Six stakes worth $550,000 in purses help comprise Laurel's 10-race card, which begins at 12:10 p.m.

Stakes action begins in Race 3, the $75,000 Jennings for Maryland-bred/sired horses, where Hillwood Stable's Cordmaker chases his 13th career win, ninth in a stakes and third in row. Maryland-bred/sired females follow in Race 4, the $75,000 Geisha featuring Mike Trombetta-trained stablemates Kiss the Girl and Lookin Dynamic.

K E M Racing Stable and Five Hellions Farm's H P Moon will make just his second career start and first since an eye-opening debut triumph last August at Pimlico in Race 6, the $100,000 Spectacular Bid. The seven-furlong Spectacular Bid is Maryland's first stakes race of the season for 3-year-olds. Stakes winners Buff My Boots and Luna Belle headline the $100,000 Xtra Heat for 3-year-old fillies in Race 7.

Edward Seltzer and Beverly Anderson's homebred Hibiscus Punch ends an 8 ½ month break between starts in Race 8, the $100,000 What a Summer, just her second race since pulling a 41-1 upset in the 2021 Runhappy Barbara Fritchie (G3) last February at Laurel. Among the competition are stakes winners Princess Kokachin, Prodigy Doll, Kaylasaurus and Don't Call Me Mary.

Race 9 is the $100,000 Fire Plug featuring Michael Dubb, The Elkstone Group, Madaket Stables and Bethlehem Stables' Wondrwherecraigis, last out winner of the Bold Ruler (G3) Oct. 31 at Belmont Park, the first career graded-stakes win for trainer Brittany Russell. Maryland-bred multiple stakes winner Jaxon Traveler, 2-0 lifetime at Laurel, is also entered.

The post Six Stakes Worth $550,000 Comprise Laurel’s 10-Race Card On Saturday appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

The Shine Again for fillies and mares 3 and up is one of five stakes worth $475,000 in purses Sunday, June 13, that drew a total of 117 nominations. The six-furlong Shine Again is the only stakes both scheduled for the main track and as part of the Mid-Atlantic Thoroughbred Championship (MATCH) Series.

No Guts No Glory Farm homebred Anna's Bandit has yet to make her 7-year-old debut, having gone unraced since finishing third in the Dashing Beauty last July at Delaware Park. The Great Notion mare owns 17 career wins and more than $780,000 in purse earnings.

Edward Seltzer and Beverly Anderson's Hibiscus Punch became a stakes winner with her 41-1 upset of the Runhappy Barbara Fritchie (G3) Feb. 20 at Laurel Park, finishing fifth last out in the Derby City Distaff (G1) May 1. Tommy Town Thoroughbreds' Victim of Love, winner of the What a Summer last January at Laurel, defended her 2020 victory in the Vagrancy (G3) May 8 at Belmont Park over fellow Shine Again nominee Sadie Lady.

Third in the Vagrancy, Holly Hill Stables' Pacific Gale won the seven-furlong Inside Information (G2) and 6 ½-furlong Hurricane Bertie (G3) over the winter at Gulfstream Park for trainer John Kimmel. Daniel Lopez and George Chestnut's Chub Wagon kept her perfect record intact with a popular two-length triumph in the six-furlong Skipat May 15 at Pimlico on the Preakness (G1) undercard.

Also prominent among nominees are Maryland-based multiple stakes winners Dontletsweetfoolya, Hello Beautiful and Never Enough Time as well as Rising Seas, second May 22 in the Winning Colors (G3).

The four remaining June 13 stakes are all scheduled for the grass, including the $100,000 Prince George's County for 3-year-olds and up at 1 1/8 miles and $100,00 Searching for fillies and mares 3 and up going 1 ½ miles.

Three of the top four finishers from the Dinner Party (G2) May 15 at Pimlico are among the 26 Prince George's County nominees – Talk Or Listen, Midnight Tea Time and 2020 Saranac (G3) winner Bye Bye Melvin, who respectively ran second, third and fourth. Also nominated are Corelli and Grade 2 winner Pixelate, separated by a nose in the 1 1/16-mile Henry S. Clark April 24 at Pimlico; 2019 Kent (G3) winner Eons; stakes winners Alwaysmining, Clubman, Doc Boy, English Bee and Logical Myth, third in the March 20 Muniz Memorial (G2); and 2020 Maryland Million Turf runner-up Cannon's Roar.

