NATIONAL ROUNDUP : Spinster Is Won by Paseana

Paseana finally found an off-track to her liking in the Spinster Stakes at Keeneland on Sunday.

Paseana, beaten by 20 lengths in the Grade I Ruffian Stakes at Belmont Park on Sept. 19, scored a one-length victory over Gray Cashmere.

“It was a different kind of slop last time at Belmont,” jockey Chris McCarron said. “It was deep and tiring. She doesn’t want a laboring track like that. She’s been used to running on some very firm surfaces in California, and this track was good and fast today. Everything she did was a positive sign today.”

Paseana, the 1992 champion older mare, made her move at the top of the stretch on the outside. Gray Cashmere, ridden by Pat Day, and Paseana battled for the lead while Jacody faded in the final eighth of a mile. Paseana covered the 1 1/8 miles in 1:48 2/5.

Paseana’s next start will probably be on Nov. 6 to defend her championship in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff at Santa Anita. She is an Argentine-bred daughter of Ahmad out of Parsiflin by Flintham.

Paseana, trained by Ron McAnally and owned by Sidney Craig, paid $4.40, $3 and $2.80 while Gray Cashmere returned $4 and $3.20 and Jacody paid $4.

Paseana, who has won three of seven starts this year, earned $205,902 to bring her winnings to $754,122 this year. The 6-year-old mare has won $2,403,303.

Wilderness Song, the 1991 Spinster winner and unbeaten in three races at Keeneland, was only a length and a half behind Paseana at the half-mile pole, but faded going into the far turn and ran eighth.

Fowda, who won last year’s Spinster, didn’t handle the off track and finished last.

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Husband, a 9-1 shot, grabbed the lead from Regency in the stretch and galloped to an easy five-length victory in the $1-million Rothmans Ltd. International at Woodbine Race Track in Toronto.

Regency took over the lead from a tiring Explosive Red a mile into the 1 1/2-mile race on a soft turf. Regency held the lead into the final turn, but Husband accelerated in the stretch to win in 2:36 2/5.

Husband’s third victory in seven races was worth $623,000 of the $1-million purse. The three-year-old colt paid $21.70, $11.50 and $8.30.