New Face Narrowly Takes Laurel Summer Title

In the last race on the final day of Laurel Park's 2022 summer meet, trainer Rudy Sanchez-Salomon edged Claudio Gonzalez by one win, 19-18, to earn his first career training title, breaking their weekend tie.

“It's been a great meet,” Sanchez-Salomon said. “Everything has been great for us. We've been very blessed. I thank God
and thank my help and thank everybody.”

Jevian Toledo and Horacio Karamanos finished tied for leading jockey honors with 31 wins apiece. They also shared Laurel's summer meet title in 2020.

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Threes Over Deuces, Kaylasaurus Score MATCH Victories At Laurel

Pocket 3's Racing's Threes Over Deuces, narrowly beaten in his previous two starts, came out on the winning end of another close finish by surging between horses approaching the wire and getting his head down first to capture Sunday's $100,000 Dave's Friend at Laurel Park in Laurel, Md.

The 18th running of the Dave's Friend for 3-year-olds and up and 11th renewal of the Willa On the Move for fillies and mares 3 and up, both sprinting six furlongs, were among six $100,000 stakes on a nine-race Christmastide Day program.

Both races served as the finale in their respective divisions for the 2021 Mid-Atlantic Thoroughbred Championship (MATCH) Series.

Threes Over Deuces ($26.60) earned his second career stakes win and first since being promoted to victory over Whereshetoldmetogo in last fall's New Castle at Delaware Park. The 6-year-old Flat Out gelding, second in the 2020 General George (G3) at Laurel, had gone winless through seven 2021 starts, beaten a neck while third to Whereshetoldmetogo in a New Castle rematch and second by head to Battle Station in a Nov. 14 optional claimer at Laurel.

“It was nice to turn the tables once on Whereshetoldmetogo. Hopefully it's the start of The Deuce getting back to [being] The Deuce,” Jon Madden, principal owner Pocket 3's Racing, said. “He's always fighting. He started the year slow and then started to get right. The last two races we sent him but with the new track we held him back, and it worked out.”

Threes Over Deuces settled off a 22.94-second opening quarter mile run by Newbomb, who maintained a short advantage after a half in 46.26 as a field that included multiple stakes winner Whereshetoldmetogo, Maryland Million Sprint winners Air Token and Karan's Notion and 14-time career winner Penguin Power began to close in.

Jockey Victor Rosales swung Threes Over Deuces out wide leaving the far turn and set him down for a drive to the wire, where they were able to edge past a stubborn Penguin Power and hold off a late bid on the far outside from Nov. 26 Howard and Sondra Bender Memorial runner-up Youngest of Five, who wound up a nose behind Penguin Power. It was a length back to Air Token in fourth, with 3-2 favorite Whereshetoldmetogo checking in fifth. Grade 3 winner Laki was scratched.

The winning time was 1:10.94 over a fast main track.

“It was the plan to take him back today,” Rosales said. “In the early races the speed wasn't holding on, so we tried to take him from behind this time.”

Kaylasaurus made a last-to-first rally to win the Willa On the Move

Late Surge Powers Kaylasaurus in $100,000 Willa On the Move
Bush Racing Stable and Liberty House Racing's Kaylasaurus, trailing by as many as nine lengths at one point, completed a last-to-first move with an eye-catching rally through the stretch to surge past Princess Kokachin and win the $100,000 Willa On the Move.

It was the first career stakes win for Kaylasaurus ($13), a 5-year-old daughter of multiple Grade 2-winning sprinter Munnings racing first time off the claim for Penn National-based trainer Tim Kreiser. The winning time was 1:11.74 over a fast main track.

“She always makes that big move down the stretch, and Maryland's known for the quarter pole home is where you make your money,” Kreiser said, “so, we thought this would be the best spot to run her.”

Princess Kokachin, who extended her win streak to five with a front-running triumph over eight-time stakes winner Hello Beautiful in the Nov. 26 Politely at Laurel, broke running and held the advantage again over Hello Beautiful after going the opening quarter-mile in 22.30 seconds and the half in 45.77.

Jockey Xavier Perez and Princess Kokachin were still going easy on the turn as Hello Beautiful, favored at 4-5, was passed to her inside by 25-1 long shot Paisley Singing. Princess Kokachin was comfortably in front and going strong in mid-stretch but was no match for the devastating late run on the far outside from Kaylasaurus.

“We saw the pace was there,” Kreiser said. “[Hello Beautiful] was struggling trying to keep up with [Princess Kokachin], so I was feeling good about the three-eighths pole.”

