Nobrag Justfact proves best in Mystic Lake Mile

No hate, just fact – trainer Eric Heitzmann’s barn was not rolling at the 2019 Canterbury Park meeting. Heitzmann came into Saturday night’s card with one win from 49 starts but came out of it with a victory in the $100,000 Mystic Lake Mile after Nobrag Justfact rolled to a 1 3/4-length win in the $100,000 Mystic Lake Mile.

Nobrag Justfact had a clear lead at the stretch call of the $200,000 Mystic Lake Derby one year ago, only to be gunned down late by Sniper Kitten, but this time around, Nobrag Justfact made the last, best move. Sixth with a quarter-mile to run, Nobrag Justfact split horses at the furlong grounds under Orlando Mojica and zipped home to the first stakes win of his career.

The pacesetting Ibaka, who got a half-mile in a solid 47.02 seconds, held on for the place, as a May 31 Canterbury allowance race, in which Ibaka beat Nobrag Justfact, proved the key marker for Saturday night’s stakes.

Giant Payday finished a head behind Ibaka to get third in a race where nobody betting seemed especially sure of anything, Spooky Channel (who finished sixth) going off favored at just less than 9-2.

Nobrag Justfact ran a mile on firm going in 1:34.38 and paid $15 to win. Owned by Super XLIV, Nobrag Justfact is a 4-year-old colt by The Factor out of Jostle, by Brocco. Bred by Lansdowne Thoroughbreds, he’s now a three-time winner from 12 starts.