“I'd rather be a big fish in a little pond,” said Lopez, who co-owns Chub Wagon with George Chestnut. “We've made a lot of money ($593,600) with her and, by taking it easy with her, she's going to last longer.”

That's pretty much been the play book for Chub Wagon since she debuted with a win on Nov. 16, 2020 at Parx. After two more wins, both in allowance company, Lopez and trainer Guadalupe Preciado got a bit ambitious and sent Chub Wagon to Aqueduct, where she won an April 2, 2021 allowance race by 4 3/4 lengths. She was four-for-four at that point and looked to have more than enough ability to successfully take the next step and compete in a graded race. Instead, she went back to Parx and beat state-breds in the Unique Bella S.

“The name of the game is to win,” said Lopez, a former trainer, who also owns Chub Wagon's sire, Hey Chub.

There were a couple of major races for 3-year-old fillies on the calendar that would have been a good fit, including the GII Eight Belles S. or even the GI Acorn, but the connections didn't waver. There were plenty of races out there worth good money and where Chub Wagon would be going against overmatched rivals. Starting on May 15, Chub Wagon ran three times during a 46-day period and won all three, the Skipat S., the Shine Again S. and the Dashing Beauty S.

The winning streak ended at eight when she caught a sloppy track and finished second in the Dr. Teresa Garofalo Memorial S. at Parx. She went back to work two weeks later and won the Roamin Rachel S. and, in her lone career try around two turns, the Plum Pretty S. for Pennsylvania-breds.

Lopez and Preciado had hoped to bring their filly back some time in early or mid-spring, but they had a problem establishing a regular work pattern.

“The weather was a big problem,” Lopez said. “Every two or three days it would rain. She would work and then she would walk, jog, gallop and then it would be raining again. That went on forever. So I had to be patient. After a while everything cleared up with the weather”

Chub Wagon returned on Monday in the Power by Far S., a five-furlong race at Parx for Pennsylvania-breds that came off the turf. Winning by three-quarters of a length, she didn't dominate, but it was a game performance in which she showed there was no rust.

What's next? More of the same. It will be the $100,000 Alma North S. at Laurel July 16. The Alma North is part of the Match Series.

“Right now, I'm just thinking about her next race, which will be at Laurel on July 16,” Lopez said. “That gives her 19 days between starts. After that, I'll go from there. After that, it's all open.”

While Lopez understands that people want to see Chub Wagon take on tougher rivals, he said it makes more sense from a bottom-line standpoint to keep doing what he's been doing.

“I'm going to let her tell me, which is the way I have always played it out with her,” Lopez said. “That's why I was able to run all those races together toward the end of last year. She overshadows those horses she's been running against. So instead of running for $300,000 once every six weeks she ran for $100,00 every two or three weeks and wound up making the same amount of money. There is no goal. It's just one race at a time. After her race at Laurel there are all these races at Parx for Pennsylvania-breds. I can come back this year in the Plum Pretty, and that's a $200,000 race for Pennsylvania-breds and we don't have to go anywhere to run. What more could you ask for?”

While Lopez has not yet decided whether or not Chub Wagon will run next year, it's all but certain that once she stops running she will be sold at auction as a broodmare prospect.

“Do I want a broodmare that might not produce anything? No. You see some of these great race mares don't make it as a broodmare,” he said. “Do I want to be stuck with horses that can't run?”

But wouldn't a graded win enhance her value as a broodmare? We may never find out.

The post For Chub Wagon, Tougher Spots Will Have to Wait appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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The richest state-bred of 2021 when banking $487,400, Chub Wagon scored in eight of her nine starts at age four, and was second in her only loss. After getting her first stakes win in the Unique Bella at Parx in April by 7 1/2 lengths, she followed with wins in the Skipat S. and Shine Again S. at Pimlico, and Dashing Beauty S. at Delaware Park. She rebounded off a second-place finish in the Dr. Teresa Garofalo Memorial S. at Parx on Pennsylvania Day At the Races in August to take the Roamin Rachel S. against open company by four lengths two weeks later. She concluded her season in late September by winning the Plum Pretty S. in her first start beyond a mile.

A daughter of Lopez's homebred stallion Hey Chub out of the Lion Heart mare Takin The Plunge, Chub Wagon also took home awards for champion older female and champion female sprinter.

