Original Spin cruises in Lassie

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. - Original Spin won a maiden race five weeks ago at Arlington Park with raw speed, but this 2-year-old filly has intelligence to match her talent. A series of morning workouts in which she rated behind other horses taught Original Spin more than she had learned in her career debut, and she put the schooling to work Sunday at Arlington, coming from off the pace to easily win the over favored Ex Caelis.

Original Spin, briefly buried inside on the far turn of the Lassie, swung four wide under jockey Jesse Campbell for the stretch run, and mowed down Coolwind and Ex Caelis to win by 4 1/4 lengths. Her time of 1:35.93 for a mile on dirt in the Grade 3, $150,000 Lassie was a stakes record.

An Illinois-bred by Distorted Humor, Original Spin ($12) is owned by the Russell Reineman Stable and trained by Tony Mitchell. Mitchell said she had shown rare ability as early as this spring while learning her fundamentals in Aiken, South Carolina, and while Original Spin was brilliant winning her first start, it was the work she did after that race that set up her win Sunday. Campbell breezed her three times after her maiden win, putting Original Spin behind horses and teaching her to take dirt and finish, and that is exactly the trip she got Saturday.

Longshots Gleaming Elegance and Jazzy Okie set a fast early pace, going a half-mile in 45.08 seconds, with Original Spin racing in behind them, flanked by Ex Caelis and Coolwind. Those two overtook the leaders coming off the turn, and Campbell had to wait for them to clear before looking for a spot with Original Spin. He guided her off the rail turning for home, and Original Spin kicked in, blowing past Ex Caelis and Coolwind, who held third.