Woodbine: Straight Story connects at 38-1 in Autumn

ETOBICOKE, Ontario — Straight Story, a 38-1 turf specialist from the United States, got the job done in his first start on synthetics Saturday at Woodbine in the $161,600 Autumn Stakes.

Straight Story ($78) shook loose on the lead under Jesse Campbell, and set splits of 24.39 and 48.27 seconds in the 1 1/16-mile route. Pender Harbour, the probable Canadian champion 3-year-old this year, pressed the leader on the far turn, through three-quarters in 1:12.13. Straight Story repelled that challenge early in the stretch, and drew clear to win by 1 3/4 lengths, in 1:42.87.

Stunning Stag, last year’s winner of the Grade 2 Autumn, rallied wide for third, while favored City Wolf checked in eighth after a five-wide journey.

Straight Story, trained by Alan Goldberg, banked $90,000 for owner Richard Santulli.

“They told me that he’ll break sharp, and to just let him run his own race,” said Campbell. “I let him be comfortable. I tried to get away and open up at the top of the lane, because I didn’t want anybody to come to me. He ran really game.”