Maple Leaf Mel Crowned ‘Miss Preakness’ in Baltimore

BALTIMORE, MD — Despite having done everything right in three prior career starts, Maple Leaf Mel was nonetheless sent off the 8-5 second betting choice in Friday's GIII Miss Preakness S. behind 4-5 choice Key of Life (Mo Town), victorious in the GII Beaumont S. Apr. 16. Unaware of the crowd's leanings, the grey daughter of Cross Traffic led for most of the way and never looked back, rolling home an easy 1 1/2-length winner over the late-closing Topsy.

The grey soon overtook the fast-starting Key of Life and maintained a measured advantage over the favorite through :22.26 and:45.21 splits. In control but drifting out in the stretch, Maple Leaf Mel gave Joel Rosario no anxious moments as she strolled way to an easy, albeit short, winning margin.

“She had a lot of speed,” said Rosario, who has been aboard all four of the grey's starts. “Her break wasn't really fast but she has so much speed. After she got to the lead, she looked around a little bit. And I just let her do her thing and hopefully she had something left turning for home.”

A five-length winner facing Empire-breds in her career debut at the Spa early last August, she followed up with another front-running victory there in the slop in the Seeking the Ante S. a bit more than two weeks later. Packed away for the rest of the season, she returned with another roping 7 3/4-length score in the Mar. 24 East View S. at Aqueduct.

The horse was named for trainer Jeremiah Englehart's assistant Melanie Giddings, who was diagnosed in 2020 with endocervical and ovarian cancer.

“[Owner] Bill [Parcells] named the horse for me…we had built up a friendship,” explained the Canadian native. “He is at the barn every day [in Saratoga during the summer]. He loves the sport. It's nice for him to get this win. He might have been a little nervous today because I did not hear from him. I think everyone can kind of feel a little relief. She is a New York-bred and the other filly [Key of Life] won in Lexington. This is a nice horse. This makes me feel proud because I think so highly of her.”

Pedigree Notes:
With Friday's Miss Preakness victory, Maple Leaf Mel becomes the fourth graded winner for her sire, Cross Traffic, who stands at Spendthrift Farm. Her dam City Gift, winner of a pair of claiming sprints during her abbreviated racing career, previously produced SP Eddie's Gift (El Corredor) and most recently dropped a colt by Brody's Cause in 2021.

Friday, Pimlico
MISS PREAKNESS S. PRESENTED BY CASE TRACTOR-GIII, $150,000, Pimlico, 5-19, 3yo, f, 6f, 1:09.56, ft.
1–MAPLE LEAF MEL, 122, f, 3, by Cross Traffic
1st Dam: City Gift, by City Place
2nd Dam: For My Wife, by Not For Love
3rd Dam: Heavens to Betsy, by Miswaki
1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. ($18,000 Ylg '21 KEESEP; $150,000 2yo '22 EASMAY). O-August Dawn Farm; B-Joe Fafone (NY); T-Jeremiah C. Englehart; J-Joel Rosario. $90,000. Lifetime Record: 4-4-0-0, $303,400. *1/2 to Eddie's Gift (El Corredor), SP, $167,950. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Topsy, 118, f, 3, Bee Jersey–Secretariat Humor, by Distorted Humor. 1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. ($42,000 Ylg '21 KEESEP; $225,000 2yo '22 OBSMAR). O-L. William Heiligbrodt, Corinne Heiligbrodt and Jackpot Farm; B-Charles Fipke (KY); T-Steven M. Asmussen. $30,000.
3–L Street Lady, 120, f, 3, Munnings–Lady Gayle, by Scat Daddy. 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. ($125,000 Ylg '21 FTKJUL). O-Madaket Stables LLC; B-T & G Farm of Kentucky, LLC (Benson Farm) (KY); T-Brittany T. Russell. $15,000.
Margins: 1HF, 3HF, 1 3/4. Odds: 1.70, 11.20, 48.40.
Also Ran: Afternoon Tea, Key of Life, Bound by Destiny. Scratched: Happy Clouds.
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs.
VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

 

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TAA A Strong Presence at Pimlico Preakness Week

The Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance will be on-site at Pimlico Race Course during Preakness week. The 148th Preakness S. will take place Saturday, May 20.

The TAA will kick off the week with America's Best Racing's Pre-Preakness Party. The eighth annual Pre-Preakness Party will be held Wednesday, May 17, at the Mt. Washington Tavern in Baltimore, Maryland. The evening will consist of networking, cocktails and hors d'oeuvres, an entertaining handicapping challenge with guest analysts, and a silent auction. All proceeds of the party and auction will benefit the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance. Tickets are still available online at:

www.eventbrite.com/e/8th-annual-pre-preakness-party-by-thoroughbred-aftercare-alliance-abr-tickets-596988597967

On Friday, May 19, TAA will be recognized with a named race on the undercard of Black-Eyed Susan Day. On Saturday, May 20, TAA will present the Sir Barton S. Sponsored by Brandon and Diannah Perry, who entered into an agreement to annually donate $100,000 to the TAA as the title sponsor for three consecutive years beginning with the Preakness 147.

On both Black-Eyed Susan and Preakness Day, the TAA will host the Best Turned Out Awards in the winner's circle for each race.

Throughout the week, TAA will facilitate winning guests from one of the VIP experiences auctioned off earlier this year in the “Off to the Races” campaign. In addition to the Pre-Preakness Party and a weekend of racing, this experience also includes a sunrise tour, the Alibi Breakfast, and access to join the simulcast for a race on the Black-Eyed Susan undercard. Guests will also join the winner's circle for the Sir Barton on Preakness Day. This experience celebrating the second leg of the Triple Crown was donated by 1/ST RACING and America's Best Racing.

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Record $27.7 Million Wagered On Pimlico’s Black-Eyed Susan Day Program

The Maryland Jockey Club and 1/ST Racing announced Friday's 97th Black-Eyed Susan Day at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Md., produced a record total handle of $27.675 million.

The 97th running of the Black-Eyed Susan, won by Three Diamonds Farm's Army Wife, was the highlight of a 14-race program featuring six stakes, four graded, totaling $1 million in purses.

Friday's record handle eclipsed the previous record set in 2019 of $21.349 million. Attendance Friday on the day was capped at 10,000.

“We're pleased Black-Eyed Susan Day produced some fantastic racing by some extraordinary horses, and it was nice to see people at the track having a fantastic time,” said Craig Fravel, CEO 1/ST Racing. “We want to thank the horsemen for supporting this day of racing and our racing office that did such a great job putting the program together. We're looking forward to Saturday and Preakness 146.”

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Black-Eyed Susan Day Produces Record Handle

Black-Eyed Susan Day at Pimlico Race Course produced a record total handle of $27.675 million. Friday's record handled eclipsed the previous record set in 2019 of $21.349 million. Attendance Friday on the day was capped at 10,000.

“We're pleased Black-Eyed Susan Day produced some fantastic racing by some extraordinary horses, and it was nice to see people at the track having a fantastic time,” said Craig Fravel, CEO 1/ST RACING. “We want to thank the horsemen for supporting this day of racing and our racing office that did such a great job putting the program together. We're looking forward to Saturday and Preakness 146.”

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