Ghost Is Clear strong in stretch of Dark Star

Ghost Is Clear, coming off the fastest race of his career nearly three months ago on Polytrack, proved equally effective on dirt in winning Sunday’s $75,000 Dark Star Cup at Canterbury Park.

Based in Kentucky with trainer Mike Maker, the 6-year-old Ghost Is Clear ($6.60) rallied strongly in the stretch under James Graham to win the 6 1/2-furlong sprint by a half-length. He covered the distance over a track rated good in 1:18.04.

Bobcat Jim, third in last month’s Prairie Express, came on to get second at 9-1. La Mano Nera, who won his Canterbury debut going 5 1/2 furlongs on May 31, set a swift half-mile fraction of 43.95 seconds and still led by three lengths with a furlong remaining, but was overtaken in deep stretch and wound up third. Politicallycorrect, second in last summer’s Grade 3 James Marvin at Saratoga, was fourth at 6-1.

Ghost Is Clear, co-owned by Maker and Jana Wagner, was coming off a win going 6 1/2 furlongs in the Hansen starter handicap at Turfway Park in March, has now won 10 of 30 starts and $354,477.

Ice for the Lady captures Oaks

Ice for the Lady, capitalizing when the race was taken off turf and moved to the main track, blew past even-money favorite Stellaris in deep stretch to win the $75,000 Northbound Pride Oaks by 1 1/2 lengths.

Ice for the Lady ($7.80) is now 4 for 6 on dirt, but has never raced on turf. Ridden for the first time by Seth Martinez, Ice for the Lady, completed a mile in 1:41.10.

Stellaris, scratched from Saturday night’s Regret Stakes at Churchill Downs, had looked like a winner when she made a wide sweeping move turning for home to open a clear advantage, but she grew leg weary in deep stretch and had to settle for second. She’s Offlee Good, winner of last summer’s Arlington-Washington Futurity, was third, 6 1/4 lengths behind Stellaris.