Decorated Soldier scores Presque Isle Mile triumph

Trainer Norm McKnight claimed Decorated Soldier for $20,000 when the gelding finished fourth in a race at Oaklawn Park on April 13. Five months later, Decorated Soldier is a multiple stakes winner for his new connections, as he came home to score in the $200,000 Presque Isle Mile on Sunday night at the eponymous track.

Decorated Soldier ($7.20) has now won four of five starts for Racer's Edge, Maxis Stable, and McKnight, all at Woodbine. The 5-year-old gelding made his stakes debut in the Grade 3 Seagram Cup on Aug. 12, winning by 2 1/4 lengths over defending Presque Isle Mile winner Gigantic Breeze.

In Sunday's Presque Isle Mile, Decorated Soldier and Willie Martinez stalked the pace in second as Don't Be So Salty kicked away to a clear lead, ahead by six lengths through a sharp half in 45.78 seconds. He still led by five through six furlongs in 1:09.68 on the all-weather track. Decorated Soldier began making up ground, and had dead aim on the game leader, just a length behind, into the stretch.

Don't Be So Salty grudgingly gave way near the sixteenth pole, and Decorated Soldier kicked past him, then held off the late charge of Ghost Hunter to win by three-quarters of a length.

The final time for the mile was 1:35.81.

After Ghost Hunter, who finished second in the Presque Isle Mile for the second consecutive year, it was a length back to Matrooh, who edged Don't Be So Salty by a head for third.

Mrs. Henry D. Paxson Memorial Stakes

One race prior, the quirky Amy Farah Fowler picked up her first stakes victory with a relatively professional one-length score in the $100,000 Mrs. Henry D. Paxson Memorial Stakes for Pennsylvania-bred 2-year-old fillies.

Amy Farah Fowler ($5), who had regular rider Huber Villa-Gomez in the irons for owner and trainer Ron Potts, broke from the outside post in the field of seven fillies, and was third as pacesetter Redeem My Heart narrowly led Amandasromeo into the lane and through the half in 45.53 seconds.

Amy Farah Fowler wore down the leader under a vigorous hand ride. She appeared to become distracted in deep stretch, but was kept to task late by some flashing of the stick. She stopped the clock in 1:10.03 for the six furlongs.

Amandasromeo held second, 3 1/4 lengths clear of Pemaquid Sally in third.

Amy Farah Fowler's career has been marked by antics, but she has never finished worse than second. The filly ran off in the post parade prior to her winning debut, broke free from her handlers in the paddock prior to winning her second race, was reluctant to load before finishing second in the Colleen Stakes at Monmouth, and shied outward and then in down the stretch while again finishing second in the Mark McDermott Stakes earlier this month at Presque Isle.