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Nistle's Crunch angles out late to win Commonwealth Turf Shut out of a seam along the rail in deep stretch, jockey Robby Albarado craftily guided Alien Farm's homebred NISTLE'S CRUNCH (Van Nistelrooy) outside the offending rivals who failed to make room and finished with a flourish to take the $112,900 Commonwealth Turf S. (G3) at Churchill Downs on Sunday by a half-length. The 7-1 chance returned $17.20, $6.60 and $4.40 after completing 1 1/16 miles over a firm turf in 1:44 2/5. Settled along the inside in midpack, Nistle's Crunch was always in good position as Cherokee Triangle (Cherokee Run) was tracked by 5-1 Jimmy Simms (Lost Soldier) through splits of :24 4/5 and :49 3/5. Jimmy Simms poked his head in front after six furlongs in 1:13 4/5, and then braced for the challenge of 2-1 favorite Seaspeak (Mizzen Mast), who ranged up into contention from seventh around the far turn. Those two hooked up in a torrid duel down the stretch while Nistle's Crunch, having made his way to third, tried to slip through along the inside. When that hole closed, he quickly shifted outside to wear down the leading pair to notch his first stakes victory. "I think the turf course is a little soft today and conducive to his style," Albarado said. "He got over it real nice. One of his other better races was over the Colonial (Downs) turf when it stormed and rained and it was deep and sloppy. So I think he likes it with a little cut to it." An exciting photo finish occurred for the minor slots, with four horses separated by less than a half-length arriving in tandem. Seaspeak had a neck on them all, bringing back $4.40 and $3 while capping the $57.20 exacta. Jimmy Simms just held third by a nose along the hedge to pay $4.60 and complete the $310 trifecta. Snoose Goose (Aptitude) rounded out the $2,356.20 superfecta (2-8-5-7) by a nose and was followed under the wire by Veiled Prophet (Kingmambo), Amazing Results (Grand Slam), Cherokee Triangle, Allsarott (Grindstone), Mr Maccool (Giant's Causeway) and Boss Lafitte (Dynaformer). Silver Mountain (Victory Gallop) was scratched. Trained by Ken McPeek, Nistle's Crunch was the runner-up in the Colonial Turf Cup (G3) earlier this year, and also ran third in both the Crown Royal American Turf S. (G3) over this course and the Saranac S. (G3) at Saratoga. The Commonwealth Turf score boosted his career bankroll to $356,251 from a line of 14-4-3-4. Nistle's Crunch, a New Jersey-bred, is the first foal out of the stakes-winning Sam Eye Am (Island Whirl), who is also the dam of the unraced two-year-old filly Pascal's Paradox (Monashee Mountain). This female family has produced Grade 2 winners Bright Launch (Relaunch) and Mynameispanama (Bet Twice), multiple Grade 3 winner Bright Valour (Wild Event) and, further back, 1960 champion steeplechaser Benguala (Annapolis).
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