Stratford Hill just gets there in Shakertown

Melnyk Racing Stables' homebred Stratford Hill made his stakes debut in

Saturday's Grade 3

Shakertown at Keeneland and put in a furious rally down the lane to score

his fourth straight victory. The win also moved his mark since joining the Todd

Pletcher shedrow to a perfect four-for-four, and the chestnut improved his

overall career record to 6-4-0-0, $160,400.

Stratford Hill moved up to press the lead along with Great Attack as

Chamberlain Bridge maintained a narrow advantage through fractions of :22 2/5

and :45 4/5. The Grade 2 Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint victor continued holding the

lead as the trio hit the stretch, but Great Attack finally managed to get in

front through five furlongs in :57 3/5. Stratford Hill, meanwhile, was floated

out in midstretch but dug in under jockey John Velazquez to just get up by a

half-length on the wire.

The 6-1 fifth choice in the eight-horse field, Stratford Hill paid $14, $5.20

and $3.20 for finishing 5 1/2 furlongs on the yielding turf in 1:03 4/5. Grand

Adventure rallied from the rear to nip Great Attack by a nose for second, and it

was another length back to near 5-2 favorite Chamberlain Bridge in fourth.

"I had a good trip and if he would have run straight down the lane he would

have had a good chance to win the race," said jockey Garrett Gomez aboard Great

Attack. "I spent a lot of time trying to keep him in a straight line. Any time

you have to do that rather than focus on heading for home then it's going to

cost you, especially when you only get beat a half length."

Jamie Theriot, who was aboard Chamberlain Bridge, claimed his mount needed

the race following the two-month layoff.

"He ran a good race," Theriot said. "He hasn't run his best races here. (He)

doesn't seem to throw his best races here. He was a little more aggressive than

he's ever been on the outside and somewhat fresh -- he hadn't run in six weeks.

I think he needed this race. He'll give a better performance next race."

Strike Impact, defending champion Silver Timber, Goldzar and Kennessey

completed the order under the wire after Southern Region was withdrawn.

The Florida-bred Stratford Hill began his career with Tom Albertrani at

Belmont Park last May, but was unable to factor in the top three in two starts

on the main track at Big Sandy. He was subsequently switched to Pletcher and

didn't reappear for seven months, when he showed up in a turf sprint at

Gulfstream Park on January 15. The newly turned four-year-old drew off by 2 1/2

lengths in that maiden, and would go on to add an allowance and optional claimer

to his scorecard in his last two under the same conditions.

"Phil Hronek, the farm manager and racing manager for (breeder and owner

Eugene Melnyk), told me this horse was better on the grass and thought he was a

good sprinter on the grass," Pletcher said. "He turned out to be 100 percent

right. (Stratford Hill) just keeps getting a little better, handled some soft

ground today. He's just a real professional horse.

"He gives you the impression being an A.P. Indy that he might stretch out a

bit, but he keeps running so well short that we don't want to change what's

working."

Stratford Hill is a son of Harmony Lodge, who captured the 2003 Grade 1

Ballerina as well as four other graded events during her career. The 13-year-old

mare also has an unraced juvenile colt named Crane Lodge, an unnamed yearling

filly by A.P. Indy and a 2011 filly by Tiznow. Harmony Lodge is herself a

daughter of Grade 3 victress Win Crafty Lady, making her a half-sister to

multiple Grade 2-winning sire Graeme Lodge, Grade 3 heroine Win McCool and dual

stakes scorer Win's Fair Lady. First Passage, star of the 2009 Grade 3 Azalea,

is out of Win's Fair Lady.

Win Crafty Lady is herself a half-sibling to Diligence, winner of the 1997

Grade 2 Tom Fool and runner-up in the 1995 Grade 1 Champagne and 1996 Grade 1

NYRA Mile.