Telling doubles up in Sword Dancer

Telling unleashed the strongest bid and powered clear, paying $22.60, $9.50

and $6.20 while keying the healthy exotics -- $150 (exacta), $1,028 (trifecta)

and $14,245 (8-6-5-3 superfecta).

"He broke well and I really felt like I was in great spot," Gomez said. "When

they quickened up the backside, I was having a little trouble telling how fast

they were actually going and deciding whether or not to go after the leaders at

that point. But my horse was bobbling a bit so I decided to switch him to the

outside a little and wait. When we turned for home, the horse in front of us

dropped off. I just dove toward the fence, and it was like he found new

life. He's just one of those horses that stays on really well going a mile and a

half.

"It's a real pleasure for me to win a race for Steve Hobby, because the first

recognized race I ever rode was for his dad.  That horse didn't win, but I

told Steve today that we better win this one for his dad."

"(Gomez) had him in a perfect place all the way," Hobby said. "The pace was a

little slower, but he was in a good spot. He sure chose the right way -- that's

the one thing I told him, that he probably prefers the outside than being in,

but it's not something I'd make a drastic change to do. It's tremendous to win

again. It's something we had aimed at from the last time, and to make it work a

year later is really amazing."

Bearpath, the nearly 9-2 second choice, returned $5.80 and $4.50. Al Khali

crossed the wire a one-paced third another 1 1/4 lengths back, and the 7-1 shot

gave back $5.30 to show. Interpatation, the longest shot on the board at 36-1,

was caught in traffic and engaged in a bumping match with Expansion, whom he

outdueled by a neck for fourth. Grand Couturier, Grassy (El Prado [Ire]), Romp (Arg)

(Incurable Optimist) and a tailed-off Marlang completed the order of finish.

Marsh Side (Gone West) was scratched.

Telling's second career stakes victory boosted his earnings to $831,049 from

a 23-6-4-4 record. The Kentucky-bred made only one start for his breeder Darley

Stable, finishing third in a maiden special weight at Arlington as a sophomore.

Telling was subsequently acquired by the Lieblongs and turned over to Hobby, for

whom he compiled a four-race winning streak in early 2008. After stepping up

into stakes company, Telling often performed well enough to hit the board. He

garnered four stakes placings in 2008, notably in the Stars and Stripes Turf H.

(G3), Sycamore S. (G3) and River City H. (G3).

In 2009, Telling placed second in the Chester House S. at Arlington Park, and

used a rallying fifth in the Arlington H. (G3) as his springboard to the Sword

Dancer. He remained in top-level company for the rest of the season, finishing

third (but was disqualified and placed fourth) in the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic

Invitational S. (G1) and last of seven in the Breeders' Cup Turf (G1). Telling

had failed to crack the top three in three starts so far this year, and he was

exiting a sixth in the July 3 United Nations S. (G1) at Monmouth.

Out of Ashland S. (G1) heroine Well Chosen (Deputy Minister), Telling is a

half-brother to an unraced juvenile filly named My Assets and an unnamed

yearling colt, both by Bernardini, as well as a 2010 colt by Street Boss. Well

Chosen is herself a half-sister to Grade 3 scorer In Contention (Devil's Bag),

English Group 2-placed Oude (Dubai Millennium) and Lady of Choice (Storm Bird),

the dam of multiple Grade 3 winner Multiple Choice (Mt. Livermore). This is the

family of Grade 2 winner Academy Award (Secretariat) and Irish highweight

juvenile colt Tomahawk (Seattle Slew).