Stakes abound throughout the day on Saturday
While many sports enthusiasts were already looking forward to the pair of National Football League conference championships on Sunday, thoroughbred racing fans were keenly focused on the stakes card that transpired at the Fair Grounds and Laurel Park as the road to the Triple Crown got under way.
The stakes action at Laurel Park got under way early and the opening event was hardly formful. Victim Of Love (Weston Hamilton) forged a 9-1 upset when she pressed the pace through the first two calls then drew clear at the head of the lane and easily held safe the late bid of 3-5 choice Needs Supervision to capture the $100,000 What A Summer Stakes for fillies and mares. A four-year-old daughter of Speightstown trained by Todd Beattie, Victim Of Love covered the 6 1/2-furlongs in 1:18.02 in her local tuneup for the Grade III, $250,000 Barbara Fritchie Stakes here next month.
Then one race later in the $75,000 Geisha Stakes for Maryland-bred/sired fillies and mares traveling one mile, Artful Splatter (Alex Cintron) gained command soon after the break, opened a clear lead on the far turn then just held safe 2-5 choice Anna's Bandit (Xavier Perez) while drifting out several paths to score by a head. A four-year-old daughter of Bandbox trained by Kieron Magee for owner Jamie Wolf, Artful Splatter recorded her fourth straight victory since being claimed for $16,000 and gave Wolf his first stakes victory as an owner after surviving a long inquiry and objection from Anna's Bandit's trainer and jockey.
One race later in the $75,000 Jennings Stakes for Maryland-bred older males traveling the one-turn mile, Alwaysmining ((julian Pimentel) easily lived up to his role as the 1-5 favorite when he stalked the leader down the backside and through the far turn, surged to command at the head of the lane under left-handed urging and edged clear to a three-length score. A four-year-old Stay Thirsty gelding trained by Kelly Rubley, Alwaysmining recorded his first win of the New Year and now sports an 8-1-2 slate and over $475,000 banked from 18 career outings after getting the one-mile in 1:37.75.
Then one race later in the $100,000 Fire Plug Stakes, the last local prep for the Grade III, $250,000 General George Stakes, Honor The Fleet (Cintron) forged a modest 6-1 upset when he rallied between horses on the far turn then found room inside through the lane to edge Threes Over Deuces and favored Tiz He The One A six-year-old To Honor And Serve trained by Louis Albertrani for owner Frank Demarco, who notched his first stakes win at the ripe age of 89, Honor And Fleet kicked off his capaign with his first stakes tally and now owns a 5-2-1 slate and over $200,000 banked from 15 career outings after getting the 6 1/2-furlongs in 1:17.09.
Roughly one hour later in the Grade III, $150,000 Toboggan Stakes at Aqueduct, Mind Control (John Velazquez) just lived up to his role as the even-money choice when he surged to command at the head of the lane and then just outlasted the late bids of Nicodemus and Sunny Ridge to score by a nose in 1:24.23 for the seven furlongs. A four-year-old Stay Thirsty gelding trained by Greg Sacco, Mind Control had won the Grade I H. Allen Jerkens Stakes in his previous outing and kicked off the campaign with his second straight graded stakes score and now owns a 6-2-1 slate and nearly $900,000 banked from 15 career tries.
Later that same afternoon at the Fair Grounds, Silver Dust (Jack Gilligan) easily lived up to his role as the 3-5 favorite in the Grade III, $100,000 Louisiana Stakes when he bided his time from second through the first three calls, surged to command turning for home then drew clear in the lane to a four-length score. A six-year-old Tapit gelding trained by Bret Calhoun, Silver Dust kicked off his current campaign with a sharp tally and now owns a 5-7-2 slate and just over $700,000 banked from 25 career tries and looms a genuine contender for the Grade II, $1 million Charles Town Classic in April.
