Potra Clasica wins Liberada by DQ

MIAMI - Baena put blinkers on and ran the race of her life in Saturday's $45,000 Liberada Stakes. Unfortunately it wasn't good enough after the stewards disqualified Baena from first and placed her second for interfering with 7-5 favorite Potra Clasica in deep stretch of the 1 1/16-mile overnight stakes for older fillies and mares.

Baena, whose best previous performance was a distant third-place finish in the 2005 Hawthorne Oaks, showed improved speed with the new equipment and led throughout en route to an apparent one-length victory in the Liberada. But Baena drifted under left-handed pressure from jockey Cecilio Penalba and impeded Potra Clasica in deep stretch and again right at the wire. Following a stewards inquiry and a claim of foul by jockey Abel Castellano Jr., Baena was disqualified from first and placed second.

Tiger Belle rallied from last to finish third, 1 1/2 lengths in front of Bobcat Greeley. The race was marred when Out of Pride was pulled up after her rider's saddle slipped and Chancey Light lost her jockey around the opening turn.

Potra Clasica, an Argentine-bred daughter of Potrillon, trained by Marty Wolfson, paid $4.80.

Also on the card, Croton Road rallied from well back to outfinish even-money favorite World Battle and pacesetting Stradivinsky in a 1 1/2-length decision in the $45,000 Lord Juban Stakes.

Croton Road overtook the leaders inside the sixteenth pole to win going away in his stakes debut. Croton Road ran the 1 1/16 miles in 1:39.51 over firm turf and paid $12.