Decisive Moment ends three-year drought in Presque Isle Mile

Coming into the $200,000 Presque Isle Mile on Sunday evening, Decisive Moment had not won a race in 18 tries since the $125,000 Delta Mile in 2011. His trainer, Juan Arias, had not won a stakes since that same Delta Mile. Both of their droughts ended when Decisive Moment led gate to wire for a head victory.

Decisive Moment, a 6-year-old son of With Distinction, was the 3-1 morning-line favorite for the Mile but paid $22.80. He has now won 5 of 34 starts and $988,566. He is based in Florida with Arias but has shipped for stakes on occasion. On Sunday, we found out why.

Hustled from the gate by jockey Willie Martinez over Presque Isle’s synthetic Tapeta track, Decisive Moment was largely left alone on the lead through fractions of 25.60 and 49.83 seconds. He was challenged on the far turn by longshots Machiavelique and Horsted Keynes but turned those challenges back and then hung on over locally based Allie’s Event.

For Martinez, the win was the third in a stakes and the richest since he won the 2012 Breeders’ Cup Sprint aboard Trinniberg.

Decisive Moment was timed in 1:37.66 after splits of 1:13.80 and 1:25.74. The $2 exacta with 23-1 Allie’s Event paid $398.40. Viva Lad, a winner of four of five starts at the Presque Isle meet, had a wide trip but finished third, a length behind Allie's Event and a head in front of 3-1 favorite Joha in the 12-horse field.

The highlight of the Presque Isle meet, the Grade 2, $400,000 Masters, a 6 1/2-furlong race for fillies and mares will be run Monday. Post time for the Masters is 7:40 p.m. Eastern.