Two races later in the $150,000 Silverbulletday Stakes for three-year-old fillies, Finite (Richard Santana, Jr.) just lived up to her billing as the 3-5 favorite when she surged to command between horses in the final 100 yards and just edged 16-1 outsider Ursula for a head victory. A sophomore daughter of Munnings trained by Steve Asmussen, Finite kicked off her three-year-old season with a gritty score and now owns four wins and nearly $460,000 banked from six career tries after getting the one-mile and 70 yards in 1:42.73.
Then one race later in the Grade III, $200,000 LeComte Stakes for three-year-old males looking to get onto the Kentucky Derby trail, Enforceable (Julien Leparoux) rallied from well off the pace and widest of all at the head of the lane then edged clear from Silver State and Mr. Monomoy for a two-length score. A sophomore son of Tapit trained by Mark Casse, Enforceable kicked off his three-year-old campaign in smart fashion and now owns two wins and nearly $270,000 banked after getting the one-mile and one-sixteenth in 1:43.72 and joined the early Kentucky Derby contenders.
That same afternoon but further west at Santa Anita, Fashionably Fast (Tiago Pereira) displayed speed and grittiness en route to capturing the $150,000 Cal Cup Sprint Stakes. A five-year-old Lucky Pulpit gelding trained by Dean Pederson, Fashionably Fast broke alertly to press Baja Sur down the backside and through the far turn, disposed of that one then was joined by Lieutenant Dan on the far turn and battled with that one through the lane and just lasted for a determined, head score in 1:09.60 for the six furlongs. It was his third straight stakes triumph and fifth straight win overall and hw now owns a 6-3-2 slate and nearly $400,000 banked from 15 career tries.
Two races later in the $200,000 California Cup Derby for state-bred three-year-old males, Fast Enough (Pereira) rallied from well off the pace and widest of all to post a 5-1 upset in a superb effort. Idle since late May when he won going 4 1/2-furlongs in his career debut, Fast Enough was reserved well off the early tempo down the backside then rallied widest of all on the far turn and through the lane to edge 35-1 outsider Sacred Rider for a neck score in 1:45.23 for the one-mile and one-sixteenth. The sophomore son of Eddington trained by Rafael Bacera remained perfect from two starts and prevailed going 8 1/2-furlongs eight months off one 4 1/2-furlong score.
The stakes action at Laurel Park got under way early and the opening event was hardly formful. Victim Of Love (Weston Hamilton) forged a 9-1 upset when she pressed the pace through the first two calls then drew clear at the head of the lane and easily held safe the late bid of 3-5 choice Needs Supervision to capture the $100,000 What A Summer Stakes for fillies and mares. A four-year-old daughter of Speightstown trained by Todd Beattie, Victim Of Love covered the 6 1/2-furlongs in 1:18.02 in her local tuneup for the Grade III, $250,000 Barbara Fritchie Stakes here next month.
Then one race later in the $75,000 Geisha Stakes for Maryland-bred/sired fillies and mares traveling one mile, Artful Splatter (Alex Cintron) gained command soon after the break, opened a clear lead on the far turn then just held safe 2-5 choice Anna's Bandit (Xavier Perez) while drifting out several paths to score by a head. A four-year-old daughter of Bandbox trained by Kieron Magee for owner Jamie Wolf, Artful Splatter recorded her fourth straight victory since being claimed for $16,000 and gave Wolf his first stakes victory as an owner after surviving a long inquiry and objection from Anna's Bandit's trainer and jockey.
One race later in the $75,000 Jennings Stakes for Maryland-bred older males traveling the one-turn mile, Alwaysmining ((julian Pimentel) easily lived up to his role as the 1-5 favorite when he stalked the leader down the backside and through the far turn, surged to command at the head of the lane under left-handed urging and edged clear to a three-length score. A four-year-old Stay Thirsty gelding trained by Kelly Rubley, Alwaysmining recorded his first win of the New Year and now sports an 8-1-2 slate and over $475,000 banked from 18 career outings after getting the one-mile in 1:37.75.