Among 19 nominees to the Searching are 2020 Dowager (G3) winner Blame Debbie; Crystalle, winner of the P.G. Johnson and second in the Miss Grillo (G2) in 2019; Judi Blue Eyes, a winner of two straight since being put back on grass by leading trainer Claudio Gonzalez; 2020 Long Island (G3) winner Mutamakina and Christophe Clement-trained stablemate Sorrel, third in the Gulfstream's March 27 Orchid (G3); Sister Hanan, third in the $125,000 The Very One (G3) Feb. 27 at Gulfstream; and stakes winners Luck Money and Thankful.

Sprinters 3 and up will go five furlongs in the $100,000 Stormy Blues for females and $100,000 Ben's Cat. The Stormy Blues attracted nominations from Soaring Softly (G3) winner Bye Bye; stakes winners Amanzi Yimpilo and Wesley Ward-trained stablemate Wink; Door Buster, Farsighted, Illegal Smile, Prodigy Doll and Tobys Heart. Also nominated is Lucky 7 Stables' six-time stakes winner Street Lute, yet to race on turf.

Most popular among horsemen, the Ben's Cat's 27 nominees include 2020 Futurity (G3) runner-up After Five; Eastern Bay, a stakes winner and runner-up in the 2020 Frank J. De Francis Memorial Dash (G3) on dirt that also owns two wins from six grass starts; multiple stakes-winning Maryland-bred Fiya; Hemp, third in the Chick Lang (G3) on dirt May 15 at Pimlico; 2019 Ben's Cat winner Oldies But Goodies; So Street, winner of the 2019 Howard County on the Laurel turf; and multiple dirt stakes winner Whereshetoldmetogo.

The post Quality Runs Deep Among Shine Again Nominations At Pimlico appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Sconsin was second, Estilo Talentoso third and Bell's The One was fourth after a slow start.

The win is the third Grade 1 victory for Gamine, who also has wins in the 2020 Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint, the G1 Test, and the G1 Acorn to her credit. In her last outing, she won the Grade 3 Las Flores by five lengths. In eight starts, her only non-win came from the Kentucky Oaks, where she crossed the wire third but was later disqualified to ninth due to an overage of betamethasone.

Bob Baffert trains Gamine for owner Michael Lund Petersen. Gamine was bred in Kentucky by Grace Thoroughbred Holdings and is the 4-year-old daughter of Into Mischief and Kafwain mare Peggy Jane. She was a $220,000 yearling at the Keenelad September sale, where she was consigned by Summerfield and purchased by Grand Oaks. Then, she sold at the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic sale as a 2-year-old, where she was consigned by Bobby Dodd and bought by Petersen for $1.8 million.

Gamine was heavily favored at 1-5 and paid $2.40 to win.

The post Gamine Makes Easy Work Of Grade 1 Derby City Distaff appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Hibiscus Punch rallied to upset Hello Beautiful and Dontletsweetfoolya, both multiple stakes winners coming in on lengthy win streaks, at odds of 41-1. It was also the first graded triumph for the 6-year-old mare, and second in two months for owner-breeders Edward Seltzer and Beverly Anderson following Eres Tu in the Dec. 26 Allaire du Pont (G3), also at Laurel.

“I was cautiously optimistic. Obviously, Hello Beautiful is an awful nice mare, and Dontletsweetfoolya, and they were both coming into the race strong and with strong resumes. We would have just been happy with a graded placing for the filly,” Nixon said. “To win it was just over the top.”

It was just the eighth career start for Hibiscus Punch, by Into Mischief out of the Machiavellian mare Bellini Sunrise. In her only previous stakes attempt, she ran second by 2 ¼ lengths behind Dontletsweetfoolya in the Willa On the Move on the du Pont undercard. In between, she won an open Jan. 17 allowance at Laurel; all three came with Horacio Karamanos aboard.

“Closers were doing well. When we entered we knew that those two would probably set the race up pretty nice for us, if we were good enough,” Nixon said. “You look at their resumes and they're both very talented fillies and very quick fillies. We thought if we could draft in behind them and get a piece, that'd be great.

