by Karen Briggs, WEG Media

Campbellville, ON — Much the way Mine That Bird scooted up the rail to capture the Kentucky Derby this May, 4-year-old Classic Lane hugged the pylons for driver Steve Condren to overtake Falls For You and triumph in the C$353,710 Classic Oaks final by a whisker on Saturday (June 13) at Mohawk.

New Image Media photo

Classic Lane snuck up the rail to win the Classic Oaks.

Paul MacDonell sent Spice Queen, who was second in last week’s divisional edition of this series, to the front off the gate, with last week’s winner Classic Lane riding the pocket through the first turn and Up Front Hotsey (John Campbell) tucked in third. It wasn’t long before Mark MacDonald hustled the favorite, Falls For You, to the front, and Spice Queen found herself third behind Classic Lane, who continued to draft through the backstretch.

Falls For You experienced first-over pressure from Up Front Hotsey as the field entered the lane, but it was Classic Lane who vanquished her with an inside move expertly engineered by Condren, who carved out just enough space to squeeze through at the wire in 1:53.3, a new lifetime best. A late rush from Spice Queen on the outside was enough for second by the barest of noses, and the sandwiched Falls For You ended up third.

“It looked like I had enough room there till about part-way down the stretch, then it got a little tight there through the lane so I had to wait it out. I just had enough at the last end to have a little surge and get up by a nose,” explained a deadpan Condren. “It was too close to call; I thought she got beat but it worked out; we won another photo, which is kind of nice. Mr. Lohmeyer’s a good guy, and the Tuckers, so I’m very happy for them, and it works out good for me, too.”

This was the third consecutive win for Classic Lane, a 4-year-old daughter of Lindy Lane, out of the Super Bowl mare, Heartland Classic. She is trained by Ed Lohmeyer for Robert and Lauren Tucker, and the win boosts her bankroll over the C$500,000 mark.