Direct Line Upsets Gardenia

Direct Line upset the showcase race of the Ellis Park meet by nailing an even pricier longshot, West Hope, in the final strides of the Grade 3, $100,000 Gardenia on Saturday.

With Tony Farina keeping her just behind front-running West Hope throughout the one-mile Gardenia, Direct Line, an 11-1 shot, managed a final surge in the last couple of strides to get a nose ahead of West Hope, a 36-1 shot ridden by Greta Kuntzweiler. Choragus, at 6-1, was another three lengths back in third in the field of 10 fillies and mares.