44-1 Shot Leariva Leads a French Sweep at Laurel

Leariva, a 44-1 shot ridden by Edgar Prado, passed the field from the extreme outside and won the $750,000 International on Saturday in a 1-2-3 French finish.

Leariva, a 4-year-old filly who had finished in the money in only one of her last five races, was 11th in the 13-horse field before going outside at the top of the stretch on the soft turf at Laurel Race Course. She became the fifth filly to win the 40-year-old International and paid $90.60, a record for the event.

Sillery was second with Goofalik third. Argentina’s Algenib took fourth, France’s Miss Alleged finished fifth and Super May of the United States was sixth. U.S. horses had won five of the last six runnings.

Leariva won the 1 1/4-mile International in 2:06 2/5, a far cry from the track record of 1:59 2/5, but good enough to get owner Baron T. von Zuylen $450,000.

Leariva paid $31.20 to place and $11 to show. Sillery paid $12.40 and $8, while Goofalik paid $5.20.