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Cordmaker Continues Quest For MATCH Series Championship

Hillwood Stables' Cordmaker, the leader of his Mid-Atlantic Thoroughbred Championships (MATCH) Series division and not without a chance to land the overall championship, is one of 11 horses entered in the $100,000 Richard Small Stakes Saturday, Nov. 27, at Laurel Park in Laurel, Md.

The 1 1/8-mile Richard Small is the fifth of sixth legs in the 3-Year-Olds and Up Long–Dirt division. The final stakes in the division, the $100,000 Native Dancer at 1 1/16 miles, is set for Dec. 26 at Laurel.

Cordmaker, trained by Rodney Jenkins, is a 10-time winner, and multiple stakes winner, who is approaching $700,000 in career earnings. He has started in all five MATCH division stakes this year and has been following his normal work pattern since his last start in the one-mile Polynesian Stakes at Laurel Sept. 18.

Though Cordmaker crossed the finish line in second, the 6-year-old Maryland-bred gelding by Curlin was disqualified and placed sixth for drifting out at the three-sixteenths pole. It was the first time in seven 2021 starts that he officially finished worse than fourth.

Based at Laurel, Cordmaker has amassed 24 MATCH Series points including 5 bonus points for making his fourth start in the division last time out and will pick up another 2 bonus points with a start in the Richard Small. Regular rider Victor Carrasco is named again.

“He's going into (the race) real well,” Jenkins said. “He's very sharp. When the weather turned cool, he got cool. He likes it. We're going for the MATCH (title). He's ahead right now for the males.”

McElmore Avenue, owned by trainer Mary Eppler and RAM Racing Stable, will make his third divisional start in the Richard Small and will qualify for MATCH Series bonus money. Horacio Karamanos returns aboard the 4-year-old Maryland-bred gelding by El Padrino who finished second to Cordmaker in the Victory Gallop Stakes at Colonial Downs and fourth in the Polynesian.

McElmore Avenue is one of a handful of horses who would qualify for bonus money. He currently has 10 points, one less than Harpers First Ride, but that runner has been on the sidelines for months and isn't expected to compete in the Dec. 26 finale.

Park-based trainer Uriah. St. Lewis has entered a pair in the Richard Small: Forewarned and Informative, both owned by Train-Brook Stable. Forewarned, a 6-year-old Ohio-bred horse by Flat Out, won the 1 1/4-mile Ohio Endurance in his last start for his first victory of 2021. Forewarned has started twice in the MATCH Series division and has 3 points; a start in the Richard Small and the Native Dancer would put him in the mix for bonus money.

The overall leader in the 2021 MATCH Series is Hello Beautiful, who has 27 points and three starts in the Filly and Mare Sprint—Dirt division. Trainer Brittany Russell said the 4-year-old Maryland-bred filly by Golden Lad is being pointed to the Dec. 26 finale—a victory plus 5 bonus points for her fourth start would give her a maximum of 42 points; the minimum she could have depending on finish position would be 33 points.

MATCH Series division bonus money is awarded to the owner and trainer as follows: $20,000/$10,000 for first, $15,000/$7,500 for second, and $7,500/$3,000 for third. In addition, the owner and trainer of the overall points-earner regardless of division will receive $20,000 and $10,000, respectively.

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Full Fields On Tap For Thanksgiving Weekend At Laurel

Thanksgiving weekend continues at Laurel Park with a strong Saturday program featuring full fields and competitive racing led by a trio of post-holiday stakes worth $300,000 in purses.

A total of 97 horses were entered for the nine-race card, an average of 10.7 starters per race, all scheduled for Laurel's recently refurbished main track. Post time is 12:25 p.m.

Race 2 is a 6 ½-furlong claiming sprint for maidens age three, four, and five that attracted a field of 14 including Gold Fellow from fall meet-leading trainer Claudio Gonzalez and Damon Dilodovico-trained stablemates Divine Proportion and Creative Storm.

Eleven fillies and mares three and up were entered in Race 4, a six-furlong claimer, including Fudge Cake, exiting the Maryland Million Distaff Starter Handicap. A field of 12 will contest Race 5, a 6 ½-furlong claiming sprint for 3-year-olds and up, where Interesting Legacy (12), Stroll Smokin (10), Getoffmyback (15) and Mr. Pete (11) combining for 48 career victories.

The stakes come in succession – the seven-furlong, $100,000 City of Laurel for 3-year-olds in Race 6, where stakes winner Everett's Song goes after his fourth straight victory and Pickin' Time seeks to regain his graded-stakes winning form; seven-furlong $100,000 Safely Kept for 3-year-old fillies in Race 7 featuring stakes winners Street Lute, Prodigy Doll and Malibu Beauty; and 1 1/8-mile, $100,000 Richard W. Small for 3-year-olds and up in Race 8.

