The second time in the Grade 2 Dinner Party Stakes was the charm for Somelikeithotbrown, who vindicated last year's runner-up effort in the race on Saturday. Jockey Jose Ortiz tucked the 5-year-old horse in behind 25-1 early leader Flying Scotsman, stalking his pace just outside and poking a nose out in front on the final turn. Somelikeithotbrown faced down a stubborn Flying Scotsman in the stretch under a calculated ride by Ortiz and held off late charges from Talk or Listen and favored Sacred Life to prevail by one length.
The victory was trainer Mike Maker's fourth graded stakes win in the previous two days.
Talk or Listen was second, followed by Midnight Tea Time. Bye Bye Melvin and Flying Scotsman finished in a dead heat for fourth.
Somelikeithotbrown went off at odds of 3-1 and paid $7.60 to win.
The final time of 1:40.09 was a course record for the 1 1/16 miles on the Pimlico turf course. Fractions were :23.78, :47.33, 1:10.52, and 1:34.17.
Mike Maker trains Somelikeithotbrown for owners Skychai Racing and Sand Dollar Stables. The horse came to the race after a disappointing seventh in the Grade 1 Maker's Mark Mile earlier this year. He also has wins in the G2 Bernard Baruch and the G3 Jeff Ruby Steaks to his credit.
Somelikeithotbrown was bred in New York by Sand Dollar Stables and Hot Pink Stables and is the son of Big Brown and Tapit mare Marilyn Monroan.
See the full chart here.
$250,000 Dinner Party (G2) Quotes, courtesy Pimlico press office
Winning trainer Mike Maker (Somelikeithotbrown): “Jose and I talked about it. Last time that horse [Flying Scotsman] broke a step slow, came to our outside and he never settled in the Maker's Mark and it cost him in the end. I told Jose, 'If the horse goes, let's see if we can't get to the outside of him and see you in the winner's circle.'”
“He just doesn't seem to fire his A game at Gulfstream. After [the Dec. 12 Fort Lauderdale], we decided just to give him the winter off and point to this year.”
(On thinking this might have clinched the $50K trainer's bonus) “Well, Steve Asmussen has a lot more starters and placings so it might be a lot closer than people think.”
“I did like most of our horses. We had a couple of others that ran up the track.”
“We have a lot of options. He's run well at Saratoga multiple times. He's a New York-bred, so we'll look at a couple of those races as well.”
Winning jockey Jose Ortiz (Somelikeithotbrown): “I have ridden this horse before in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf as a 2-year-old, and it has been a long time since I have ridden him. He's matured a lot. He showed me some speed early on, and I got him to relax on the first turn and that was the key. He relaxed nicely and from the half-mile pole to the 3/8ths pole I was just waiting and waiting and when I asked him to go he did.”
Trainer Arnaud Delacour (Talk Or Listen; 2nd): “They were all bunched up together. I thought we had a great trip. Flavien [Prat] did a great job and the horse was there for him, so I'm delighted. I'll have to see how he comes back. I wouldn't mind to run him a little bit longer.”
Jockey Flavien Prat (Talk Or Listen; 2nd): “We had a really good trip. No troubles at all. He made a good move around the turn. He ran a great race.”
Trainer Joe Sharp (Midnight Tea Time; 3rd): “We were really happy. Obviously, this was a big step up from his last race, but he's just a horse that has continued to move forward as he's gotten older. [Owner] Frank [Corigliano] has been patient with him and given him the right amount to time and spacing and breaks when he needed them. He just keeps on taking us to fun places and showing up every time. That's all you can ask for.”
Jockey Javier Castellano (Sacred Life, beaten favorite, 4th): “He tried really hard. Today just wasn't his day. He is developing himself. I tried hard to get him closer, but he is a European horse and you can't rush him too much. All his races, he comes from behind. They just didn't come back to me.”
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