(Chart, Equibase)
Razor, ridden by Mike Smith, seized the lead soon after the start and was never seriously threatened en route to a four-length win over Crimson Stag in the $109,700 Matt Winn Stakes for 3-year-olds Saturday at Churchill Downs. Winning for the second time in four starts this season, Razor sped the six furlongs in 1:09.48 and paid $4.20, $3, and $2.60 as the even-money favorite in the field of seven. Crimson Stag, with Rafael Bejarano aboard, tracked the winner throughout the race and paid $4.20 and $3.20. Sir Laff Alot closed from fifth at the top of the stretch to get the third spot under John McKee and returned $3.80. The son of Concorde's Tune, owned by Satish Sanan's Padua Stables, collected a winner's share of $68,014 to boost his career total to $169,244. The stakes score was the second of the year for the Steve Asmussen-trained Razor, who won the Dixieland at Oaklawn on Jan. 21 to begin his 3-year-old campaign. Razor improved his overall record to four wins in eight starts. He's perfect in two attempts at Churchill Downs. Departing Now assumed a brief lead soon after the start, but quickly gave way as Razor assumed control and opened up a 1 ½-length advantage after a quarter mile in :21.70. Razor gradually opened up his advantage as they entered the stretch with a three-length margin and was ridden out for the final tally. The stakes victory was the second of the Churchill meet for Smith, who scored a stunning upset one week ago aboard Giacomo in the 131st running of the Kentucky Derby (gr. I). "I kind of broke real easy and, man, he was up underneath me and gone," said Smith. "He's a very quick colt, and they did a great job with him. I don't think that anyone could have run with me early. He's really, really fast. I left there (starting gate) like we were going a mile-and-a-quarter because he's so twitchy. His muscles twitch really fast. That way he won't scramble, and he relaxes when he runs."