The evening's keynote speaker was Triple Crown-winning jockey Steve Cauthen, now a breeder/owner in Kentucky. The PHBA's Lifetime Achievement Award for excellence in breeding in the state was presented to George Strawbridge, Jr., who over the course of the past five decades bred such Pennsylvania-bred standouts at GI Breeders' Cup Turf winner Tikkanen and five-time Grade I winner With Anticipation.

Other divisional champions were:
• Two-year-old female–Morning Matcha (Central Banker)
• Two-year-old male–Dance Code (Honor Code)
• Three-year-old female–Leader of the Band (Bandbox)
• Three-year-old male and male sprinter–Beren (Weigelia)
• Older male and turf male–The Critical Way (Tizway)
• Turf female–Caravel (Mizzen Mast)

The post Chub Wagon Named 2021 PA-Bred Horse of the Year appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Starting from the sixth post position, Chub Wagon stalked pacesetter Precious from the outside through fractions of :24 3/5, :48 4/5, and 1:12 3/5 before taking the lead halfway around the far turn to come away with a half-length victory under regular jockey Jomar Torres.

“We told the kid [Jomar Torres] when you come at the top of the stretch, try as best as you can because the top horses are going to be closing,” trainer Guadalupe Preciado said “I was not worried about the horse going long. She ran very hard.”

Chub Wagon, who paid $4.20 to win as the favorite, covered the 1 1/16 miles in 1:44 4/5. The 4-year-old filly also survived a trainer inquiry as she drifted out as she and Vault approached the finish line.

“Good trip first time for her first time long,” Torres said “She was relaxed and nice. She got a little tired I love that horse. I think she got out a little, but not too much. I didn't think she would come down.”

Chub Wagon, whose lone defeat came in the Dr. Teresa Garofalo Memorial Stakes with a second-place finish, has now won 10-11 races.

QUOTES

Guadalupe Preciado, winning trainer of Chub Wagon (No. 6, $4.20): “We told the kid when you come at the top of the stretch, try as best as you can because the top horses are going to be closing. I was not worried about the horse going long. She ran very hard. We run her so close. I believe in Lasix. We were supposed to run in New York at 6 ½ furlongs (Gallant Bloom on Sunday)} but there is no Lasix.”

“She is very, very nice. We run too close too many times, it was maybe two weeks and she ran a huge race.”

About the Distance: “It's hard to figure out. When she ran seven eighths against these horses, she kept on going. I thought this horse can go. It was two choices, we run over here long or run in NY with no Lasix and we stayed here.”

WORRIED ABOUT INQUIRY: No. the other kid never stopped riding.

Jomar Torres, winning jockey aboard Chub Wagon (No. 6): “Good trip for her first time and her first time long. She was relaxed and nice. She got a little tired. I love that horse. I think she got out a little, but not too much. I didn't think she would come down.”

The post Chub Wagon Maintains Her Winning Ways In Plum Pretty At Parx appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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The 30th running of the six-furlong De Francis for 3-year-olds and up headlines four stakes worth $500,000 in purses, joined by the $100,000 Weather Vane for fillies and mares 3 years old and up, also at six furlongs; $100,000 Polynesian for 3-year-olds and up, and $100,000 Twixt for females 3 and older, both going one mile.

Honoring the late owner of Laurel Park and historic Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Md., the De Francis' distinguished roster of past winners includes Hall of Famer Housebuster and fellow sprint champions Cherokee Run, Smoke Glacken, Thor's Echo, and Benny the Bull.

Hillside Equestrian Meadows' 8-year-old gelding Laki rallied to capture last year's De Francis by a nose over Eastern Bay for his first graded-stakes triumph. Trained by Damon Dilodovico, who also won an ungraded De Francis with Immortal Eyes in 2013, Laki has lost four starts since extending his streak to five straight years with a stakes victory in the April 24 Frank Whiteley at Laurel.

Jackie's Warrior and Yaupon both exit Grade 1 triumphs on the Aug. 28 card at Saratoga for Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen, North America's all-time leading trainer by wins that has a total of four De Francis nominees. J. Kirk and Judy Robison's Jackie's Warrior captured the seven-furlong H. Allen Jerkens by a neck one race after Yaupon edged fellow Grade 1 winner and De Francis nominee Firenze Fire in the seven-furlong Forego.

While Jackie's Warrior has never raced in the state, Yaupon is 2-0 in Maryland having won the 2020 Grade 3 Chick Lang and the Lite the Fuse on July 4, both at Pimlico. Asmussen also nominated West Point Thoroughbreds and Marvin Delfiner's Jaxon Traveler, a four-time winner in Maryland including the Star de Naskra last out Aug. 21 at Pimlico, and Rockingham Ranch and David Bernsen's Grade 1-placed Jalen Journey.

