Newstome surges late to win James F. Lewis Stakes

Turning for home in Saturday’s James F. Lewis III Stakes at Laurel Park, Reform School appeared poised to draw clear for a 30-1 upset, but that was before favored Newstome really got going.

Instead, Trevor McCarthy guided Newstome up the rail for a nose victory over another longshot, Informative, who also came on late to edge Reform School by a half-length. Sir Back in Black was another two lengths back in fourth. The final time was 1:10.65, and the winner returned $5.60.

The Lewis was one of two six-furlong juvenile stakes worth $100,000 on Saturday at Laurel along with the Smart Halo, for fillies.

Newstome was making his second start on dirt Saturday. The Michael Trombetta-trained son of Goldencents won his maiden at first asking in a 5 1/2-furlong dirt race at Parx Racing, then was last of seven in the Rosie’s Stakes on turf at Colonial Downs – a race won by Four Wheel Drive, who would go on to take the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint.

A Pennsylvania-bred, Newstome rebounded with a victory in the Mark McDermott Stakes for statebreds on the Tapeta on Oct. 16 at Presque Isle Downs. Saturday’s narrow victory was worth $60,000, bringing the colt’s earnings to $165,000 for Trombetta’s wife, Marie Trombetta. The Trombettas purchased the horse for $30,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic 2-year-olds in training sale this past May.

In the Smart Halo, Cofactor won her first stakes and third consecutive race as she edged away for a 1 3/4-length victory under Joe Bravo.

Cofactor, sent away the 6-5 favorite, raced in fifth through a half-mile and was forced to wait for room on the turn, but she responded willingly once clear. Lucky Trinity, also running at the rear of the pack early, finished second, 1 1/4 lengths ahead of Still Alive who finished third over pacesetting Letsstaypositive.

The winner, a Stoneway Farm homebred trained by Kelly Breen, completed six furlongs in 1:12.25 and paid $4.40. The daughter of The Factor won her maiden at Monmouth Park second time out, then captured an October allowance at Keeneland ahead of Saturday’s race.