WinStar Farm’s homebred Hold Me Back overcame a poor break to win the $500,000 Lane’s End Stakes (gr. II) at Turfway Park in his first start of 2009 for trainer Bill Mott March 21.

The 9-1 shot, ridden to victory by Kent Desormeaux, swept past the even more surprising Flying Private mid-stretch to win by just over one length in the 1 1/8-mile Polytrack test for 3-year-olds. The final time was 1:49.63

Flying Private was a clear second over third-place finisher Proceed Bee, who edged Parade Clown for the show spot. Hold Me Back paid $20.20 for the win and topped a $2 exacta worth a whopping $586.80.

The two favorites in the 12-horse field, West Side Bernie and Bittel Road, finished sixth and 10th, respectively.

Hold Me Back won the first two races of his career as a 2-year-old, but ran fifth of seven in Aqueduct’s Remsen Stakes (gr. II) on Nov 29, his last start. He finished 14 lengths behind the victorious Old Fashioned in the Remsen.

The victory gives Hold Me Back $282,000 in graded stakes earnings.