Kaylasaurus won by 2 ¼ lengths over Princess Kokachin, with Paisley Singing another two lengths back in third. Dontletsweetfoolya and Hello Beautiful completed the order of finish. The winner was claimed for $25,000 out of a 3 ¼-length win going six furlongs Nov. 30 at Penn National and was making her third career stakes try. She finished 10th in the 2018 Gin Talking at Laurel and fourth in the Aug. 23 Dr. Teresa Garofalo Memorial at Parx.

“The race was good for my filly,” winning jockey Horacio Karamanos said. “The speed was going and she's got a beautiful finish, so I just sit in behind. They were going fast and I tried to be close but not rush her and when she started to move in the middle of the turn, I go little wide to look for the best spot and she give me a beautiful kick at the end. The last sixteenth of a mile, she was just galloping.”

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Laki Headlines Field For Dave’s Friend On Laurel’s Dec. 26 Card

Hillside Equestrian Meadows' Laki, unraced since finishing sixth in defense of last fall's Grade 3 Frank J. De Francis Memorial Dash victory, is set to return for his 39th career start in the $100,000 Dave's Friend Dec. 26 at Laurel Park in Laurel, Md.

The 18th running of the Dave's Friend for 3-year-olds and up and 11th renewal of the Willa On the Move for fillies and mares 3 years old and up, both sprinting six furlongs, are among six $100,000 stakes on a nine-race Christmastide Day program.

In addition to Dave's Friend and Willa On the Move, the Robert T. Manfuso for 3-year-olds and up at about 1 1/16 miles and the 1 1/8-mile Carousel for fillies and mares 3 and older close out the 2021 Mid-Atlantic Thoroughbred Championship (MATCH) Series in their respective divisions.

Laki broke outwardly and was never able to get into contention in the six-furlong De Francis Sept. 18 at Laurel, winding up well behind first-place finisher Wondrwherecraigis, who would be disqualified to second for interference but go on to win the G3 Bold Ruler in his subsequent start.

The 8-year-old Cuba gelding was given plenty of time to recover by trainer Damon Dilodovico, not returning to the work tab until Nov. 21. His last two breezes have come since Laurel's main track underwent renovations in early December.

“I'm glad we were able to get a second breeze on the new surface. I think that will help,” Dilodovico said. “Maybe that will work out as an advantage for those of us that are stabled here.

“He seems ready. We gave him a little break after the Dash, which he always seems to come back well from. We're pretty happy with where he is right now,” he added. “He earned the time off. He's a warrior.”

Laki is 11-for-38 lifetime, including 19 for 24 in the top three at Laurel, with $833,162 in purse earnings. He has won at least one stakes race five straight years, a streak he extended in the Frank Y. Whiteley going six furlongs April 24 at historic Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Md. He also leads MATCH dirt sprinters with 21 points and will clinch a third straight division title following 2018 and 2019. The Series was shelved in 2020 amid the coronavirus pandemic.

“We may race him next year but I think we'll decide after this. We do plan on giving him another real winter break after this race and we'll see how he is afterward,” Dilodovico said. “[Owner Paul 'Buck'] Kalinowski will hopefully have a spot and can take him back home. He's rehabbed very well at his farm up in Connecticut.

“He's done a good job with him. Hopefully, he can take him up there and keep an eye on him and send us back a fresh old man,” he added. “That said, we won't [push] him. He's done his job. If he decides he wants to stop, we'll stop. But we are going into the season with at least the thought that we'll bring him back.”

Regular rider Horacio Karamanos has the call on Laki from the rail in a field of eight.

Sharing topweight of 124 pounds with Laki is Madaket Stables, Ten Strike Racing, Michael Kisber, and BTR Racing, Inc.'s Whereshetoldmetogo, a fellow multiple stakes winner that enters the Dave's Friend on a two-race win streak. Both victories, in the six-furlong New Castle Sept. 25 at Delaware Park in Wilmington, Del., and seven-furlong Howard and Sondra Bender Memorial against fellow Maryland-bred/sired horses Nov. 26 at Laurel, came by a neck.

“The last time he was kind of forced to go wide, and it's nice to kind of see him overcome some things, regardless of what the outcome is,” trainer Brittany Russell said. “In terms of how he gets the job done, he just gets it done. I think that's the main thing. He still wants to do it. He likes racing.”

