Shopton Lane left alone on the lead

OCEANPORT, N.J. - Shopton Lane shot right to the front and was never headed, rolling to a 2 1/2-length win in the $70,000 Skip Away Stakes on Saturday at Monmouth Park.

The expected speed duel between Shopton Lane ($7.80) and Gottcha Gold never materialized. Stewart Elliott opted for a stalking trip with Gottcha Gold, sitting second with the even-money favorite while Shopton Lane carved out the fractions in the 1 1/16-mile race.

The problem with that strategy: Shopton Lane never stopped. A 4-year-old colt ridden by Jose Lezcano for trainer Bruce Levine, Shopton Lane earned his second overnight stakes victory in the last three races. The time was 1:44.29 on the fast track.

"Gottcha Gold didn't go for the early lead so I was able to get my horse to relax up front," Lezcano said. "We didn't have to go too fast up front, which let me save a little for the lane. He turned it on for me when I asked him."

The latest win could point Shopton Lane to a much bigger prize. The Skip Away is the local prep for Monmouth's Grade 3, $300,000 Iselin Stakes on Aug. 16.

Judith's Wild Rush came on to get second with Sinners N Saints third. Gottcha Gold was fourth with Indy Wind the trailer.

Tyro: Fellow Crasher prevails

Fellow Crasher rallied to beat 1-9 favorite Notonthesamepage by 2 1/2 lengths in the $59,150 Tyro Stakes, which leads to Monmouth's top 2-year-old event: the Grade 3, $150,000 Sapling on Aug. 31.

Joe Bravo guided Fellow Crasher ($11) to his second win in the three starts for trainer Tony Dutrow.

"He really turned it on for me in the lane when I got into him," Bravo said. "This is a really nice colt."

The time was 1:03:32 for the 5 1/2 furlongs.

Notonthesamepage was the overwhelming favorite after setting the track record for 4 1/2 furlongs last time out at Churchill Downs. He was scratched from the Grade 2 Sanford Stakes on Thursday at Saratoga due to a slight fever that quickly subsided.

Rapid Redux was the trailer in the three-horse field.