Sahmmy Falls lights up Michigan Futurity at 49-1

NEW BOSTON, Mich. -- The favored Top Touch won the Michigan Juvenile Fillies while Sahmmy Falls posted a major upset in the Michigan Futurity in the final stakes races of the 2009 season at Pinnacle Race Course on Saturday. Both $50,000 races were contested at a mile. The meet concludes on Monday.

Top Touch ($4.40) was a neck winner in the Juvenile Fillies after an eventful stretch drive with runner-up De la Crem. Both fillies bid at the quarter pole to set up the stretch duel. De la Crem struck first, bumping the winner, before Top Touch came out slightly later in the drive. Jeffrey Skerrett, the rider of De la Crem, lodged an objection against Alexis Ortiz and Top Touch, but it was disallowed by the stewards. Electric Venus was third in the field of six Michigan-bred fillies.

It was the first stakes win for Top Touch, a daughter of Touch Gold.who had finished second in the Sickle's Image Stakes last month. Alexis Ortiz rode Top Touch for the first time, resulting in his second stakes win for trainer Sandra Adkins and owner/breeder Charlie Williams. Top Touch was clocked in 1:44.94.

Three races later in the Futurity, outsider Sahmmy Falls, in the hunt all the way, upset top 2-year-old colt Hour by Hour and 10 others when he got up late by a neck to pay $100.60.

Sahmmy Falls was beaten double digits in his last start, last month's Patrick Wood Stakes, and showed just a maiden win. With longshot specialist Godofredo Laurente in the irons for the first time, he was in front at the wire after a prolonged stretch battle.

Second choice Prince of Paulie was second with Dream Victory, another outsider, closing strongly for third.

The favored Hour by Hour led for a half-mile before giving way to finish 11th. Sahmmy Falls completed his mile in 1:42.98 for owner/trainer/breeder Shane Spiess.