Lea Farms' Lightening Larry stalked Wondrwherecraigis from the gate and came with a steady run through the stretch to reel in his fellow Grade 3 winner inside the sixteenth pole and capture Saturday's $150,000 Frank J. De Francis Memorial Dash by a half-length at Laurel Park.
The 32nd renewal of the six-furlong De Francis for 3-year-olds and up, named for the late president and chairman of both Laurel and historic Pimlico Race Course, anchored five stakes worth $500,000 in purses on a 10-race program.
In earlier stakes, Be Better rallied from last in the $100,000 Deputed Testamony for 3-year-olds and up going 1 1/8 miles; Beguine was a popular winner of the $100,000 Alma North for fillies and mares 3 and older at 6 ½ furlongs; Super Accelerate was resolute in taking $75,000 Star de Naskra for Maryland-bred/sired 3-year-olds and Talk to the Judge wired the $75,000 Miss Disco for Maryland-bred/sired 3-year-old fillies, both sprinting seven furlongs. For recaps, click here.
With Daniel Centeno aboard for the first time, Lightening Larry ($3.40) extended his win streak to three races, all in stakes, following the May 29 Mr. Prospector at Monmouth Park and July Alapocas Run at Delaware Park. The 4-year-old Florida-bred Uncaptured colt out of Moon and Sun, by Malibu Moon, was victorious in his only other trip to Maryland for the 2022 Chick Lang (G3) at Pimlico, the first graded triumph for the horse and trainer Jorge Delgado.
“He ran big,” Centeno said. “Jorge called me this morning and said just to try to be close to the lead. He didn't have to be on the lead, but he can be really close. We knew there was speed inside and we had the outside position so that was perfect for us. It set up perfect. I know the track was fast today and speed was holding a lot, and I know [Wondrwherecraigis] is strong so I moved a little early to try to catch him and he fired big to the wire.”
Breaking from the rail due to the early scratch of Ladneedsahandler, jockey Sheldon Russell settled Wondrwherecraigis on the lead where they went in 21.84 seconds for the opening quarter mile chased by multiple stakes winner Sir Wellington to his outside while Centeno had Lightening Larry in the clear three wide in third. Wondrwherecraigis was still in command rounding the far turn after going a half in 44.65, when Centeno began to work on Lightening Larry.
A duel to the wire was set up as the two favorites straightened for home with Wondrwherecraigis clinging to a tenuous lead and Lightening Larry bearing down on the outside. Wondrwherecraigis dug in but could not hold off Lightening Larry's late surge that saw him cross the wire in 1:09.29 – the fastest De Francis since Killybegs Captain (1:08.10) in 2019.
Holy Synchronicity was third, seven lengths behind Wondrwherecraigis, followed by Sir Wellington and Threes Over Deuces. Multiple graded stakes placed Synthesis was also a late scratch.
This marked the third consecutive year Wondrwherecraigis was second in the De Francis. He crossed the wire first, three-quarters of a length ahead of Jalen Journey, but was disqualified to second for interference in 2021, when the race was a Grade 3. He was beaten last year by Beren in his first start since returning from Dubai.
Now 6, Wondrwherecraigis won the Bold Ruler (G3) one start after his De Francis disqualification and opened 2023 with an optional claiming allowance victory April 13 at Laurel in Russell's first race of the year. In his prior start, he ran sixth in the Maryland Sprint (G3) May 20 at Pimlico.
“He was coming from off a layoff, he gave me my first win back from the injury, and he's a barn favorite,” Russell said. “We knew the race at Pimlico was too tough for him but it was nice to see him bounce back and run his race today. He's a fast horse. It's not that he ever slowed down; Danny came and got me at the right time.
“But, if you watch the gallop out, 'Craig' is right there. If Danny had come a little bit sooner, 'Craig's got that fight in him where maybe it would have been even closer,” he added. “Fair play to Danny and the connections; it was just nice to see 'Craig' bounce back. Hopefully he comes out of the race good and we can win another big one down the road.”
Lightening Larry was bred by Michelle Redding.
Inaugurated in 1990, the De Francis Dash was contested as a Grade 1 race from 1999-2009. carried Grade 2 status from 1994-1998 and was a Grade 3 from 1992-1993 and 2016-2021. The De Francis' illustrious roster of winners includes Hall of Famer Housebuster; fellow sprint champions Cherokee Run, Smoke Glacken, Thor's Echo and Benny the Bull; and Lite the Fuse, the race's only two-time winner (1995-96).
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