Giant Payday goes from last to first in Mystic Lake Derby

The Ian Wilkes-trained 3-year-old turf horse Sonic Boom won the American Derby in July leading from start to finish. The Ian Wilkes-trained 3-year-old turf horse Giant Payday won the $200,000 Mystic Lake Derby on Saturday night at Canterbury Park in a totally different fashion, rallying powerfully from last to beat My Bariley by one length.

Under Chris Landeros, Giant Payday had none of his nine opponents beat running down the backstretch, but the pair began moving up around the far turn, came into the homestretch with a full head of steam, probably ran the strongest part of his race from the three-sixteenths pole to the furlong grounds, and clipped past My Bariley on pure momentum in the final half-furlong to win the one-mile grass race going away.

The victory was especially sweet for owner Bob Lothenbach, who lives in nearby Eden Prairie, Minn.

“Love it, love it,” said Lothenbach, “To do it here with family and friends.”

My Bariley, who stalked the pace, made his own strong and perhaps premature move around the far turn to take the lead at the top of the stretch, but he had no answer when Giant Payday loomed late on his outside. Tony Granitz trains My Bariley and also saddled the third-place finisher, Sakonnet, who, like the top two, came from off the pace. Sakonnet’s rider, Leslie Mawing, claimed foul against Jareth Loveberry aboard My Bariley for coming out and taking away his path past the furlong grounds, but the stewards let the result stand.

Giant Payday was timed in 1:40.29 for the mile over a yielding turf course and paid $6.40 as the winning favorite.

Line Judge set out for the early lead and set splits of 24.68 and 49.12, but proved no factor from the five-sixteenths pole home. Siem Riep, who was off the pace for the first time in his turf career while racing from third, was the only front-runner anywhere close at the end, finishing fourth.

Before Sonic Boom won the American Derby at Arlington, Giant Payday had raced there in the Arlington Classic, chugging home sixth under Landeros in his worst showing this season. Giant Payday attended the pace that day, but in an allowance-race win at Ellis Park earlier this month, he dropped to the tail of the field before coming with a winning run.

“It was a learning experience,” Landeros said of the Arlington race. “I found out a lot about the horse. He just seems to do his best work late if you sit on him and are patient.”

Giant Payday ran his record to 3-4-1 from 12 starts. Bred in Kentucky by Gainesway Thoroughbreds, and purchased at auction for $100,000, he’s a son of Giant’s Causeway and the Seeking the Gold mare Pension.

◗ Trainer Robertino Diodoro sent out the one-two finishers in the $50,000 Brooks Fields Stakes, rained off turf and onto dirt, as Patriots Rule came from last of six to beat Way Striking by a half-length. Way Striking ran every bit as well as the winner, recovering from a poor start to contest the lead, and even fighting on when Patriots Rule came to him a furlong from home. Patriots Rule, ridden by Andrew Ramgeet, paid $13.40 to win and was timed in 1:36.17 for one mile on a good track.

◗ Beach Flower ($24.80) swooped down the middle of the track and won the $50,000 Minnesota H.B.P.A. Distaff by three-quarters of a length over Seeking Paradise. The one-mile race was rained off turf and onto dirt, and Beach Flower covered the distance in 1:38.22. Martin Escobar rode the winner for trainer Mac Robertson.