Turf Express Inc. and D. & E. Yates Ltd.’s INJUSTICE (Lit de Justice),
sent off as the second-longest shot on the board in Saturday’s $175,000
Azeri Breeders’
Cup H. (G3) at Oaklawn Park, led the field at every call before holding off the
late-running Colony Band (Dixieland Band) by a half-length at the wire, stopping
the clock in 1:43 2/5. The 1 1/16-mile fast track event drew just six entrants,
with the betting public sending Grade 1 winner Island Sand (Tabasco Cat) off as
the clear-cut choice at 8-5. That rival could not sustain her bid after
traveling four wide into the stretch, finishing 5 1/4-lengths short of Colony
Band at the finish line.
Casual Attitude (Formal Gold) came next, followed by Fencelineneighbor (Wild Rush) and La Reason (Labeeb [GB]).
Injustice and jockey Luis Quinonez were content to set splits of :23 4/5,
:48, 1:12 and 1:37 1/5 for a mile. Colony Band commenced her
run at the top of the stretch but could not catch the leader, falling just
short to a game competitor. Island Sand never really threatened, flattening out in midstretch, while
Casual Attitude ran into trouble at the start and was never really in it.
Fencelineneighbor tired as she had chased the early lead and La Reason saved
ground throughout but lacked a serious bid coming home.
Trained by Wayne Catalano, the winner returned $16.80, $7.20 and $3.60 while keying exotics of $75.80
for the exacta and $247.40 for the trifecta. Colony Band, off at nearly 7-2, gave back
$6.40 and $3.80 while Island Sand paid $2.80 for the show.
Injustice improves her mark to 18-8-3-0 with this win, and the gray has now
earned $249,820. The first foal from the stakes-placed Mello But Bold (Nasty and Bold), Injustice
also owns a stakes victory in last year’s Cy-Fair S. at Sam Houston and a
runner-up finish in the Dixie Miss S. at Louisiana Downs. She has
an unnamed two-year-old half-sister by Mr. Nugget and an unnamed yearling
brother by Crafty Friend.