The undefeated Great Spirit, the 3-5 favorite, and second choice Stryda matched strides through an opening quarter-mile in 21.53 seconds over a good, sealed main track, opening a five-length advantage over the rest of the field while just heads apart.

That was all for Stryda. She faded rounding the turn and eventually finished last in the one-turn, 4 ½-furlong contest. Great Spirit still had more to give and maintained a 3 ½-length lead with a furlong to go.

But the cavalry was coming, and charging hardest of all was Lightnin Runner. Wide throughout, Lightnin Runner made a strong late bid under jockey David Cardoso to put her nose down in front of Great Spirit. Bella Mela was 1 ¼ lengths farther back in third. Lightnin Runner completed the course in 52.71 seconds.

Lightnin Runner paid $16.60 to win, and the exacta, with the favorite in second, returned $17.80 on a one-dollar wager.

For Lightnin Runner, it was her first start of the season; she now has three wins in four career outings and earned a stakes win for the second consecutive year. She also won last September’s Rachel’s Turn Stakes. She has earned $110,421.

Lightnin Runner is trained by Angel Rodriguez for George Nyren. She was bred in West Virginia by Ronney and Nicole Brown.

Great Spirt, meanwhile, suffered her first defeat in four career outings. Trained by Crystal Pickett for owner-breeder Jill Daniel, she is a half-sister to the late Dr. Feelgood, who was undefeated at the 4 ½-furlong trip at Charles Town with four stakes wins.