Island Town surges up rail to win Race 2 on 2015 Kentucky Derby card

Island Town found his best stride late in Saturday’s second race on the 2015 Kentucky Derby undercard, rallying up the inside to nail Roll Tide Roll on the wire.

Overlooked at 8-1 among nine rivals in the seven-furlong allowance, Island Town returned a $18.20 win mutuel after posting the head decision. The three-year-old gelding completed seven furlongs in 1:22 2/5 with Julien Leparoux.

Neil Howard trains the Kentucky-bred son of Hard Spun for owners Six Columns Stables LLC, Randall L. Bloch, John Seller and David Hall.

Island Town now owns a 5-2-1-0 career record, breaking his maiden last October at Churchill Downs. He was exiting a sixth-place finish in his 2015 bow, an April 4 allowance at Keeneland.

The chestnut’s late-running theatrics could be an indication that the track is playing fairly  to all run styles Saturday.