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Won Awesome Dude earns top prize at Claiming Crown There were a couple surprises at Canterbury Park on Saturday as the Claiming Crown returned to its original home after a one-year hiatus. The seven-race starter allowance series, often referred to as the Breeders' Cup for blue-collar runners, was being run at Canterbury for the eighth time in the event's 10-year history. The most lucrative event of the card, the $142,500 Claiming Crown Jewel at 1 1/8 miles, fell to Kuehne Racing's WON AWESOME DUDE (Awesome Again), who rallied from slightly off the pace to prevail by a length in a time of 1:49 4/5 and returned $7.60. The five-year-old debuted for a $20,000 tag last season, but has since gone on to stakes glory at Manor Downs and was most recently second in the R.R.M. Carpenter Jr. Memorial S. at Delaware Park. Ridden by Casey Lambert for trainer Michael Mareina, the Ontario-bred improved his record to 11-4-4-0 with earnings of $192,407. SELF MADE MAN (Catienus) continued his impressive campaign with a gutsy neck victory in the $95,000 Claiming Crown Emerald. A winner in four of his six starts prior to the Claiming Crown, including his previous two against starter company at Churchill Downs, the Mike Maker-trained even-money choice clocked 1 1/16 miles over a firm turf in 1:42 1/5 under Miguel Mena. Self Made Man kicked off his 2008 season with a victory in the Dust Commander S. at Turfway Park, and boosted his career earnings Saturday to $231,456 from a line of 21-9-2-3. The longest-priced winner among the Claiming Crown races was turned in by 16-1 chance CAT HOP (Cat Thief), who rallied from near the back to post a neck victory in the $93,000 Claiming Crown Tiara for fillies and mares. Under Eddie Razo Jr., Cat Hop completed 1 1/16 miles on turf in 1:42 1/5 and gave trainer Merrill Scherer his second Claiming Crown win of the day. Claimed for $25,000 at Fair Grounds in February, Cat Hop later scored wins for $25,000 and $45,000 tags in Kentucky. The five-year-old mare's record improved to 28-8-4-5 with earnings of $193,781. EAGLE STORM (Stormy Atlantic) won his fifth race in a row in taking the $74,250 Claiming Crown Rapid Transit by two lengths under Jesse Garcia, completing six furlongs in 1:08 4/5. Sent off as the odds-on choice in his three prior starts, Eagle Storm returned a generous $9.60 here for trainer Justin Evans, who claimed the five-year-old gelding for $20,000 three starts earlier. Now unbeaten in five starts at Canterbury, Eagle Storm sports a mark of 34-10-1-6 with earnings of $141,663. Scherer and Razo's first winner of the day was in the $68,250 Claiming Crown Glass Slipper for fillies and mares, where CHIPPEWA COURT (Doneraile Court) prevailed by a neck and returned $5.40. The four-year-old filly completed six furlongs in 1:09 3/5. Claimed for $25,000 from a second-place finish at Churchill in her most recent start, Chippewa Court has been claimed a total of seven times since December 21. Her record improved to 30-8-3-7 with a bankroll of $144,281. The Cody Autrey-trained EXTRA EXCLUSIVE (Awesome Again) romped by five lengths in taking the $47,000 Claiming Crown Express in a time of 1:09 2/5 for six furlongs. Ridden by Corey Lanerie, Extra Exclusive paid $7.80 now boasts a mark of 31-7-5-6 with earnings of $141,598. The series kicked off with a 3 1/2-length score by ANTRIM COUNTY (Giant's Causeway) in the $47,000 Claiming Crown Iron Horse for trainer Cliff Wilkinson and jockey Fernando De La Cruz. Claimed out of a victory for $7,500 at Churchill Downs on May 15, Antrim County has now won three of four starts for his present connections. He now boasts earnings of $184,280 from a line of 37-7-4-6. Following the Claiming Crown, San and Joan Pieper's QUIET QUEEN (Real Quiet) turned in a massive upset in the $100,000 Lady Canterbury S. for fillies and mares. Under Tracy Hebert, the David Kassen trainee prevailed by a neck at odds of nearly 31-1 in a time of 1:34 4/5 for one mile on the turf. The five-year-old ex-claimer had recently finished 10th in the Modesty H. (G3) at Arlington Park. Her career earnings received a boost to $150,110 from a record of 19-6-0-2.
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