Since winning the six-furlong Grade 3 Tom Fool March 6 at Aqueduct Racetrack in Ozone Park, N.Y., Michael Dubb's Chateau has run fourth in the Grade 1 Carter, second in the Grade 3 Runhappy at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y., and most recently third behind Yaupon and Laki in the Lite the Fuse. The 6-year-old gelding is based in New York with trainer Rob Atras.

Multiple stakes winners nominated to the De Francis include Florida-based Double Crown, second to Yaupon in the Chick Lang; Francatelli, third by a head in the Aug. 31 Grade 3 Parx Dash; Just Might, Grade 2 placed on turf and a stakes winner on grass and dirt riding a three-race win streak; My Boy Tate, Threes Over Deuces, and Whereshetoldmetogo. Wondrwherecraigis was a front-running winner of the six-furlong Tale of the Cat Aug. 13 at Saratoga for trainer Brittany Russell.

The Weather Vane, named for the Maryland-bred champion older filly of 1998 that won 17 of 36 career starts and 14 stakes including the 1997 Grade 3 Safely Kept, also attracted 25 nominations. Prominent among them are Hello Beautiful, who earned her sixth career stakes victory in the July 31 Alma North at Pimlico and is 7 for 11 lifetime at Laurel, and four-time stakes winner Chub Wagon, who lost for the first time in nine lifetime starts when second in the Dr. Teresa Garafalo Memorial Aug. 23.

Other Weather Vane nominees include Ain't No Elmers, second in the 2020 Grade 3 Miss Preakness and third in the July 28 Grade 2 Honorable Miss at Saratoga; Casual, second to Chub Wagon in the May 15 Skipat at Pimlico; Club Car, third in the Grade 3 Runhappy Barbara Fritchie and second in the Grade 3 Chicago this year exiting a stakes win at Mountaineer Park Aug. 7; Garafalo Memorial winner Don't Call Me Mary, trained by Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher; and multiple stakes winners Honey I'm Good, Casual's Asmussen-trained stablemate; 2020 Grade 3 TCA winner Inthemidstofbiz; Needs Supervision; and Never Enough Time.

Most popular among horsemen with 31 nominations was the Polynesian, stretched out beyond a sprint for the first time since returning to the stakes calendar in 2017 following a 17-year absence. Its first 12 runnings, alternating between Laurel, Pimlico, and Colonial Downs in New Kent, Va., were contested at 1 1/16 or 1 1/8 miles.

Nominees include 2019 Santa Anita Derby (G1) winner Roadster, unraced since a fourth in the April 30 Alysheba; West Will Power and Phat Man, respectively 2-3 behind Code of Honor in the Aug. 21 Grade 3 Iselin at Monmouth Park in Oceanport, N.J.; June 12 Grade 3 Salvator Mile winner Informative; 2019 Grade 3 Commonwealth Turf winner Mr Dumas; Aug. 27 Robert Hilton Memorial winner Exculpatory; and local multiple stakes winners Alwaysmining and Cordmaker.

The Twixt attracted 30 nominees led by May 2 Grade 2 Ruffian winner Vault and stakes-winning Brad Cox-trained stablemate Dreamalildreamofu, second in the May 14 Grade 3 Allaire du Pont at Pimlico; Off Topic, third in the 2019 Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks; Chilean Group 2 winner Cheetara; and stakes winners Artful Splatter, Josie, Kiss the Girl, Malibu Beauty, Miss Leslie, Mrs. Orb, Needs Supervision, Saracosa, and Trolley Ride.

Laurel Park's 59-day fall meet is scheduled to run Thursday, Sept. 9 through Friday, Dec. 31.

The post Yaupon, Jackie’s Warrior Lead List of De Francis Dash Nominees appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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In the $100,000 Dr. Teresa Garofalo Memorial Stakes, Chub Wagon's undefeated streak came to an end as she was caught late by Don't Call Me Mary and jockey Paco Lopez. Trained by Todd Pletcher, the four-year-old daughter of El Padrino notched her fifth victory from ten career starts. Chub Wagon finished second and Cinnabunny rounded out the trifecta.

The $100,000 Mrs. Penny Stakes, taken off the turf and run at one mile and a sixteenth on the main track, was won by Precious and jockey Frankie Pennington. The front-running victress is a homebred daughter of Fed Biz for Newell Thoroughbreds LTD and is trained by John Servis.

