Kodiak Kowboy comes through at end to win Amsterdam Stakes

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. — Kodiak Kowboy won by a head over Desert Key at the end of a long stretch battle to take the $150,000 Amsterdam Stakes for 3-year-olds Monday at Saratoga Race Course.

Gabriel Saez rode the Larry Jones-trained Kodiak Kowboy, whose only stakes win before the Amsterdam came in last year's Saratoga Special. The winner stalked a fast pace set by Desert Key, the favorite in a field of seven, and ran 6½ furlongs in 1:15.56.

Kodiak Kowboy paid $6.10 on a $2 win bet and earned $90,000 for Vinery Stables and Fox Hill Farm.

Associated Press

This story was originally published July 29, 2008 at 12:00 AM with the headline "Kodiak Kowboy comes through at end to win Amsterdam Stakes."