 1, Plentiful stalked along the inside on the backstretch and through the far turn, before angling three wide for the drive. Escape Clause opened up a clear lead early in the stretch, but Plentiful mowed him down in the final sixteenth to prevail by 2 3/4 lengths, in a final time of 1:53.60.

Diamondmaze faded to finish a distant third. He was followed by Tizfun, Witt’sdollarnight, Shaded, and Stonehart Ridge. Coors Lute broke down in the stretch, and his rider, Rohan Singh, was taken away by an ambulance.

“At the draw, I was hoping to get the inside, because my horse loves the rail,” Nelson said. “When I got the one-hole, I said that’s perfect. I was planning to sit behind the speed, and look for [them to falter]. I had a dream run.”

Plentiful ($23.40) earned $45,900 for the partnership of trainer Murray Duncan and the Estate of Garylle Stewart. Duncan claimed him for $15,000 in April at Oaklawn, and the son of Harlan’s Holiday went on to win three Assiniboia stakes before finishing second in the one-mile Harry Jeffrey Stakes.

“I knew he could run that far, just off his breeding,” Duncan said. “He was training better all the time.”

* Tadaa ($6.80) upset 3-5 favorite Witt’s Town in Monday’s $25,000 Manitoba Oaks. Trained by co-owner Gary Danelson, Tadaa covered a mile in 1:42.60 under Singh in the four-horse supporting feature on the card.