by Jeff Apel

On the one-year anniversary of Strait of Mewsina’s (Ire) first North American win, the colt earned his first stakes victory by capturing the $250,000 Hawthorne Derby (G3) by a neck on Saturday at Hawthorne Race Course.

Richard Ravin’s Strait of Mewsina entered the 1 1/8-mile race for three-year-olds winless since earning his first North American victory in a one-mile allowance race at Keeneland Race Course on October 11, 2007. The Spartacus colt joined trainer Larry Rivelli’s barn after making his first two starts in Ireland for trainer Tommy Stack.

Strait of Mewsina overtook five foes in the stretch with a six-wide rally and won the Hawthorne Derby at 19.70-to-1 odds. The bay colt trailed in a field of eight through a half-mile in :47.72, exchanged brushes with Snoose Goose in early stretch, and gamely turned back runner-up Cherokee Triangle in the closing strides.

Robscarvic (Ire) set the pace and led by a half-length through six furlongs in 1:12.46. Strait of Mewsina saved ground at the start under jockey E.T. Baird and moved up on the far turn.

Positioned in sixth in early stretch, more than one length behind 1-to-2 favorite and multiple graded stakes winner Adriano, Strait of Mewsina unleashed an explosive late charge and won in 1:49.98 on firm turf.

Multiple stakes winner Cherokee Triangle edged stakes winner and third-place finisher Snoose Goose by head in a blanket five-horse photo finish. Adriano opened a half-length lead in early stretch but faded to fourth.

Strait of Mewsina entered off a sixth-place finish in a one-mile allowance/optional claiming race on September 20 at Kentucky Downs.

Strait of Mewsina posted his third win in 12 starts and increased his earnings to $212,719. Bred by Frank Rotondo, Strait of Mewsina is out of the unraced Grand Lodge mare Siraka.

For an Equibase chart, click here.

Jeff Apel is a Thoroughbred Times TODAY editor