Straight Western opened a five-length lead in early stretch and gamely held on in the closing strides to post a neck win in the eighth race on Friday at Turf Paradise and become the first career winner for freshman sire Western Pride.

Trained by Derek Couch for Matt Keneley, Straight Western won the 4 1/2-furlong trial race in :53.07 on a track rated fast under Anne Von Rosen. The two-year-old filly is the first foal out of the Straight Man mare Straight Time.

Straight Western is the first starter for multiple graded stakes winner Western Pride, who stands for $2,500 at Signature Stallions in Reddick, Florida. The Way West (Fr) horse out of Strongerthanpride, by Proud Birdie, has 35 two-year-old foals in his first crop.

Western Pride concluded his five-year racing career in 2004 with $1,289,929 in purse earnings and ten wins in 32 starts. Western Pride posted four wins in graded stakes races, including consecutive victories in the 2001 Ohio Derby (G2) and Calder Derby (G3). Trained by James Chapman, Western Pride also won the 2002 San Fernando Breeders’ Cup Stakes (G2) and ’03 San Bernardino Handicap (G3).