Claim of Deadly Truth pays off in Speed to Spare

Deadly Truth gave Derby Quest Farms Ltd. and Shot in the Dark Racing Corp. a quick return on their investment when he won the $75,000 Speed to Spare at Northlands Park on Monday.

Ridden by Scott Williams, Deadly Truth paid $22 for his 1 1/2-length win over Killin Me Smalls who led for most of the way in the 1 3/8-mile race for 3-year-olds and up.

Acting on behalf of the winning owners, trainer Greg Tracy claimed Deadly Truth for $35,000 out of his last start.

“I had him last year and I always thought he was a good horse,” Tracy said. “I also thought he could go this far and he received a great ride by Scotty.”

In his only other start going 11 furlongs, Deadly Truth finished fifth in the Grade 3 Canadian Derby for Tracy last year.

Deadly Truth was sitting comfortably in fourth in the eight-horse field while Killin Me Smalls led after six furlongs in 1:14.32. Deadly Truth started to move into contention after a mile in 1:40.69 before engaging Killin Me Smalls on the stretch turn. Killin Me Smalls fought back gamely but couldn’t hold off a determined Deadly Truth in the final sixteenth. Go Max made a late move to finish a neck behind in third.

The 6-5 favorite Senor Rojo didn’t have any noticeable excuses while finishing a disappointing seventh.

The final time was 2:20.44.

Earlier, leading jockey Rico Walcott extended his large lead in the jockey standings when he won the first five races on the card.