Then one race later in the $100,000 Fire Plug Stakes, the last local prep for the Grade III, $250,000 General George Stakes, Honor The Fleet (Cintron) forged a modest 6-1 upset when he rallied between horses on the far turn then found room inside through the lane to edge Threes Over Deuces and favored Tiz He The One A six-year-old To Honor And Serve trained by Louis Albertrani for owner Frank Demarco, who notched his first stakes win at the ripe age of 89, Honor And Fleet kicked off his capaign with his first stakes tally and now owns a 5-2-1 slate and over $200,000 banked from 15 career outings after getting the 6 1/2-furlongs in 1:17.09.
Roughly one hour later in the Grade III, $150,000 Toboggan Stakes at Aqueduct, Mind Control (John Velazquez) just lived up to his role as the even-money choice when he surged to command at the head of the lane and then just outlasted the late bids of Nicodemus and Sunny Ridge to score by a nose in 1:24.23 for the seven furlongs. A four-year-old Stay Thirsty gelding trained by Greg Sacco, Mind Control had won the Grade I H. Allen Jerkens Stakes in his previous outing and kicked off the campaign with his second straight graded stakes score and now owns a 6-2-1 slate and nearly $900,000 banked from 15 career tries.
Later that same afternoon at the Fair Grounds, Silver Dust (Jack Gilligan) easily lived up to his role as the 3-5 favorite in the Grade III, $100,000 Louisiana Stakes when he bided his time from second through the first three calls, surged to command turning for home then drew clear in the lane to a four-length score. A six-year-old Tapit gelding trained by Bret Calhoun, Silver Dust kicked off his current campaign with a sharp tally and now owns a 5-7-2 slate and just over $700,000 banked from 25 career tries and looms a genuine contender for the Grade II, $1 million Charles Town Classic in April.
Two races later in the $150,000 Silverbulletday Stakes for three-year-old fillies, Finite (Richard Santana, Jr.) just lived up to her billing as the 3-5 favorite when she surged to command between horses in the final 100 yards and just edged 16-1 outsider Ursula for a head victory. A sophomore daughter of Munnings trained by Steve Asmussen, Finite kicked off her three-year-old season with a gritty score and now owns four wins and nearly $460,000 banked from six career tries after getting the one-mile and 70 yards in 1:42.73.
Then one race later in the Grade III, $200,000 LeComte Stakes for three-year-old males looking to get onto the Kentucky Derby trail, Enforceable (Julien Leparoux) rallied from well off the pace and widest of all at the head of the lane then edged clear from Silver State and Mr. Monomoy for a two-length score. A sophomore son of Tapit trained by Mark Casse, Enforceable kicked off his three-year-old campaign in smart fashion and now owns two wins and nearly $270,000 banked after getting the one-mile and one-sixteenth in 1:43.72 and joined the early Kentucky Derby contenders.
That same afternoon but further west at Santa Anita, Fashionably Fast (Tiago Pereira) displayed speed and grittiness en route to capturing the $150,000 Cal Cup Sprint Stakes. A five-year-old Lucky Pulpit gelding trained by Dean Pederson, Fashionably Fast broke alertly to press Baja Sur down the backside and through the far turn, disposed of that one then was joined by Lieutenant Dan on the far turn and battled with that one through the lane and just lasted for a determined, head score in 1:09.60 for the six furlongs. It was his third straight stakes triumph and fifth straight win overall and hw now owns a 6-3-2 slate and nearly $400,000 banked from 15 career tries.
Two races later in the $200,000 California Cup Derby for state-bred three-year-old males, Fast Enough (Pereira) rallied from well off the pace and widest of all to post a 5-1 upset in a superb effort. Idle since late May when he won going 4 1/2-furlongs in his career debut, Fast Enough was reserved well off the early tempo down the backside then rallied widest of all on the far turn and through the lane to edge 35-1 outsider Sacred Rider for a neck score in 1:45.23 for the one-mile and one-sixteenth. The sophomore son of Eddington trained by Rafael Bacera remained perfect from two starts and prevailed going 8 1/2-furlongs eight months off one 4 1/2-furlong score.
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