Appeal to the King romps by 9 1/4 lengths in MTA Stallion Auction Stakes

SHAKOPEE, Minn. – Appeal to the King, the last foal of Minnesota broodmare Belle of the Night, pulled away in the lane to sail to a 9 1/4-length win Sunday in the $55,000 MTA Stallion Auction Stakes at Canterbury Park.

The MTA Stallion Auction Stakes is restricted to the 3-year old progeny of stallions whose services were sold at the 2009 Minnesota Thoroughbred Association Stallion Auction.

Appeal to the King ($14.40) broke alertly in the 6 1/2-furlong dash from the outside but was beaten to the lead by the lone filly in the field, I Forgot It’s Name. I Forgot It’s Name led the field down the backstretch and into the turn as Appeal to the King, under Dean Butler, steadily gained ground on her outside. At the top of the lane, Appeal to the King put a head in front and never looked back, drawing off under steady pressure from Butler.

“I was really in the catbird seat,” said Butler.

I Forgot It’s Name ($7.20) was alone for second with Granite Ridge ($4.20) third.

“We were going to let the rest of them do what they were going to do,” said trainer Bob Johnson. “But we were going to make sure we kept him close.”

Appeal to the King was bred by We Three Kings LLC in Minnesota and stopped the timer at 1:17.92.