Met Mile goes to 56-1 shot Exciting Story

ELMONT, N.Y. - There were several story lines heading into Monday's 108th running of the Metropolitan Handicap. It was the most Exciting Story that prevailed.

Exciting Story, who scratched from Saturday's Connaught Cup Stakes at Woodbine when the turf course came up soft, shocked nine rivals to win the Grade 1, $750,000 Met Mile by three-quarters of a length over Peeping Tom before 18,568 at Belmont Park. It was another two lengths back to Alannan in third.

Traditionally, who was trying to give jockey Pat Day his 8,000th career victory, finished ninth, beaten 17 lengths, as the 9-5 favorite in the field of 10.

Exciting Story, the longest shot on the board at 56-1, returned $115.50 to win. His final time of 1:37.14 over a muddy track marked the slowest Metropolitan Handicap since Stymie ran 1:37.40 in 1947.

Peeping Tom, who was looking to continue his remarkable story from reformed claimer to 1 winner, looked like a winner after making the lead in midstretch. But his tendency to wait on horses cost Peeping Tom, as Patrick Husbands guided Exciting Story up the rail inside the sixteenth pole.

"He does one of those things where he makes the lead and he starts to wait on horses," jockey Shaun Bridgmohan said of Peeping Tom. "At the top of the stretch I opened up two lengths and I could hear a horse coming. I tried to point him toward that horse so he could hear him and give me that last burst. . . . It's just a tough beat."

Exciting Story, owned and bred by Harry Mangurian, has had a tough career. As a 2-year-old, he suffered a 6 1/2-inch laceration during the running of the Grade 1 Grey Stakes, which he won by 8 1/2 lengths, but was subsequently disqualified. He was away from the races for nine months.

Last December, while running fourth in the Gravesend at Aqueduct, Exciting Story injured the same leg and was away from the races for five months.

Assistant Greg DeGannes, who saddled the horse for Canadian-based trainer Mark Casse, said he thought Exciting Story just making it back to the races was a miracle. "For him to win a [Grade 1], that's just unbelievable." DeGannes said.

Exciting Story, who arrived in New York by van Sunday morning, sat sixth in the early stages behind a four-ply battle for the lead that included Blade Prospector, Trippi, Exchange Rate and Left Bank. Around the turn, Husbands went past a fading Left Bank and looked as though he was going to go to the outside. But straightening for home, Husbands altered course and rallied Exciting Story up the rail.

"I tried to go in between horses in the stretch and had no place to go, so I got him down to the inside and we just got up," said Husbands, a Canadian-based rider.