“The trip worked out well. Horacio, he just rides her perfect. He lets her settle and make that one run and yesterday a lot of little things all came together for her,” he added. “Very happy for the Seltzers and just thrilled to have the filly. I've been at Laurel on and off since 2003 so that's special, too, to win the big race here.”

Nixon said no decision has been made on the next step for Hibiscus Punch, who emerged from the Fritchie in good order. Nixon captured Sunday's opener at Laurel with the Seltzer-owned Lucre ($11.80).

“Everybody's good. We came out in good order and she's doing well. She's a nice filly,” Nixon said. “Right now we're just go into enjoy the victory. Mr. Seltzer and I will talk and I'm sure he's got some ideas. Whatever he thinks is best, that's what we'll do. Right now we haven't looked at it too, too hard but we'll flip through the stakes books and what have you and see where we go.”

Hello Beautiful, riding a three-stakes win streak, dueled with Dontletsweetfoolya up front for a half-mile before finishing fifth as the 2-5 favorite in the Fritchie. Starting this year, horses competing in graded-stakes in Maryland are not allowed to be treated with Lasix within 48 hours of post time.

“When she was empty at the quarter pole, I knew something went wrong. It's ok. We learned something. She won't ever walk over there without Lasix again,” trainer Brittany Russell said. “We're going to freshen her up for a couple weeks.”

Russell said Madaket Stables, Albert Frassetto, Mark Parkinson, K-Mac Stables and Magic City Stables' Hello Beautiful will get some time off with Bruce Jackson at the Fair Hill Training Center in Elkton, Md. She had been a perfect 7-0 racing over Laurel's main track.

“She'll just have a little 'R and R,'” she said. “She won't lose much and we'll get her back in here and kick on with her.”

Meanwhile, Russell said Michael Dubb and Bethlehem Stables' Maythehorsebwithu was doing well out of his four-length score in the $100,000 Miracle Wood for 3-year-olds. It was the first stakes win for the gelded son of Grade 1 winner Bullsbay, a narrow second choice to multiple stakes winner Kenny Had a Notion.

“What a man. He showed up. He appeared to take that step that I said we were hoping to see eventually,” Russell said. “He's just a neat horse. He's walking around the barn this morning like it wasn't a hard effort for him or anything. That's what you like to see.”

The $100,000 Private Terms, contested at about 1 1/16 miles, is the next step for sophomores on Laurel's stakes program, scheduled for March 13. The one-mile Miracle Wood was the furthest test to date for Maythehorsebwithu.

“It's going to be up to him. If he needs to skip the next one, I believe he's probably worth it, if that's what he's telling us. But if he's touting himself and acts like he needs to run again, I guess three weeks isn't a big deal if the horse is doing well,” Russell said. “We'll just let him tell us. If we have to skip it, it's no big deal either.”

Five Hellions Farm's Dontletsweetfoolya had won five consecutive races including back-to-back stakes entering the Fritchie, which marked her 4-year-old and graded-stakes debut. She wound up seventh, just the second time in nine career starts where she didn't hit the board.

“As the day progressed, I would probably say our confidence wasn't high with the way the track was playing,” trainer Lacey Gaudet said. “She was there, she got a little tired, she got headed. This racetrack was extremely tiring. I don't think the lack of Lasix affected her. She runs with very little, so I don't think that was an excuse for her. She came back fine. Unfortunately, horses get beat. You can't win forever. Do I wish that he could have finished a little better? Absolutely. But, we're happy that she came back happy and healthy and we'll just go back to the drawing board and find another spot.”

Gaudet and Five Hellions also saw Fraudulent Charge rally to be second by a length to Street Lute in the $100,000 Wide Country for 3-year-old fillies. It was the sixth stakes win in eight starts for Street Lute and second straight over Fraudulent Charge, who came within a nose in the Dec. 26 Gin Talking at Laurel.

“She ran huge. We could not be disappointed in that. We want her to go further,” Gaudet said. “Everybody thought that it was a fluke last time, the way that she ran, because it was a four-horse field and had everything kind of go her way. I was just really happy to see her run back to that. She's going to be a fun filly.”

