LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Bill Cartwright has been taking phone calls about selling a 2-year-old colt named Straight Line for months. To his credit, Cartwright resisted all offers, and after the colt won the $109,600 Iroquois Stakes at Churchill Downs by five widening lengths Saturday, Cartwright said "only a life-changing" sum might make him pay closer attention.

That's huge bucks he's talking about. Cartwright speaks for a partnership of five well-heeled Chicago stockbrokers who co-own Straight Line with Harvey Vanier, the 80-year-old trainer whose wife, Nancy, is the other half-owner in the colt.

Straight Line, who made a winning career debut at Arlington Park in July for a $50,000 claiming price, drew off to win the one-turn-mile Iroquois as the 2-1 favorite, quite possibly stamping himself as one of the top 2-year-olds in training in North America in the vacuum of divisional supremacy created by the longshot Wilko's victory in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile. Ridden by Brice Blanc, Straight Line, by Boundary, returned $6.40 after finishing in 1:36.62 over a fast track.

Social Probation finished second, another two lengths before late-running Greater Good, the 2-1 second choice. Chief Commander and Highgrove, an uncoupled duo trained by Nick Zito, finished fourth and fifth in the field of seven.

Straight Line eagerly chased the early pace, then was placed in an outside striking position by Blanc before drawing away down the stretch.

"He's still a playboy, still learning," said Blanc. "He actually feels like he has three or four gears. I shook the reins at him and smooched to him, and he just took off."

For Harvey Vanier, whose first Churchill stakes win came in the 1970 Derby Trial with Admiral's Shield, the stakes victory was his 16th at Churchill but first since Homing Pigeon won the 1995 River City Handicap.

Norainonthisparty, the rank outsider at 44-1, tossed jockey Kevin Krigger in upper stretch after appearing to lose his action. Krigger was reported body-sore by Churchill officials but otherwise not seriously hurt.

The Iroquois is the local prep for the Grade 2, $200,000 Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes at 1 1/16 miles on Nov. 27.

Punch Appeal takes Pocahontas
Steve Asmussen and Pat Day pretty much squeezed all they could out of Punch Appeal.

Making her eighth career start and about to go through the sales ring Tuesday at the Keeneland November breeding stock sale, Punch Appeal gamely held off Aspen Tree to win the $109,500 Pocahontas Stakes at Churchill Downs on Saturday.

Punch Appeal, a 2-year-old filly by the first-year sire Successful Appeal, got a great trip under Day - and needed every inch of it to win the one-turn-mile Pocahontas by a nose.

Owned in partnership by the Heiligbrodt Racing Stable and Burning Daylight Farm, Punch Appeal was the slight favorite in a field of seven in the 36th running of the Pocahontas. Always prominent after breaking fastest of all from her outside post, she was collared at the top of the stretch by Aspen Tree, then persevered under steady pressure to edge away inside the sixteenth pole before barely lasting.

"She got real leg-weary the last four or five jumps," said Day, who now has won the Pocahontas a record seven times. "She really gutted it out, showed a lot of intestinal fortitude."

Punch Appeal returned $6.20 after finishing in 1:37.77 over a fast track. Aspen Tree, the 3-1 third choice, ended a $2 exacta worth $21.80. Kota finished another 3 3/4 lengths back in third, while Burnish, the 5-2 second choice, wound up fourth after an awkward start.

Aspen Tree, a Holy Bull filly owned by Buckram Oak Farm and trained by Carl Nafzger, was making her third start.

"That's okay," Nafzger told jockey Brian Peck afterward. "Just her third start. There'll be other chances."

Asmussen, easily the victory leader among North American trainers this year, has infrequently used Day on his horses, although he recalled Saturday that Day rode his first Churchill winner.

"Snake Eyes, 1995, before we sold him," said Asmussen.

Punch Appeal is listed as Hip No. 319 in the Keeneland sale. She has won five races, including four stakes, with the Kentucky Cup Juvenile Fillies her most notable previous win.

The Pocahontas is the top local prep for the Grade 2, $200,000 Golden Rod Stakes at 1 1/16 miles on Nov. 27.