by Pete Denk

Roshani won a stretch-long duel with Lady Digby and survived a stewards’ inquiry and jockey’s claim of foul to win the $100,000 Gallorette Handicap (G3) at Pimlico Race Course on Saturday.

John Velazquez, who rode the winner for owner Ben McElroy and trainer Todd Pletcher, said he came out in the stretch but did not make contact with the runner-up.

“Down the stretch [Roshani] got to the lead, and she was looking at the crowd and waiting on the other horse,” Velazquez said. “The more [Lady Digby] drifted out, the more I moved close, because my horse was concentrating better with someone next to her. I came out, but I never touched her.”

Roshani stalked front runner Le Cordon Bleu through fractions of :25.41 and :50.48, assuming the lead after six furlongs in 1:15.09.

The top two battled each other for the final 5/16, with Roshani finishing a half length in front. Final time for 1 1/16 miles over the turf course rated good was 1:49.08.

Grade 2 winner Valbenny (Ire), making her first start since September 8 and first for new owner Lael Stables, finished another 4 1/2 lengths back in third in the five-horse field.

Roshani, a five-year-old Fantastic Light mare out of Sahibah, by Deputy Minister, was bred in Kentucky by Mill Ridge Farm and Jamm Ltd. She improved her lifetime record to six wins from 1 starts with earnings of $331,300.

Lady Digby’s jockey Jeremy Rose said he filed an objection because he was bumped twice during the stretch run, although he said he did not expect the ruling to be in his favor.

“[Roshani] came out and bumped me twice in the stretch run. My horse dropped the bit and switched leads on me,” Rose said. “They’ll probably leave the winner up, but I wanted them to look at it.”

For an Equibase chart, click here.

Pete Denk is sales editor of Thoroughbred Times