Teuflesberg posts upset victory in Southwest Stakes

By: SPORTS NETWORK

Hot Springs, AR (Sports Network) - Five weeks after finishing a distant third to Hard Spun at the Fair Grounds, 23-1 longshot Teuflesberg registered a major upset on Presidents' Day over the Kentucky Derby hopeful. Teuflesberg went wire to wire to win the $250,000 Southwest Stakes at Oaklawn Park.

Hard Spun was sent off as the 1-2 odds-on favorite in the nine horse field. The colt brought an undefeated record into the one mile race. He just had to overcome the outside post.

Teuflesberg bobbled a bit coming out of the starting gate, but quickly took the lead on his way to 1 1/2 length triumph. Jockey Stewart Elliott notched his second win in the Southwest Stakes. Three years ago he rode Smarty Jones to victory on his way to claiming the Run for the Roses.

Hard Spun has been compared to Smarty Jones. Both were bred in Pennsylvania and won the Pennsylvania Nursery at Philadelphia Park. On Monday Hard Spun, with Mario Pino riding, left the gate in good shape and settled about six lengths off the pace.

Pino asked the favorite for more heading into the far turn while racing on the outside. Hard Spun got to second coming off the turn for home, but began to falter down the stretch.

Finishing second was 12-1 longshot Officer Rocket with Forty Grams third. Hard Spun faded to fourth followed by Xchanger, Going Ballistic, Starbase, Our Sacred Honor and I Got a Dream.

The time for the Southwest Stakes was 1:38.20 on a fast track.

Teuflesberg is trained by co-owner Jamie Sanders, and adds $150,000 to his bankroll. The three-year-old has won four of 13 career starts for more than $317,000. This was his win of 2007 and his second career stakes triumph.

Teuflesberg returned $48.80, $20.00 and $10.80. Officer Rocket paid $9.80 and $5.40, and Forty Grams paid $6.40 for show.

The next important race for three-year-olds at Oaklawn Park is the Rebel Stakes on Saturday, March 17. The $1 million Arkansas Derby is Saturday, April 14.