As the 9-5 second wagering choice, Five Star Day paid $5.60, $4.40 and $3. The winning exacta paid $39.20. (Chart, Equibase)
Five Star Day led from the start and pulled away in the stretch to win the $269,750 Phoenix Breeders' Cup Stakes (gr. III) by four lengths Saturday at Keeneland. Under Garrett Gomez, Five Star Day completed the six furlongs in a sizzling 1:07.90 on a fast track.Five Star Day ran fractions of :21.66 and :44.88 to lead by a length over Istintaj after a half-mile. Bet On Sunshine, the 7-5 favorite, made a big move while wide on the turn to reach contention but didn't have enough to seriously challenge the winner, who drew away while running the final furlong in :11.66. Istintaj finished second, 1 1/4 lengths ahead of Bet On Sunshine. Nunzio was fourth, followed by Desert Air and Wouldn't We All..Five Star Day (Carson City--Reggie V, by Vanlandingham) earned $167,245 for the win, his fifth in 11 career starts. Prior to the Phoenix, he finished second in a Del Mar allowance race won by Old Topper. As a 3-year-old last year, he won the Vernon O. Underwood Stakes (gr. III) and finished second in the King's Bishop Stakes (gr. I). He is trained by Beau Greely and was bred in Kentucky by Robert P. McGovern.
