Long On Value Captures Mystic Lake Derby
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Wachtel Stable and George Kerr's Long On Value, who won the first three starts of his career at 2, finally returned to the winner's circle in the $200,000 Mystic Lake Derby for 3-year-olds at Canterbury Park Sept. 13 .
Ridden by Chris DeCarlo for trainer Bill Mott, Long On Value settled in sixth early in the one-mile turf event, rallied on the far turn, and pulled away to win by 1 3/4 lengths over General Jack, who had 1 1/4 lengths over Chairman Crooks in third. The time on firm turf was 1:34.58.
Chairman Crooks set most of the pace through fractions of :24.07 for the opening quarter-mile, :47.38 for a half-mile, and 1:10.23 for six furlongs while being tracked by General Jack. The latter eventually took the lead but could not contain Long On Value in the stretch.
Sixth for the first half-mile, Long On Value advanced on the turn and angled out for the stretch run. He was in a full drive from the three-sixteenth pole under right-handed urging from DeCarlo.
Long On Value, who finished fourth in the Hall of Fame Stakes (gr. IIT) at Saratoga Race Course in his previous start, had not won since July 2013 in an overnight stakes at Delaware Park. The Value Plus colt, bred in Virginia by Snow Lantern Thoroughbreds out of the Orientate mare Long Message, has now earned $298,388 in 12 starts.
Long On Value, the second choice in a field of 11, paid $7.40, $3.60, and $3.40 across the board. Favored General Jack returned $3.80 and $3.20, while Chairman Crooks was worth $5.40 to show. The $2 exacta paid $23.80 and the $1 trifecta was $73.90.
Sept. 13 was closing day of the 2014 Canterbury Park race meet.