In the $100,000 Storm Cat Stakes, sophomore I Am Redeemed earned his first stakes victory. The three-year-old son of Redeemed contested the early pace under jockey Abner Adorno and collared the front-running Lord Winsalot at the top of the stretch to prevail by 3 1/2 lengths for trainer Penny Pearce.

The $100,000 Marshall Jenney Handicap, taken off the turf and run at five furlongs on the sloppy main track, went to Admiral Abe. Admiral Abe, a five-year-old son of Midshipman, continued to dominate the state-bred ranks and delivered as the heavy favorite under Silvestre Gonzalez. Trained by Robert Mosco for Stefcon Racing, LLC, he earned his fifth win of the season.

The $100,000 Banjo Picker Stakes concluded the day and the favorite Fortheluvofbourbon gave jockey Paco Lopez his second win of the day. Trained by Michael Pino, the four-year-old gelded son of Bourbon Courage showed speed out of the gate and battled on gamely in the stretch to prevail by a neck over a fast-closing Golden Candy.

Live Racing resumes Tuesday

The post Pennsylvania-Breds Spotlighted Monday At Parx; Chub Wagon Defeated By Don’t Call Me Mary appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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The $100,000 Challedon Stakes and $100,000 Alma North Stakes, both at six furlongs, will be the third of six legs in the 3-Year-Olds and Up Sprint—Dirt division and Filly and Mare Sprint—Dirt division, respectively. The $100,000 Deputed Testamony Stakes at 1 1/8 miles is the second of six legs in the 3-Year-Olds and Up Long—Dirt division.

The Alma North has attracted Hello Beautiful, the 4-year-old Maryland-bred filly by Golden Lad who is tied for second in the division standings with 7 MATCH Series points behind undefeated Chub Wagon, who leads with 20 points after two starts. The standout Pennsylvania-bred filly, however, will not compete in the Alma North and would miss the fourth leg of the division at Colonial Downs should she race in a $100,000 state-bred stakes Aug. 23 at Parx Racing, where she is stabled.

Hello Beautiful, trained by Brittany Russell for Madaket Stables, Albert Frassetto, Mark Parkinson, K-Mac Stables and Magic City Stables, has won seven of 15 starts and finished only a neck behind Chub Wagon in the Shine Again Stakes at Pimlico June 13 in her most recent start. She will be ridden as usual by Sheldon Russell in her second MATCH Series start of the year.

“She has trained really well,” Russell said. “Sheldon worked her last week (in :49 for a half-mile at Pimlico) and all systems point to go. Hopefully the time she has had and as well as she has done in between and running at Pimlico, which she showed she can absolutely handle, will prove beneficial.”

Michael and Katherine Ball's Club Car and C & B Stables' Paisley Singing each have 5 MATCH points based on third-place finishes in the Skipat Stakes and Shine Again, respectively. Both are entered in the Alma North.

The MATCH Series points structure in each stakes is as follows: 10 for first, 7 for second, 5 for third, 3 for fourth, 2 for fifth and 1 for sixth through last. Bonus points based on number of starts are designed to encourage participation. With six races in each of four divisions this year, a fourth series start is worth 5 bonus points; a fifth start, 2 points; and a sixth start, 3 points, for a maximum of 10. Horses must compete in three races in their division to qualify for a share of $282,000 in bonus money.

Hillside Equestrian Meadows' Laki, an 8-year-old Maryland-bred gelding who was the 3-Year-Olds and Up Sprint—Dirt division champion in 2018-19, will make his third series start of the year in the Challedon. He is second in the division standings with 9 points behind Yaupon and Special Reserve—each with 10 points—who are not expected to follow the MATCH Series trail.

Laki, a winner of 11 of 35 starts—seven of them stakes—worked a half-mile in :49.60 at Pimlico July 22 in preparation for the Challedon. He will be ridden by Horacio Karamanos.

The Russell-trained Whereshetoldmetogo, owned by Madaket Stables, Ten Strike Racing, Michael Kisber and Black Cloud Racing Stable, will make his first MATCH Series start in the Challedon. The 6-year-old Maryland-bred gelding was an easy winner of the six-furlong Alapocas Run Stakes at Delaware Park in his last start July 3, one of four wins in his last five starts. Sheldon Russell is named to ride.

A pair of Maryland-bred geldings who competed in the Grade 3 Pimlico Special, the first stakes in the division, are entered in the Deputed Testamony.

