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Stars and Stripes are Always First Merriefield Farm's ALWAYS FIRST (GB) (Barathea [Ire]) prevailed by a nose in a thrilling finish to Wednesday's $200,000 Stars and Stripes Turf H. (G3) at Arlington, registering his first stakes win this season following three straight placings versus Grade 3 rivals. The Grade 2-winning gelding nipped pacesetter Cloudy's Knight (Lord Avie) on the wire, improving his overall line to 17-5-3-3, $431,552, and the 8-5 favorite rewarded his backers with payouts of $5.40, $3 and $2.40. Trained by Tom Voss, the six-year-old rated just off the pace three wide as Cloudy's Knight established uncontested, tepid fractions in :25 4/5, :52, 1:17 2/5 and 1:42 4/5 for a mile over the soft turf course. Always First responded to jockey Robby Albarado's prompting near the far turn, quickly collaring Cloudy's Knight in upper stretch, and appeared set to draw clear to a convincing victory while sticking a head in front. Cloudy's Knight battled back, though, and tested his rival all the way to the wire, eventually losing the bob by the slimmest of margins. Always First completed the 1 1/2-mile test in 2:31 4/5. The game runner-up returned $4 and $3.40 at 4-1, while Stream Cat (Black Minnaloushe) rallied late for third at 7-2, another three-quarters of a length back, and paid $3.60. It was four lengths back to the 15-1 Come on Jazz (Jambalaya Jazz) in fourth. The exacta totaled $18.80, the trifecta $69, and the 7-4-6-2 superfecta was $310.60. Ramazutti (Honor Grades), the 5-2 second choice, came next under the wire and was followed by Swagger Stick (Cozzene) and Major Rhythm (Rhythm). Fantastic Spain (Fantastic Fellow) and Mining for Silver (Silver Charm) were withdrawn. Bred in Great Britain by D.B. Clark and A.L. and Mrs. Penfold, Always First sold for $328,839 as a Tattersalls yearling and hails from the stakes-winning mare Pink Cristal (Dilum), who is also the dam of the juvenile colt Orientalist Art (Green Desert), second while making his career bow at Newmarket. Always First captured the 2005 Sunset Breeders' Cup H. (G2) and the Cape Henlopen S. last year. The bay wrapped up 2006 with a third in the Sycamore Breeders' Cup S. (G3), and entered the Stars and Stripes off a pair of runner-up finishes in the Elkhorn S. (G3) and Louisville H. (G3).
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