A 6-year-old El Padrino gelding, Whereshetoldmetogo has won 13 of 31 career starts with $744,791 in purse earnings, and has six wins in eight tries at Laurel. Other wins this year have come in the Not For Love at Laurel and Alapocas Run at Delaware, along with a third in the Challedon at Pimlico.

“He's great. We always thought he was doing well when he was over at Pimlico, but he's a different horse over at Laurel when he trains. He's just happier,” Russell said. “Something about it, I don't know, back in the barn, just how he is on the racetrack and everything. Obviously, he shows he loves it in the afternoon. We're happy that [this] one is at Laurel and he's at home.”

Jevian Toledo, Maryland's leading rider at both the fall meet and overall for 2021, will be aboard for the third straight race from Post 4.

The Dave's Friend also attracted Karan's Notion and Air Token, respective upset winners of the 2020 and 2021 Maryland Million Sprint. Bred, owned, and trained by Nancy Heil, Karan's Notion is winless in eight starts this year including a runner-up finish to Whereshetoldmetogo in the Not For Love.

Air Token won the Oct. 23 Sprint by 2 ¼ lengths for owner-trainer Jose Corrales, then came back with a gutsy effort between Whereshetoldmetogo and Youngest of Five in the stretch to finish third by a neck in the Bender.

“Racing is a competition and you need a little bit of luck. The horse ran a big race and came back good and that's how you take it in this business. You're not always going to win,” Corrales said. “He's a horse that just keeps improving. He's a very consistent horse. He's a very nice horse and I'm happy to have him. He's a pleasure to have. He's got a great personality.”

Threes Over Deuces, promoted winner of last year's New Castle who ran third by a neck this fall; multiple West Virginia-bred stakes winner Penguin Power; Youngest of Five; and Newbomb complete the field.

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Belle Of The North Best In Safely Kept At Laurel Park

Stronach Stables Inc. homebred Belle of the North, giving up seasoning to each of her rivals while making her stakes debut, came flying on the far outside to edge Fraudulent Charge by a half-length and complete a last-to-first rally in the $100,000 Safely Kept at Laurel Park in Laurel, Md.

The 31st running of the Safely Kept for 3-year-old fillies was the second of three stakes on the program, preceded by the City of Laurel for 3-year-olds, also sprinting seven furlongs, and followed by the 1 1/8-mile Richard W. Small for 3-year-olds and up.

Belle of the North ($20.60) won in 1:24.02 over a fast main track to give jockey Horacio Karamanos his fourth career Safely Kept victory following Bending Strings (2004), Greed and Fear (2012), and Lady Sabelia (2013). It was the first for trainer Jose Corrales.

“If I don't say yes I'd be lying to you, because that's what I was expecting,” Corrales said. “[I thought] if the race set up today the way I expected, my filly will get them in the end.”

Belle of the North was making just her sixth career start, all this year, after going unraced at 2. She was second to undefeated Moquist in her most recent effort Oct. 16 at Laurel following a 5 ½-length maiden special weight win Sept. 24.

Karamanos was unhurried in the early going racing along the rail while trailing the field as stakes winners Malibu Beauty and Prodigy Doll battled upfront through splits of :22.99 and :46.10 with Fraudulent Charge in the clear three wide and eight-time stakes winner Street Lute, the 2-1 favorite, saving ground inside.

Fraudulent Charge took over the top spot midway around the turn and was in front through the stretch with Street Lute giving chase. Meanwhile, Karamanos tipped Belle of the North from the rail to the far outside to launch their bid and they came with a steady run to reel in Fraudulent Charge near the wire.

Runner-up in a stakes for the fourth time in seven career starts, Fraudulent Charge was 3 ½ lengths clear of Street Lute in third. It was 1 ¾ lengths back to Juror Number Four followed by Happy Constitution, Malibu Beauty, Prodigy Doll, and Be Sneaky.

“When she was following [Street Lute] I said, 'stay there, stay there,' because she will find a path,” Corrales said. “The horse found a way to get there.”

Belle of the North is a bay daughter of Grade 1 winner Street Boss whose mare, Harley Rose, is a half-sister to Hall of Fame mare Zenyatta.

The Safely Kept honors the champion sprinter of 1989 and member of the National Museum of Racing's Hall of Fame Class of 2011. The daughter of longtime Maryland sire Horatius was the first sprinter to top $2 million in earnings, the first Maryland-bred to win a Breeders' Cup race in the 1990 G1 Sprint, a four-time Maryland-bred champion including Horse of the Year twice (1989,1990), and is one of only seven horses to win three Maryland Million races. She won 24 races, 22 in stakes, from 31 lifetime starts.

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