Hillwood Stables' 6-year-old Cordmaker, fourth in the Pimlico Special, has been working at the Maryland State Fair at Timonium in preparation for the Deputed Testamony. The winner of nine of 29 starts will be ridden again by Victor Carrasco and has three series points.

GMP Stables, Arnold Bennewith and Cypress Creek Equine's Harpers First Ride finished 10th in the Pimlico Special but returned to the barn of Claudio Gonzalez after that race and easily won a 1 1/16-mile allowance event at Pimlico. Harpers First Ride, who worked five furlongs in 1:00.80 at Pimlico July 23, has won 11 of 22 starts including the Pimlico Special and Deputed Testamony in 2020. Regular rider Angel Cruz has the mount.

Following the action at Pimlico, the MATCH Series will return Aug. 23 at Colonial Downs in Virginia with four $100,000 stakes on tap.

The post Trio Of MATCH Series Stakes Carded For Saturday At Pimlico appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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The 13th running of the six-furlong Shine Again for fillies and mares 3 and up, part of the Mid-Atlantic Thoroughbred Championship (MATCH) Series, was the fourth of five stakes worth $475,000 in purses on a 10-race program.

Followed by the $100,000 Stormy Blues to cap the card, the Shine Again was preceded by the $100,000 Searching Stakes and $100,000 Prince George's County Stakes on turf and $75,000 Ben's Cat Stakes. The Stormy Blues for 3-year-old fillies and Ben's Cat for Maryland-bred/sired 3-year-olds and up were both moved from the grass to the main track and remained at five furlongs.

Sent off the 1-2 favorite in a field of eight that included Anna's Bandit, Dontletsweetfoolya, Hello Beautiful and Never Enough Time – winners of 34 career races, 20 of them in stakes – Chub Wagon improved to 7-0 lifetime with her third consecutive stakes win and second in a row at Pimlico following the May 15 Skipat Stakes on the undercard of the 146th Grade 1 Preakness Stakes.

The winning time was 1:10.21 over a fast main track.

“She's a very, very, very classy horse. She does everything easy,” winning trainer Guadalupe Preciado said. “When she came back, she looked like she wasn't even blowing. She's does everything so good.”

Breaking from the rail under Jomar Torres, now aboard for five of her wins including her first stakes triumph in the April 27 Unique Bella Stakes at Parx, Chub Wagon was outrun for the lead by Hello Beautiful, making her first start since finishing off the board in the Grade 3 Runhappy Barbara Fritchie Stakes Feb. 20 at Laurel Park.

The opening quarter-mile went in :22.21 with Chub Wagon rated in second, flanked to her outside by Dontletsweetfoolya as Hello Beautiful led the way. She was still in front midway around the turn after going a half in :45.32, with Chub Wagon looming after putting away Dontletsweetfoolya. Once straightened for home, the top two began to separate from the pack.

“I told [Torres] it looked like [Hello Beautiful] was the speed. I said, 'I'd like to be outside of her. We had a bad position on the inside but if she wants to go, let her go, and go from there.' Last time she closed nice, and today she closed again. The filly she beat is a nice filly.”

Irad Ortiz Jr. was up in the Skipat, the first time Chub Wagon didn't lead from start to finish in any of her races. She won the six-furlong Skipat by two lengths, which had been her shortest margin of victory until Sunday.

“She ran great today. I sat off the pace today because she was going great, but the other horse had more speed. So I waited, and, when I went to the clear, she picked it up very well. She loves to fight,” Torres said. “She's a really nice filly.”

Hello Beautiful stubbornly dug in under Sheldon Russell into deep stretch, but grudgingly gave way approaching the wire. It was another three lengths back to 59-1 long shot Paisley Singing in third, followed by Never Enough Time, Anna's Bandit, Lucre, Unique Factor, and Dontletsweetfoolya.

A 7-year-old mare with 17 wins, 11 stakes, and more than $782,000 in purse earnings from 36 previous starts, Anna's Bandit was also coming off a layoff, not having run since last summer at Delaware Park.

“She ran huge. It's disappointing to get beat, but it's nice to see her come back and run her eyeballs out,” Hello Beautiful's trainer Brittany Russell said. “You kind of had to take it to [Chub Wagon] a little bit. You don't want to let her get away and then we're sitting there saying, 'Why didn't we go?' I was happy with how it ended up; I just wish we were on the other end of the result. She's not one to fold. She's had a couple excuses along the way. It's nice to see she ran hard.”

