HOT SPRINGS -- Proxy ran down the leaders late to prevail in a three-horse photo finish for the victory in Saturday's Grade II $1 million Oaklawn Handicap before an announced crowd of 36,000 at Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort.
Proxy, ridden by Joel Rosario, settled into fifth-place early as Santa Anita Handicap winner Stilleto Boy set the early pace, while pushed by Classic Causeway through fractions of :23 1-5 and :47 3-5 for the first half-mile.
He still fifth as the horses entered the stretch, but quickly gained ground after going six wide and got up in the final strides to prevail by a head over defending Oaklawn Handicap winner Last Samurai, who was closing quickly up the rail. Stilleto Boy finished a nose behind in third.
"I thought we would be a little closer than we were," said Rosario, who won his second straight $1 million race at Oaklawn following the victory last Saturday in the Grade I Apple Blossom Handicap aboard Clairiere. "We always try to be in the clear on the outside. It looked like for a second when we hit the last turn, he took himself back a little bit. But he came back and when hit the stretch turning for home, he's got that long stride and he kept getting to them, getting to them. Finally, he got them at the wire. It was a good race."
The final time was 1:49 3-5 over a fast track. Senor Buscador, Charge It, Classic Causeway and Rated R Superstar completed the order of finish for the 77th edition of the race, Oaklawn's signature race for older horses..
"I knew there was enough speed to set up his late run," winning trainer Michael Stidham said. "The way it went, with Charge It sitting right in behind them [speed horses] and us outside of him, the only concern was turning for home it looked like he was trying to drop out of it again. But Joel had him out there for a reason, to stay out from behind the dirt."
Last Samurai, with Cristian Torres aboard, and Stilleto Boy, with Kent Desormeaux, banged together along the rail early in the stretch.
"He ran his heart out, like he always does," Torres said. "Turning for home, I had the whole rail open for me. When I asked him, he went through for me. He [Desormeaux] just tried to lean his horse on me to keep it going. It worked out for him, but it didn't work out for us. We got beat, just right at the wire.
"When he bumped me, it took the momentum away a little bit from the horse. He's the type of horse that something small can cost him the race, just like happened today. But I'm very, very happy that he kept going and tried all the way to the wire."
Last Samurai placed and paid $3.60 and $2.60. Stilleto Boy paid $3 to show.
"An unlucky head bob," Desormeaux said of Stilleto Boy's finish. "He does what he has to. He's very talented and I was happy to ride him."
Proxy, who was coming off a narrow second behind Stilleto Boy in the Santa Anita Handicap, improved his record to 5-6-2 in 16 career starts and has now earned $1,775,970. The son of Tapit returned $9.40, $4 and $2.80 at odds of 7-2.
Live racing at Oaklawn resumes today with a 12:30 p.m. first post. Oaklawn's live racing season concludes May 6.