The Elkstone Group’s Social Paranoia closed from out of the clouds July 4 to capture the $150,000 Poker Stakes (G3T), a one-mile turf test for older horses at Belmont Park.
Trained by Todd Pletcher, the 4-year-old Street Boss colt turned back in distance following an off-the-board effort in the nine-furlong Fort Marcy Stakes (G2T) June 6 at Belmont.
Jockey Jose Ortiz guided Social Paranoia to victory in the Sept. 8 Exacta Systems Dueling Grounds Derby at Kentucky Downs to close out the colt’s 3-year-old season and was reunited with the versatile dark bay Saturday. They raced a distanced seventh as Dream Friend set splits of :24.50 and :49.28 on the firm turf.