A 4-year-old Pennsylvania-bred daughter of Hey Chub that gave Parx Hall of Famer Precaido his 2,000th career win with her debut victory last fall, Chub Wagon is being considered for the $350,000 Grade 2 Princess Rooney Stakes July 3 at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Fla. The seven-furlong Princess Rooney is a 'Win and You're In' qualifier for the $1 million Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint Nov. 6 at Del Mar Race Track in Del Mar, Calif.

“If everything goes good, I think we're going to the Princess Rooney,” Preciado said. “Every time she runs, the races come harder and harder. For me, that's the way to do it. I don't want to come out of nowhere and face tough horses and later you have nothing. You go slowly and sometimes the horses like it. Next time probably is going to be tougher.”

The Shine Again Stakes returned to the Maryland stakes calendar after being a casualty of the pandemic-shortened 2020 season and was being contested at Pimlico for the first time since 2013, having each of its last four runnings at Laurel Park in Laurel, Md.

It honors Allaire duPont's fourth-generation Maryland homebred mare that retired in 2003 after winning 14 of 34 starts, seven stakes, and nearly $1.3 million in purses. Trained by late Hall of Famer Allen Jerkens, she won back-to-back editions of the Grade 1 Ballerina Stakes in 2001 and 2002 and was second in 2003.

The post Chub Wagon Best In Shine Again At Pimlico appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Sunday's 10-race program kicks off at 12:40 p.m. and includes five stakes, four scheduled for the turf, worth $475,000 in purses highlighted by the $100,000 Shine Again for fillies and mares 3 and older sprinting six furlongs on the main track.

The Shine Again, the next race in the 24-stakes Mid-Atlantic Thoroughbred Championship (MATCH) Series that runs through Dec. 26, is headed by 4-year-old filly Chub Wagon, winner of the Skipat May 15 at Pimlico on the undercard of the 146^th Preakness (G1) to run her perfect record to 6-0. It will be her biggest test yet, facing the likes of Anna's Bandit, Hello Beautiful and Dontletsweetfoolya who have combined for 29 wins, 18 in stakes.

All four remaining stakes are scheduled for the grass led by the $100,000 Prince George's County for 3-year-olds and up going 1 1/8 miles that drew a field of 12 including main-track-only entrant Shane's Jewel and featuring graded-stakes winners English Bee, Eons and Pixelate, the narrow 3-1 program favorite on turf. Graded-stakes placed stablemates Logical Myth and Midnight Tea Time come in from Kentucky to challenge.

New York-based stakes winner Beautiful Lover, twice graded-stakes placed for trainer Chad Brown, is favored at 2-1 on the morning line in the $100,000 Searching at 1 ½ miles for fillies and mares 3 and up. In her first start for trainer Christophe Clement, the 5-year-old mare was fifth by 2 ½ lengths in the 1 1/16-mile Distaff Turf March 28 at Tampa Bay Downs, her first race in more than six months. Her main competition is expected to come from Dowager (G3) winner Blame Debbie and fellow stakes winner Luck Money.

Rounding out the stakes action are a pair of five-furlong sprints – the $100,000 Stormy Blues for 3-year-old fillies and $75,000 Ben's Cat for Maryland-bred/sired 3-year-olds and up. Street Lute, a six-time stakes winner on the dirt, is entered to make her turf debut in the Stormy Blues against the likes of multiple stakes-placed Honey Pants, the 7-2 program favorite, and the pair of Wink and Amanzi Yimpilo from trainer Wesley Ward, currently in England for the upcoming Royal Ascot meet.

So Street is a narrow 4-1 morning-line favorite in the Ben's Cat facing fellow stakes winners Introduced and Air Token and defending champion Oldies But Goodies and 2020 Maryland Million Turf runner-up Cannon's Roar. Hemp, third in the May 15 Chick Lang (G3) at Pimlico, is entered for main track only.

Following Sunday's action, live racing returns to Pimlico Friday, June 18.

Record Rainbow 6 Carryover Tops $1 Million for Stakes-Filled Sunday
The 20-cent Rainbow 6 went unsolved Saturday at historic Pimlico Race Course, growing the Maryland state record carryover jackpot to $1,007,434.44 for Sunday's stakes-filled program.

First race post time is 12:40 p.m.

