Outside Nashville rallies to win Lost in the Fog Stakes

Outside Nashville ($10) was content to sit well off a fast pace down the backstretch but flew through the stretch to score an easy victory in the $53,715 Lost in the Fog Stakes at Golden Gate Fields on Monday.

The 6-year-old Broken Vow gelding had only one rival beaten as the comebacking Marino’s Wild Cat cut out a 22.11-second opening fraction and maintained his lead through a 44.40-second half-mile.

Jockey Ricardo Gonzalez settled Outside Nashville, moving up slowly on the turn and into the lane. As he turned for home, Gonzalez quickly angled Outside Nashville out to the No. 3 path for clear running.

Marino’s Wild Cat, making his first start since last April, maintained his lead to the eighth pole but was tiring as No Silent began pressing him from the outside and Outside Nashville was finishing even stronger just outside of No Silent.

The two easily passed Marino’s Wild Cat, with Outside Nashville roaring past No Silent to win the six-furlong race by 1 3/4 lengths in 1:08.40.

“As soon as I let him run at the quarter pole, I knew I had them. I had so much horse,” said Gonzalez.

Mah Gellin, who set the six-furlong track record of 1:08.23 in his previous start Jan. 24, was up for third, 1 1/4 lengths behind No Silent and three-quarters of a length in front of Marino’s Wild Cat.

The victory was worth $30,400 for Outside Nashville, who had previously won the Golden Nugget and Oakland sprint stakes here. Outside Nashville, owned by John Carver, trainer Jerry Hollendorfer, and Green Smith, now has career earnings of $326,410, with seven wins in 29 starts. His record on the Golden Gate Fields main track is five wins, three seconds, and a third in 11 starts.

“I think he’s best as a late-running sprinter,” said Hollendorfer. “I look for him to win a big race this year.

“Ricardo knew how the race looked and how he had to ride him. It set up for him to run them down at the end.”