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Nominations Released For Good Samaritan Day Stakes Program At Laurel

Stakes winners and former stablemates Maythehorsebwithu and Hello Hot Rod top the list of 19 3-year-olds nominated to the $100,000 Private Terms Saturday, March 13, at Laurel Park in Maryland

The Private Terms, contested at about 1 1/16 miles, and $100,000 Beyond the Wire for 3-year-old fillies going one mile are the co-headliners on a Good Samaritan Day program featuring five stakes worth $450,000 in purses.

Michael Dubb and Bethlehem Stables' Maythehorsebwithu avenged a neck loss to Kenny Had a Notion in the Jan. 16 Spectacular Bid with a front-running four-length triumph in the one-mile Miracle Wood Feb. 20, a race where Kenny Had a Notion ran third. Trained by Brittany Russell, the son of Grade 1 winner Bullsbay was second in the First State Dash at 2.

Russell also trained and co-owned Hello Hot Rod before the Mosler colt was purchased by George Sharp for $335,000 at Fasig-Tipton's Kentucky mixed sale Feb. 9 and moved to trainer Shawn Davis, based at Turf Paradise in Phoenix. Hello Hot Rod has won three straight races including the seven-furlong Jimmy Winkfield Jan. 31 at Aqueduct.

Pocket 3's Racing's Shackqueenking, by Preakness (G1) winner Shackleford, already owns two wins at 1 1/16 miles, breaking his maiden Nov. 28 and capturing the Howard County Dec. 26, both at Laurel, for local trainer Gary Capuano. He ran eighth in the 1 1/8-mile Withers (G3) last out Feb. 6.

Another nominee exiting the Withers, where he finished fifth, is E.V. Racing Stable's Eagle Orb. The son of Florida Derby (G1) and Kentucky Derby (G1) winner Orb trained by Rudy Rodriguez won the Notebook against New York-breds in his juvenile finale before opening 2021 running second in the Jerome prior to the Withers.

Ten horses were nominated to the Private Terms off last-out wins, including the pair of Sainthood and Unbridled Honor, trained by Hall of Fame trainer nominee Todd Pletcher; and Zertz, a front-running 11 ¼-length allowance winner Feb. 17 at Penn National.

Lucky 7 Stables' six-time stakes winner Street Lute and Team Gaudet and Five Hellions Farm's Fraudulent Charge, second to Street Lute in back-to-back stakes, are among 27 horses nominated to the Beyond the Wire. Street Lute is on a five-race win streak, all in stakes, but has never raced beyond seven furlongs for trainer Jerry Robb.

Fraudulent Charge has raced three times, all at seven furlongs, breaking her maiden first time out and rallying to get within a nose of Street Lute in the Gin Talking Dec. 26 at Laurel. Most recently, she came with a wide run but fell a length short of Street Lute in the Feb. 20 Wide Country.

BB Horses' Miss Leslie, second in the six-furlong Xtra Heat to Street Lute Jan. 16 and sixth in the Wide Country, stretched out to win the 1 1/16-mile Anne Arundel County Dec. 26 in her juvenile finale for Maryland's four-time defending training champion Claudio Gonzalez. Country Life Farm's Moonsafe was nominated off a 15 ¼-length maiden score Feb. 27 at Laurel.

Pletcher nominated Shadwell Stable's homebred Zaajel, undefeated in two career starts. The daughter of Kentucky Derby winner Street Sense broke her maiden by 7 ¼ lengths Dec. 20 and debuted at 3 winning the Forward Gal (G3) Jan. 30, both going seven furlongs at Gulfstream Park. Trainer Tom Amoss, a multiple Grade 1 winner of more than 3,800 races, nominated four horses including My Trusty Cat winner Littlestitious and Save, unbeaten in two starts.

Also prominent among nominees are Buckey's Charm, second in the Anne Arundel County and fourth in the Wide Country; last-out winners Dollar Mountain, Hybrid Eclipse, Into Vanishing, Promise the World, Proper Attire, Slumber Party and Song of Innocence.

The $100,000 Harrison E. Johnson for 4-year-olds and up going 1 1/8 miles attracted 24 nominations including multiple stakes winners Alwaysmining, Cordmaker and Forewarned; Grade 2 winner Shotski; Tattooed, winner of the Jan. 16 Jennings at Laurel and second in the General George (G3) Feb. 20; 2020 Fire Plug winner Honor the Fleet and Galerio, second in the Jennings and Feb. 20 John B. Campbell.

Older Maryland-bred/sired sprinters will go six furlongs in the $75,000 Not For Love featuring graded-stakes winners Laki and Still Having Fun, and Whereshetoldmetogo, a back-to-back stakes winner at Laurel to end 2020 awaiting his seasonal debut; and seven furlongs in the $75,000 Conniver for females with multiple stakes winner Artful Splatter and Kiss the Girl and Coconut Cake, respectively 2-3 in the one-mile Geisha Jan. 16.

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Live Racing Returns To Laurel With Special, Rescheduled Thursday Card

McElmore Avenue, riding a four-race win streak, and Grade 2 winner Shotski highlight the second of three straight allowance events as live racing returns to Laurel Park with a special Thursday program Feb. 25.

Thursday's 10-race card was rescheduled in its entirety when Laurel's Feb. 19 program was postponed due to inclement weather. First race post time is 12:25 p.m.