A total of $102,742 was put into the popular multi-race wager on top of a carryover of $974,564.10 from the last full live program June 6. Friday's card at Pimlico was canceled after two races due to inclement weather. Multiple tickets with all six winners Saturday each returned $9,861.08.

The Rainbow 6 jackpot is paid out only when there is a single unique ticket sold with all six winners. On days when there is no unique ticket, 60 percent of that day's pool goes back to those bettors holding tickets with the most winners while 40 percent is carried over to the jackpot pool.

Introduced in Maryland April 2, 2015 on opening day of Pimlico's spring meet, the Rainbow 6 had its previous state record carryover reach $345,898.33 spanning 31 racing programs before being solved by one lucky bettor for a life-changing $399,545.94 payout April 15, 2018 at Laurel Park. The winning ticket was purchased through Maine off-track betting.

Sunday's Rainbow 6 spans Races 5-10 and includes four of the day's five stakes worth a total of $475,000 in purses – the $75,000 Ben's Cat (Race 6), $100,000 Prince George's County (Race 8), $100,000 Shine Again (Race 9) and $100,000 Stormy Blues (Race 10).

Three of the stakes – the Ben's Cat, Prince George's County and Stormy Blues – comprise the grass races in the Rainbow 6 sequence. The $100,000 Searching, which kicks off the stakes action in Race 4, is also scheduled for the turf.

The post Pimlico: Five Stakes, $1-Million Rainbow 6 Jackpot Highlight Sunday’s Action appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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The Shine Again, at six furlongs, is one of five Sunday stakes at Old Hilltop. It's the second of six stakes in the Filly and Mare Sprint—Dirt division, currently led by Chub Wagon, who captured the Skipat Stakes at Pimlico May 15.

Pennsylvania-bred Chub Wagon, owned by Daniel Lopez and George Chestnut, won her first five starts on the lead throughout. The 4-year-old Hey Chub filly rated in third for the first half-mile in the Skipat before taking over in the stretch and pulling away to win by two lengths. She was entered in a Grade III stakes at Belmont Park June 5, but her connections, including trainer Guadalupe Preciado, opted to scratch her in favor of the Shine Again. Jomar Torres is named to ride the Parx Racing-based filly.

Preciado acknowledged the depth of the Shine Again field.

“Every race is the same; no matter what, the horses need to run to win,” he said. “Whether it's easy or tough, the horses still have to run.”

Chub Wagon collected 10 MATCH points for her Skipat victory and is looking to bring that total to 20 with another win in the series.

No Guts No Glory Farm's Anna's Bandit, a winner of 17 races and almost $800,000 in 36 starts for trainer John Robb, has been working regularly since April for her first start since July 2020 at Delaware Park. A winner of 11 stakes in the Mid-Atlantic region, the 7-year-old West Virginia-bred mare by Great Notion will have regular rider Xavier Perez aboard for her return.

“I was looking for an easier spot but I've been waiting for six weeks now,” Robb said. “I'm not expecting her to win it, but she needs to get a race under her. She has been doing good, but she's such a big, heavy horse that I don't expect to ever get her fit just with breezes.”

Hello Beautiful, a winner of seven of 14 starts, won three consecutive stakes at Laurel Park in late fall and early winter before her fifth-place finish in the Grade III Barbara Fritchie Stakes for trainer Brittany Russell. The 4-year-old Maryland-bred filly by Golden Lad was given a break and has been working well at Pimlico for the Shine Again. Hello Beautiful, to be ridden by Sheldon Russell, is a five-time stakes winner of almost $400,000 owned by Madaket Stables, Albert Frassetto, Mark Parkinson, K-Mac Stables and Magic City Stables.

“To be fair, when something goes wrong in the afternoon, whatever the reason—like last year when we shipped her around a bit and just didn't have any luck, or the Fritchie—it's almost like it makes her come back with a vengeance,” Russell said. “She doesn't like getting beat. I hope that's the case this go-around.”

Five Hellions Farm's Dontletsweetfoolya, who has won five of her 10 starts, is entered in the Shine Again off of a fourth-place finish behind Chub Wagon in the Skipat. The 4-year-old Stay Thirsty filly, trained by Lacey Gaudet and temporarily based at Delaware Park, was on the lead in the Skipat until the stretch and has done her best running on the front end. Jevian Toledo, who has been aboard Dontletsweetfoolya for all of her victories, is named to ride.

After the Shine Again, the MATCH Series will continue with two stakes July 4 in Maryland.

