In the Lee makes career debut a memorable one Friday

Stuart Janney III homebred In the Lee Stuart Janney III homebred In the Lee made her career debut a memorable one Friday, surging in the final 50 yards to catch West Coast Bias and upset the pacesetting favorite by a neck in the seventh race at Laurel Park.

 

In the Lee ($23.40), overlooked at 10-1 in a field of nine, ran 1 1/16 miles in 1:40.88 over a firm Dahlia Turf Course under jockey Forest Boyce in the $40,000 maiden special weight for fillies and mares 3 and older.

 

Part of Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey’s string at the Fair Hill Training Center in Elkton, Md., In the Lee was the lone first-time starter in the race. She is a daughter of leading North American sire Tapit out of the Silver Deputy mare Quiet Harbor, a multiple stakes winner.

 

West Coast Bias, third in her debut last summer at Laurel, took the field through an opening quarter-mile in 23.66 seconds, getting a half in 47.58 and six furlongs in 1:11.09 tracked by In the Lee to her outside. Trailing by two lengths as they straightened for home, In the Lee closed determinedly down the stretch to get up in time.     

 

“I rode [West Coast Bias] first time out last year, and she should have won that day,” Boyce said. “This filly really ran well to beat her. I’m super-pleased with that. You know you have a good shot when Shug calls you ahead of time about her. I think these silks fit me quite well.”

 

In Friday’s earlier maiden special weight for 3-year-olds and up, Lael Stables homebred Surprise Twist ($7), making her second start, split horses in mid-stretch and drove clear to a 1 ½-length victory as the favorite over Shortlist in 1:41.07 over a firm All Along Turf Course.

 

Mrs. S K Johnston Jr.’s Amnicalola ($8.20), returning to the flats after three straight tries over jumps for trainer Jack Fisher, powered down the center of the stretch to reel in front-running favorite O.K. Kay and take the featured eighth race by a neck. The winning time for 1 1/16 miles over the All Along layout was 1:41.38.

 

Notes: Jockeys Forest Boyce and Victor Carrraso each posted riding doubles Friday. Boyce was first on In the Lee in the seventh and Amnicalola in the eighth, while Carraso won aboard Fergie’s Lady ($3.60) in the fourth and Vision of Green ($3.60) in the eighth. Trainer Damon Dilodovico saddled both Vision of Green and Gator Boy ($37.60) in the ninth