Shopton Lane cruises in slop

Shopton Lane ($2.80) relied on his superior speed to outrun three opponents over a sloppy track to win the $67,900 Formal Gold Stakes at Monmouth Park on Saturday.

A 4-year-old colt ridden by Jose Lezcano for trainer Bruce Levine, Shopton Lane was unpressured through soft fractions of 25.69 seconds, 50.34, and 1:13.85 in the 1 1/16-mile race and finished three lengths in front of 5-2 second choice Indy Wind, covering the distance in 1:43.86.

"This colt was easy to ride," said Jose Lezcano, Monmouth's leading rider. "We got the early lead and he just kept on running all the way around. I didn't even really have to ask him."

It was the second straight stakes win locally for Shopton Lane, who has now won 9 of 17 lifetime and $284,966.