Friday's nine-race card at Laurel, featuring a pair of $75,000 stakes, attracted 96 entries. Laurel's world-class turf course has closed for the season, meaning Races 3 and 6 will be contested over the main track. Race 3 is a 5 ½-furlong claiming sprint for fillies and mares three and up, while Race 6 is a Maryland-bred/sired allowance for 3-year-olds and up to be run at one mile.

Hello Beautiful will go after her fourth straight win and ninth career stakes victory in Race 4, the six-furlong Politely for Maryland-bred/sired fillies and mares 3 and up, where the 4-year-old filly drew Post 1 in a field of eight and was installed as the 1-2 morning line favorite.

Brittany Russell-trained stablemate Whereshetoldmetogo is the narrow 3-1 program favorite in Race 8, the seven-furlong Howard and Sondra Bender Memorial for Maryland-bred/sired 3-year-olds and up. The 6-year-old gelding is a 12-time career winner, nine in stakes.

The post Full Fields On Tap For Thanksgiving Weekend At Laurel appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Free Pie and Live Racing: A Laurel Park Thanksgiving Tradition

Courtesy Maryland Jockey Club

No matter the time of year, or the occasion, holiday traditions mean different things to different people.

For more than three decades, aside from hosting its annual live race card, Thanksgiving Day has meant only one thing at Laurel Park–pies.

Tens of thousands of the tasty treats–apple or pumpkin, take your pick–have been handed out since the late Frank J. De Francis Jr. purchased Laurel and historic Pimlico Race Course in late 1986.

“He's the one that started it, as a way of doing something special for the fans that come out,” Maryland Jockey Club Vice President of Racing Development Georganne Hale said. Hale first joined the MJC in 1984 as assistant racing secretary and has held various roles since, including racing secretary and Vice President of Racing.

“People look forward to it every year,” she added.

After spending several million dollars on innovative facilities improvements at Laurel and Pimlico, reviving the historic Pimlico Special in 1988 following a 29-year absence, spearheading legislation to authorize Sunday racing and telephone wagering in Maryland and the landmark tax reform act of 1985 which provided tax relief to the state's racing industry, De Francis passed away in August 1989.

His son, Joe, a successful attorney who had worked with his father for several years on Thoroughbred and Standardbred racing issues, became MJC's President and CEO at age 34. And the pie giveaway went on.

It continued when Magna Entertainment purchased majority interest of Laurel and Pimlico in July 2002 and following the transition to The Stronach Group and now 1/ST Racing. A pandemic canceled the pie giveaway last fall, only the second time in Hale's memory where it didn't take place. Already purchased, the pies were instead given away to members of the backstretch and local food banks.

Before online wagering and off-track betting, the MJC handed out as many as 10,000 pies. This year, it has 2,250 family sized apple and pumpkin pies ready for distribution, made by Clement's Pastry Shop in Hyattsville, Md.

“People love it. The line stretches out as far as you can see,” Hale said. “If we have any pies left over, we make sure everyone on the backside gets one and the rest we donate to the soup kitchens.”

Though Laurel is not the only jurisdiction racing on Thanksgiving–there are cards at six other Thoroughbred tracks in five states and Canada including Golden Gate Fields, Laurel's sister track in Albany, Calif.–the pie giveaway is one that sets Maryland apart.

“I've had people from California e-mail me asking if we're doing the pies again this year,” Hale said. “Everybody knows we do it. It's a great tradition.”

Laurel will open its doors at 10 a.m. on Thanksgiving Day with a special 11:25 a.m. post for the first of its nine live races.

Fans will be able to choose a family sized pumpkin or apple pie with purchase of a racing program, with a maximum of two pies per person, while supplies last. Pies will be distributed until 4:30 p.m. at the grandstand entrance.

Free donuts, coffee, cider and hot chocolate will be available at the grandstand and clubhouse entrances from 10 to 11:30 a.m.

Laurel will also host a Thanksgiving buffet from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Terrace Dining Room. To make a buffet reservation, call 301-725-0770.

The post Free Pie and Live Racing: A Laurel Park Thanksgiving Tradition appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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‘She’s Touting Herself Again’: Hello Beautiful Chasing Fourth Straight Victory In Friday’s Politely Stakes

Whenever trainer Brittany Russell has designs on giving stable star Hello Beautiful some time off, the 4-year-old filly has other ideas.

Fresh off a record-tying performance in last month's Maryland Million Distaff, Hello Beautiful will go after her ninth career stakes victory in Friday's $75,000 Politely at Laurel Park.

The 39th running of the six-furlong Politely for fillies and mares 3 and up and fifth renewal of the $75,000 Howard and Sondra Bender Memorial for 3-year-olds and up sprinting seven furlongs highlight a nine-race, post-Thanksgiving Day program.

Both races, restricted to Maryland-bred/sired horses, return after a one-year absence due to the coronavirus pandemic. First race post time is 12:25 p.m.

