Declan's Warrior catches Clearly Now in Bay Shore

Clearly Now won the pace battle, emerging with a clear lead in midstretch,

but lost the war. The runner-up dueled with Retreive and Salutos Amigos through

an opening quarter-mile in :22 and continued to wing along while three wide

through the far turn, contesting a blistering half-mile in :44 3/5.

Declan's Warrior rated off the pace during the early stages, saving ground

along the inside, and came off the rail approaching the conclusion of the far

turn. He was about

four lengths back in seventh with three furlongs remaining.

Clearly Now shook free from a pack of horses after straightening into the

stretch, passing the three-quarters pole in 1:09 with a one-length advantage,

and Declan's Warrior still had plenty of ground to make up with a furlong

remaining. But he closed determinedly down the middle of the track to nail

Clearly Now in the final strides, stopping the teletimer in 1:22.

"I was a little worried because there was so much speed to today, but I had

to ride my horse the way he wants to run -- let him sit and try to catch them at

the end," Lezcano said. "He did it. When I asked him the last part he really

kicked good and won the race."

"First time he ran, breaking his maiden at Belmont, that's how he came. He

came with a run," Zito explained. "I told Jose, don't take him out of his game,

because that's a no-no. We've done that since we were kids, you know, you take a

horse out their game, and it never works. In this particular situation, it

worked out. The speed got going, and he got going in the end."

Clearly Now, the 3-1 second choice among nine rivals, finished three lengths

clear of 13-1 third-placer The Truth and K G. Salutos Amigos, Honorable Dillon,

Maleeh, Retreive, Clawback and Silver Morgan completed the order of finish.

Bred in Kentucky, Declan's Warrior is out of the winning Saint Ballado mare

Comanche Star, which makes his a half-brother to stakes winner Canonize. His

third maternal dam, Deceit, posted notable wins in the Mother Goose and Acorn in

1970 and compiled seven overall stakes victories. The successful broodmare is

responsible for Canadian champion Deceit Dancer and graded/group stakes winners

Nagurski and Diana Dancer.

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