Straight Story surprise winner at Woodbine

By: SPORTS NETWORK

Toronto, ON (Sports Network) - Longshot Straight Story came north from the U.S. to post a surprise victory Saturday in the $150,000 Autumn Stakes at Woodbine Race Course. The five-year-old went off as the biggest longshot in the 10-horse field at 38-1.

Ridden by Jesse Campbell, Straight Story set the entire pace in the 1 1/16- mile stakes on Woodbine's synthetic track. The longshot was making just his third career start on the main track. Trained by Alan Goldberg, Straight Story has started 19 of 22 races on the grass.

Pressing the leader was 26-1 longshot Court of the Realm and Canada's top three-year-old male Pender Harbour. The three-year-old moved into second on the final turn, but could never get past the pacesetter.

Straight Story posted a 1 3/4-length win over Pender Harbour with 5-1 second choice and defending race winner Stunning Stag closing to finish third. Mobilizer, second in the Plate Trial, was fourth followed by James Street, Hotep, Unbridled Kimanchi, 13-10 favorite City Wolf, Court of the Realm and Artic Fern.

The time for the race was 1:42.87.

"He broke sharp and we just let him run his own race," said winning jockey. "We thought we'd be laying second. He's pretty adamant, the horse, when he left the gate to be on the lead. I let him get comfortable and tried to get away at the top of the lane. I didn't want to let somebody come to me, I wanted to open it up and try to hold on. He ran really game."

Owned by Richard Santulli, Straight Story made just his second visit to the winner's circle this year. The five-year-old won the Fort Marcy Stakes at Belmont Park on May 7. He was sixth in the Manhattan Handicap and seventh in both the Oceanport and Ashley T. Cole Stakes.

Straight Story picked up $90,000 with Saturday's win to bring his lifetime earnings to $936,957 with seven victories.

Straight Story returned $78.00, $32.70 and $19.00. Pender Harbour paid $9.10 and $6.20, and Stunning Stag paid $3.50 to show.