The MATCH Series, the only one of its kind in racing, will run through Dec. 26 at Laurel and features 24 stakes—20 of them in Maryland and four at Colonial Downs in Virginia—valued at $2.75 million. There will be four divisions, all of them on dirt, and $282,000 in bonus money for owners and trainers.

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Two fingers, even.

The first belongs to millionaire Favorite Tale, who captured the 2014 Gallant Bob (G3) and 2015 Smile Sprint (G2), and later that year ran third in the A.G. Vanderbilt Handicap (G1) and Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1). Favorite Tale was no stranger to Maryland, winning the Dave's Friend at Laurel Park in 2018 in his penultimate career start.

Preciado points a second finger to his current stable star, Daniel Lopez and George Chestnut's 4-year-old homebred filly Chub Wagon, undefeated through six career starts. The bay daughter of Hey Chub will be aiming for her third consecutive stakes triumph in Sunday's $100,000 Shine Again at historic Pimlico Race Course.

The six-furlong Shine Again for fillies and mares 3 and up is among five stakes worth $450,000 and the only one on dirt. It is also the next installment in the Mid-Atlantic Thoroughbred Championship (MATCH) Series.

Other stakes on the June 13 program are all on the turf, led by the $100,000 Prince George's County for 3-year-olds and up going 1 1/8 miles and $100,000 Searching at 1 ½ miles for females 3 and older. A pair of five-furlong sprints are also on tap – the $100,000 Stormy Blues for sophomore fillies and $75,000 Ben's Cat for Maryland-bred/sired horses 3 and up.

Based at Parx, where he was inducted into its Hall of Fame in 2013, Preciado is a native of Mexico who began training in 1989. He topped $1 million in season earnings for 24 consecutive years, from 1997 to 2017, exceeding $2 million four times. His brother, Ramon, also trains.

“The last nice horse I trained before her is Favorite Tale. He was a [Pennsylvania]-bred, too,” Preciado said. “She's a nice one. It's not easy to find those kinds of horses. It's easy for guys like the Todd Pletchers and the Chad Browns and all the guys that have so many 2-year-olds every year. It's no problem to find them. We have local horses over here. It's hard.”

Preciado was working for trainer Ron Benshoff when the two attended a party where Benshoff introduced him to Jack Mondel of Hidden Lane Farms. A friendship developed that soon had Mondel sending Preciado the kind of horses to give his fledgling career a boost, including Debutante's Halo, winner of the 1990 Demoiselle (G2), and Mr. Nasty, who won the 1990 Gravesend (G3) and 1991 Tom Fool (G2).

Other graded-stakes winners Preciado trained are Caught in the Rain, Iron Punch, Score a Birdie, Joker, Michael's Star and Sham Francisco. Favorite Tale's Smile Sprint at Gulfstream Park was his most recent.

Among his previous Maryland stakes wins are Michael's Star in the 1996 Harrison E. Johnson Memorial, Mary's Silver Pen in the 2000 Marshua and Rockin Jojo in the 2016 Geisha and Maryland Million Distaff.

Preciado initially entered Chub Wagon in the seven-furlong Bed o' Roses (G3) June 4 at Belmont Park, where she was installed as the morning-line favorite, but opted to skip the race. She comes back to a distance where she has already won three times including her unveiling, which didn't come until mid-November of her 3-year-old season at Parx and provided Preciado with his milestone 2,000th victory.

“When I got her, the owner told me that she's a nice filly,” Preciado said. “Sometimes you have a little problem and when you have a horse that can run, you do the best you can to take care of the little problem before you got a big problem. Especially with the 2-year-olds. If you don't wait, they make you wait.”

Chub Wagon reeled off three straight allowance wins before romping in the seven-furlong Unique Bella against state-breds April 27 at Parx. In her first open-company stakes, she captured the Skipat at Pimlico May 15 on the undercard of the 146th Preakness Stakes (G1).

The competition in the Shine Again is expected to include heavyweights such as Hello Beautiful, a five-time stakes winner that hasn't raced since the Runhappy Barbara Fritchie (G3) Feb. 20 at Laurel, and Dontletsweetfoolya, who strung together five straight wins, two in stakes, before losses in the Fritchie and Skipat, where she ran fourth in her comeback. Hibiscus Punch, the 41-1 upset Fritchie winner, is also nominated.

Affable and easy-going, Preciado is less worried about maintaining the streak as he is seeing Chub Wagon run well and enjoying the ride.

“At my age, I don't care too much anymore because I know whatever will happen, will happen. For me it's exciting.”

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