Free Nominations For Five Stakes March 13, Including $100,000 Private Terms
Free nominations close Saturday, Feb. 27 for five stakes worth a total of $450,000 to be run at Laurel March 13.

The open stakes are the $100,000 Private Terms for 3-year-olds at 1 1 /16 mile, the $100,000 Beyond The Wire for 3-year-old fillies at a mile, and the $100,000 Harrison Johnson Memorial for older horses at 1 1/8 mile. The stakes also include the $75,000 Not For Love at six furlongs for Maryland bred and sired horses, and the $75,000 The Conniver Stakes for Maryland bred or sired fillies and mares at seven furlongs.

For more information contact Maryland Jockey Club stakes coordinator Trish Bowman at 800.638.1859 and Trish.Bowman@marylandracing.com.

The post Nixon ‘Over The Top’ After First Graded Stakes Victory In Barbara Fritchie appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

The 69th running of the Fritchie for fillies and mares 4 and older and the 45th edition of the $250,000 General George (G3) for 4-year-olds and up, both sprinting seven furlongs, co-headlined a Winter Sprintfest program of six stakes worth $900,000 in purses.

Originally scheduled for Feb. 13, Winter Sprintfest was pushed back a week after winter storms passed through the Mid-Atlantic region. Hibiscus Punch ($85.60) was making her graded-stakes debut off an entry-level allowance triumph Jan. 17 at Laurel going six furlongs.

“We just tried not to overdo it with her. She was coming back a bit quick,” winning trainer Justin Nixon said. “She was coming back in three weeks in the a-other-than and I think the extra week might have helped us.”

Jockey Horacio Karamanos, aboard for each of Hibiscus Punch's last three starts, earned his third career Barbara Fritchie victory following Lady Sabelia in 2015 and High Ridge Road in 2017.

“I felt like I can win this race because I talked to Justin Nixon when I breezed her last time. She breezed really easy and I told him this filly is good,” Karamanos said. “Last time when we won, I said, 'She's got them,' so I felt very confident. When I sat behind them and I asked her, she came running.

“I see the speed going, the two fillies to beat in front of me. I sat right behind them,” he added. “I had plenty of horse. In the middle of the turn, at the quarter pole, my filly went on her own.”

Hello Beautiful, a five-time stakes winner including each of her last three starts, and Dontletsweetfoolya, a winner of five consecutive races capped by back-to-back stakes, battled on the front end with Dontletsweetfoolya holding a short advantage after a quarter-mile in 22.75 seconds before Hello Beautiful went the half in 45.31 to nudge in front.

Meanwhile, Karamanos had Hibiscus Punch in striking position racing third when he ranged up on the leaders midway around the turn. The 6-year-old Into Mischief mare surged past and kept going, opening up to win by 2 ½ lengths after completing the distance in 1:23.16 over a fast main track.

Estilo Talentoso came running late down the center of the track to get second, 3 ½ lengths ahead of Club Car. Mutliple stakes winner Needs Supervision rallied to edge 2-5 favorite Hello Beautiful by a neck for fourth. Grade 3 winner Sharp Starr was fifth, followed by Dontletsweetfoolya and Suggestive Honor.

“I thought we were in pretty good shape, especially at the three-eighths pole. It looked like she was moving forward pretty well. Horacio gave her a great ride to settle her in and from there it was just good times,” Nixon said.

“He suits her to a 'T.' He knows her very well. He won on her in the a-other-than and he came and breezed her last week before all the storms and she breezed dynamite,” he added. “He was very happy and he said seven-eighths wouldn't be a problem for her.”

Now based at Laurel Park, Hibiscus Punch was making just her eighth career start in the Barbara Fritchie. She made her first four starts in 2019 over the grass and all-weather surfaces at Woodbine, debuting for Nixon off nearly a year layoff last November at Laurel.

Second to Dontletsweetfoolya in the six-furlong Willa On the Move, Hibiscus Punch came back to win her allowance by three lengths.

“We'll have to talk with Mr. Seltzer and Beverly [about what's next] and whatever they decide, we're thrilled,” Nixon said. “They're so patient and they're such great people to train for. Really it was their doing, this filly.”

