Downtown Cowboy pulls $33.40 surprise in Karl Boyes Memorial

Downtown Cowboy continued a solid season at Presque Isle Downs, springing a $33.40 upset in Monday night’s $100,000 Karl Boyes Memorial Stakes at the Pennsylvania track.

This was the first stakes victory for Downtown Cowboy, who is trained by Shane Meyers for Judy Meyers. The Florida-bred gelding has won both his outings this season at Presque Isle, having come off an optional-claiming victory there on May 21.

Rocket Heat sped clear in the early going of the Boyes Memorial, leading the field by two through an opening quarter of 22.32 seconds and the half in 45.57 seconds, with Downtown Cowboy stalking the pace. Downtown Cowboy, under Scott Spieth, was second and taking dead aim into the lane. He collared the stubborn Rocket Heat and drove by near the sixteenth pole to win by three-quarters of a length.

Rocket Heat held second by another three-quarters over Colonel Sharp. Favored Extravagant Kid, last in the field of 12 after the opening quarter, was never a threat and checked in fifth.

Downtown Cowboy finished the 5 1/2 furlongs, contested in rainy weather on Presque Isle's all-weather track, in 1:03.65.