Rock on Justin wins third straight

Rock on Justin ($8.20) confirmed his affinity for racing seven furlongs by pulling clear in deep stretch to earn his first stakes victory in the $50,000 Miracle Wood for 3-year-olds at Laurel Park.

Ridden by Tony Maragh for trainer Gary Capuano, Rock on Justin has now won three straight races and his four most recent starts going seven furlongs. In his only previous stakes try, he finished ninth against Maryland-breds in the Maryland Million Nursery while still a maiden.

After breaking last, Rock on Justin rushed up along the rail to challenge the early pacesetter, Lucky Real Lucky. Maragh had to relinquish inside position and swing three wide into the stretch. Shipwrecktreasure, part of a coupled entry with Adduce for trainer Russell Cash, got within a head of Rock on Justin in midstretch, but Rock on Justin surged inside the sixteenth pole to pull away by 2 3/4 lengths while completing the distance in 1:24.58.

Stablemates Shipwreckstreasure and Adduce finished second and third. St John's Gospel and In the Juice, co-favored at 2-1, finished fourth and fifth in a field of seven.