On Oct. 23 Madaket Stables, Albert Frassetto, Mark Parkinson, K-Mac Stables and Magic City Stables' Hello Beautiful became only the seventh horse since the event's inception in 1986 to win a third Maryland Million race, adding to her victories in the 2020 Distaff and 2019 Lassie.

It was the third consecutive win for the Golden Lad filly and 10th in 18 career starts including a 9-for-13 record at Laurel, her home track. In the time since her most recent win, Hello Beautiful showed Russell she's raring to go.

“She's great. She's awesome. She's touting herself again. If there was any indication otherwise we would skip it, but it seems like a good spot,” Russell said. “It would probably be this spot and potentially the MATCH Series race in December if all goes well. Then she'll probably get some sort of a break.”

The $100,000 Willa On the Move for fillies and mares sprinting six furlongs is Dec. 26 at Laurel and the finale of the filly and mare dirt sprint division in the Mid-Atlantic Thoroughbred Championship (MATCH) Series. Hello Beautiful leads the division with 27 points, also good for the overall series lead.

“It's one of those things. Why not?” Russell said. “She's ready to go. It's a good spot, [so] let's run.”

Russell purchased Hello Beautiful for just $6,500 from Fasig-Tipton's Midlantic December 2018 mixed sale at the Maryland State Fairgrounds in Timonium. She has gone on to earn $582,570 in purses with $265,460 coming in six 2021 starts. Her four wins have come in the What a Summer, Alma North, Weather Vane and Distaff.

“We're kind of blessed with a good thing here. She spoils you because you walk into the barn and – I'm touching wood as we talk – it's one of those things. She just goes about her business every day,” Russell said. “She trains and she's straightforward. There's never anything to get too excited about. I'm walking in the barn and dealing with the 30-plus others that all have issues, and she spoils you. You walk her over there, she runs in good races, and she wins. She's just a pleasure to train.”

Hello Beautiful has finished worse than third just four times in her career, the most recent coming when fifth in the Runhappy Barbara Fritchie (G3) Feb. 20 at Laurel. She was second in her return, the June 13 Shine Again at Laurel, prior to her current win streak.

“She's easy-going and she's nice to be around. She's a very good girl,” Russell said. “You walk in the barn and she always has her butt to the stall door. That's her. She does her thing every day and she doesn't really like her schedule to be changed, but she's a cool filly. Everybody that's around her loves her. Her rider loves her. Her groom loves her. She's nice to have around.”

Her Distaff win was not only the first stakes win for Hello Beautiful, but also the first for Russell in her first full season as a trainer. Hello Beautiful cruised by 3 ½ lengths over Malibu Beauty with Street Lute third, both of which return in the Politely.

“That was awesome, just to see that she was able to do it three years in a row,” Russell said. “To just kind of be able to maintain that form and stay on her game for so long, we're lucky. Hopefully she has another good year because it looks like we'll probably get to race her next year.”

Jevian Toledo will ride Hello Beautiful from the rail at topweight of 124 pounds.

Russell also entered MOW Racing's Miss Chesapeake, a 3-year-old daughter of Uncle Lino that won her only prior start, a 2 ¾-length triumph as the favorite in a six-furlong waiver maiden claimer Oct. 22 at Laurel.

R. Larry Johnson's 5-year-old homebred mare Never Enough Time is second to Hello Beautiful in the MATCH division standings and third overall. Winner of the 2020 Alma North and Skipat in successive starts last fall, the Mike Trombetta trainee was third in the Weather Vane and second in the Oct. 31 Pumpkin Pie at Belmont Park in her two most recent starts.

Street Lute is an eight-time stakes winner for Lucky 7 Stables and trainer Jerry Robb, the most recent coming in the Sept. 25 Tax Free District at Delaware Park prior to the Maryland Million, where she was beaten a nose for second. She is 9-for-15 lifetime and five-for-eight at Laurel, never having finished worse than third.

Robb won the Politely the last time it was run with Anna's Bandit in 2019. He also entered Eric Rizer's 3-year-old filly Princess Kokachin, a winner of four consecutive races since Sept. 18 and six of 10 starts on the year, the last coming by 5 ¼ lengths in a Nov. 13 optional claiming allowance at Laurel.

Malibu Beauty, winner of the Aug. 21 Miss Disco at historic Pimlico Race Course and second in the Tax Free District and Maryland Million Distaff; stakes-placed Paisley Singing; and Proper Attire are also entered.

The Politely honors Maryland's Horse of the Year in 1967 and 1968, bred and raced by Mrs. Richard du Pont. Politely won 13 stakes and placed in eight others from age 2 to 5, setting an Atlantic City track record in the 1967 Matchmaker and matching it the following year. Retired following the 1968 season, she won 21 of 49 career starts and was a member of the inaugural Maryland-bred Thoroughbred Hall of Fame Class of 2013.

The post ‘She’s Touting Herself Again’: Hello Beautiful Chasing Fourth Straight Victory In Friday’s Politely Stakes appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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