The post Hisbiscus Punch Rings Bell At $85.60 In Runhappy Barbara Fritchie appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

The 69th running of the Fritchie for fillies and mares 4 and older and the 45th renewal of the $250,000 General's Stake (G3) for 4-year-olds and up, formerly the General George, highlight a Winter Sprintfest program offering six stakes worth $900,000 in purses.

Madaket Stables, Albert Frassetto, Mark Parkinson, K-Mac Stables and Magic City Stables' Hello Beautiful was timed in 47.60 seconds, second-fastest of 68 horses at the distance. Jockey Sheldon Russell was aboard for his wife, trainer Brittany Russell.

Hello Beautiful owns five career stakes wins including three straight entering the Fritchie, the most recent coming in the six-furlong What a Summer Jan. 16 in her 4-year-old debut.

“She worked fantastic. We were absolutely pleased with her. Sheldon loved her, and she seems like she's ready to go,” Brittany Russell said. “You walk them over hoping they're doing as well as she is right now and you have to leave it up to them from there. We're giving her every opportunity to run a big one.”

Five Hellions Farm's Dontletsweetfoolya takes a five-race win streak into the Fritchie, which open her 4-year-old campaign. The Stay Thirsty filly ended 2020 with victories in the Nov. 28 Primonetta and Dec. 26 Willa On the Move, both going six furlongs at Laurel.

With regular rider Jevian Toledo up, Dontletsweetfoolya worked four furlongs in 48 seconds, ranking fifth. She went in company with newly turned 3-year-old filly Fraudulent Charge (48.20), who is being pointed to the $100,000 Wide Country on the Fritchie undercard.

“The work went very well. They got them in 48 and galloped out in a minute, so it was perfect, exactly what we wanted,” trainer Lacey Gaudet said. “I don't tell [Toledo] anything. Even the work this morning, they were all laughing at me because I was like, 'Don't go too fast, don't go too slow,' but when I walked up with him I said, 'You know how to work her,' and that's what he did. They did their thing.”

Also working Saturday for the Fritchie were Willa On the Move runner-up Hibiscus Punch, five furlongs in 1:01.40 at Laurel; and 2020 Go for Wand (G3) winner Sharp Starr, a half-mile in a bullet 47 seconds over Belmont Park's training track, the fastest of 140 horses.

Hillside Equestrian Meadows' Laki, whose six career stakes include the 2020 Frank J. De Francis Memorial Dash (G3) last fall at Pimlico Race Course, blazed four furlongs in a bullet 47.60 seconds Saturday at Laurel with jockey Horacio Karamanos in preparation for the General. Trained by Damon Dilodovico, Laki has won at least one stake every year since 2017.

“He worked well. We usually don't ask him for much in the morning. He was just ready to roll,” Dilodovico said. “He's training well. We got a really nice breeze out of him today and he cooled out well, so we'll see how he is the next couple days.”

Other horses nominated to the General breezing at Laurel Saturday were multiple stakes winner Lebda, four furlongs in 47.60 seconds, ranking second, and 2019 Remsen (G3) winner Shotski, a half-mile in 48 seconds.

Also prominent on Saturday's Laurel work tab were multiple stakes winners Kenny Had a Notion (six furlongs, 1:14.40) for the $100,000 Miracle Wood for 3-year-olds; Street Lute (five furlongs, 59.60 seconds) for the $100,000 Wide Country for 3-year-old fillies, the latter the fastest of 32 horses; and Cordmaker (five furlongs, 1:01) for the $100,000 John B. Campbell at about 1 1/16 miles for 4-year-olds and up.

Notes: Alexander Crispin, the Eclipse Award-winning apprentice of 2020, registered a hat trick Saturday aboard Bring Me Answers ($4) in Race 2, Keepyourstakeson ($3.20) in Race 6 and Bananas On Fire ($6.60) in Race 9. Jockey Xavier Perez also doubled with Indian Lake ($5.40) in Race 1 and Seany P ($13.20) via disqualification in Race 8 … No one selected all six winners in the 20-cent Rainbow 6, growing the carryover jackpot to $1,559.76 for Sunday. Tickets with five of six winners were each worth $158.06.

The post Hello Beautiful, Dontletsweetfoolya Prep For Barbara Fritchie Matchup appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post