Trained and co-owned by Mary Eppler, McElmore Avenue has put together three straight victories after being claimed for $16,000 out of a victory last November. After winning on or near the front end, the 4-year-old gelding had to rally from off the pace after being shuffled back early.

Alexander Crispin, the 2020 Eclipse Award winner as champion apprentice, will be aboard for the fourth straight time in the second-level optional claiming allowance for older horses going about 1 1/16 miles in Race 8.

Wachtel Stable, Gary Barber, Pantofel Stable and Mike Karty's Shotski is making his first start at Laurel Park since a maiden triumph in October 2019, and just his second anywhere in nearly a year. He won the 2019 Remsen (G2) at 2 and was second in the Withers (G3) and fourth in the Fountain of Youth (G2) at 3 before going to the sidelines. Eleven months later he faded to eighth in a Jan. 15 optional claimer at Aqueduct.

The 9-5 program favorite is Siena Farm's homebred Dudley Square, trained by seven-time Eclipse Award winner Todd Pletcher. Dudley Square is coming out of a three-quarter-length triumph in an open, entry-level allowance going one mile Jan. 22 at Laurel.

Also on Thursday's card are an optional claiming allowance for 3-year-old fillies in Race 7 that drew a field of nine led by Wonderwall, a winner of her last two races at Laurel by a combined 17 ¾ lengths; and a 5 ½-furlong allowance for Maryland-bred/sired older horses in Race 9 which attracted a wide-open field of 10 led by lukewarm favorite Stone Courageous.

There will be a carryover of $823.25 in the $1 Super Hi-5 for Race 2. The 20-cent Rainbow 6 (Races 5-10) starts anew after being solved by one lucky bettor for a jackpot payout of $15,173.12 during Laurel's last live program Sunday, Feb. 21.

Live racing continues at Laurel Friday through Sunday, Feb. 26-28.

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Nixon ‘Over The Top’ After First Graded Stakes Victory In Barbara Fritchie

By early Sunday morning the voice mailbox on Justin Nixon's cell phone was full, and for good reason. Late the previous afternoon, the Laurel Park-based trainer registered the first graded-stakes victory of his career in dramatic fashion with Hibiscus Punch in the $250,000 Runhappy Barbara Fritchie (G3).

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.

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Share The Ride Takes Inside Route To Victory In General George

Silvino Ramirez's Share the Ride soared through an opening along the rail entering the stretch and pulled away to earn his second career graded-stakes victory and give journeyman rider Victor Carrasco his first in Saturday's $250,000 General George (G3) at Laurel Park.

The 45th running of the General George for 4-year-olds and up and the 69th edition of the $250,000 Runhappy Barbara Fritchie (G3) for fillies and mares 4 and older, 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. Parx-based Share the Ride ($10.80) hit the wire in 1:22.85 over a fast main track.

Winner of the 2013 Eclipse Award as North America's champion apprentice, the 28-year-old Carrasco has battled through assorted injuries over his career, picking up his 1,000^th lifetime winner last January at Laurel.

“First of all I want to say thanks to the trainer and the owner. I can't even explain,” Carrasco said. “I've been through so much in my career [that] when I passed the wire, I could not believe it. But thank God we're here and thanks to Share the Ride, we got it done.”

Share the Ride, a gelded son of Candy Ride, won the six-furlong Fall Highweight (G3) Nov. 29 at Aqueduct to cap his 2020 campaign. He made his 6-year-old debut Jan. 16 at Laurel, leading into deep stretch before being caught at the wire and finishing second by a neck behind Wendell Fong.

Last time out, Share the Ride chased the pace on the outside and settled four third, beaten 3 ¼ lengths as the favorite, in the seven-furlong Toboggan (G3) Jan. 30 at Aqueduct.

“Everything came out like the plan we made. We're really happy,” Ramirez said. “He's a fast horse. He likes to run in front. He was a little behind last time. He didn't like it so much, so this time we were in front. That's the way he likes it.”

Arthur's Hope and jockey Alcibiades Cortez were eager for the lead and held it through a brisk pace of 23.20 seconds for a quarter-mile and 46.13 for the half, with Share the Ride in close pursuit. Arthur's Hope drifted out as the field approached the stretch and Share the Ride had plenty of room to roll once straightened for home.

Tattooed, upset winner of the one-mile Jennings Jan. 16 at Laurel in his previous start, split horses in mid-stretch to get up for second, two lengths ahead of 2020 Frank J. De Francis Memorial Dash (G3) winner Laki. It was another half-length back to multiple stakes winner Lebda in fourth.

Arthur's Hope, Informative, Chilly in Charge, Grade 3 winner Majestic Dunhill and 2-1 favorite Funny Guy completed the order of finish. Fortunate Friends was scratched.

“The instructions were to not go to the lead, to make sure that I sit second or third, and I tried my best to do that. When I saw Cortez on my outside, I just sat patient and waited and when we got near to the quarter pole and said, 'Go,' he responded well and we got the 'W,'” Carrasco said.

“To be honest I felt like he was never slowing down,” he added. “I was a little concerned by the sixteenth pole because I've been in that position before where you feel like to you them and then you get nailed at the wire. But I felt like I had enough from the sixteenth pole to the wire.”

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