Buff My Boots Takes Maryland Million Lassie At Laurel Park

Meeting for the second time in 20 days, Bird Mobberley's Buff My Boots put away Sparkle Sprinkle following a spirited stretch duel and got to the wire ahead of fast-closing longshot My Thoughts for a front-running half-length victory in the $100,000 Maryland Million Lassie at Laurel Park in Laurel, Md.

Ridden by J.D. Acosta, Buff My Boots ($11.80) ran six furlongs in 1:11.14 over a fast main track to give trainer John Salzman Jr. his third career win in the Lassie following Limited View (2017) and Bluegrass Atatude (2011). Limited View would later be named Maryland-bred 2-year-old filly champion.

Buff My Boots and Sparkle Sprinkle, with Xavier Perez up for trainer Jerry Robb, tuned up for the Lassie in a six-furlong optional claimer Oct. 3 at Laurel, respectively running third and sixth after duking it out early.

“It worked out just like we talked about. We didn't want to kill ourselves with Sparkle Sprinkle, who's a nice horse. We did it last week but we did it with intentions of settling it there, instead of settling it here,” Salzman said. “It worked out. Xavier took his horse back a little and still got back to us at the head of the lane, and the best horse wins maybe. They both ran big and I'm just proud for Bird and her family. They do a lot and they're great owners.”

Buff My Boots, a Buffum filly that sold for $7,000 as a yearling last fall at the Maryland State Fairgrounds in Timonium, Md., went in :22.59 for a quarter-mile pressed by Sweet Gracie with Moon Boss tracking on the outside and Sparkle Sprinkle tucked in along the rail. Perez tipped Sparkle Sprinkle out approaching the stretch and hooked up with Buff My Boots, who dug in again on the inside. My Thoughts came flying late to be second, edging Sparkle Sprinkle by a half-length. Luna Belle, the 5-2 favorite, ran fourth.

“John Robb and Xavier are tough. When they have a horse in the stake, you can't take them for granted because they're going to battle,” Acosta said. “The good thing was that I got a little bit of a breather the first quarter, even though I had a little bit of pressure I was able to get a little bit more at the end. She's tough in front. When she puts her head in front she's tough, and she likes to battle.”

The post Buff My Boots Takes Maryland Million Lassie At Laurel Park appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Maryland Million: Cynergy’s Star Tests Streak In Nursery, Sparkle Sprinkle Looks To Shine In Lassie

Bonuccelli Racing's Cynergy's Star, a stakes winner in his most recent start nearly eight weeks ago, goes after his third consecutive victory and second in stakes company in Saturday's $100,000 Maryland Million Nursery at Laurel Park.

The Nursery for 2-year-olds and Lassie for 2-year-old fillies, each contested at six furlongs, are among eight stakes and four starter stakes on the 36th Jim McKay Maryland Million program, 'Maryland's Day at the Races' celebrating the progeny of stallions standing in the state.

Highlighted by the $150,000 Classic for 3-year-olds and up, first race post time is 11:30 a.m.

Cynergy's Star, a $25,000 yearling purchase last fall at the Maryland State Fairgrounds in Timonium, began his career on the grass in the five-furlong Hickory Tree Aug. 2 at Colonial Downs, finishing seventh after getting stuck down inside. He graduated in a front-running three-quarter-length triumph Aug. 14 going 5 ½ furlongs over the main track at Pimlico Race Course.

Trainer Kenny Cox wheeled Cynergy's Star back just 15 days later in the 6 ½-furlong Timonium Juvenile, where the bay Great Notion gelding forged a short lead after a half-mile and went on to win by two lengths. Great Notion ranks third all-time among Maryland Million stallions with 16 wins, three coming last year.

“There was a race at one point that I could have ran him in as a prep. It was a little earlier than I wanted to run him and I said, 'You know what? I'm sticking to what my plan was, to have him ready for this,'” Cox said. “He's as good as I can ask him, and I think he's gotten a lot better since his last race. This will be the first time he'll be able to run out of his own stall and not ship somewhere to make a start.”

Cynergy's Star has worked four times since mid-September at Laurel for his return, and will have Timonium Juvenile rider Jevian Toledo back aboard from Post 12 in a field of 16 that includes also-eligibles Al Loves Josie and We B Shackin.

“I wouldn't say he's matured, but he's definitely better than he was. His last few works were exactly how we asked him,” Cox said. “I know the last one Saturday went in 50 [seconds], but I told Jevian to go in 49 or 50 because he's pretty fit, just as a tightener and to keep him from being too sharp. The two works before that, he finished up really impressive. We had him relax early and when we let him out a notch he just kept going. In one of the works he galloped out in [1:13] that day. He's coming into the race good and I'm really happy with the way he's training right now.”

The narrow 9-2 program favorite in a wide-open Nursery is Mr. Mox, owned by Morris Kernan and trainer Jamie Ness. A gelded son of Grade 3 winner Divining Rod, who ran third behind Triple Crown champion American Pharoah in the 2015 Preakness (G1), Mr. Mox debuted with a neck maiden special weight triumph July 11 at Pimlico in gate-to-wire fashion.

Purchased for $5,500 out of the same sale as Cynergy's Star, Mr. Mox went five furlongs again in an optional claimer July 21 at Delaware Park, where he was second by a neck before stepping up into stakes company in the 5 ½-furlong Rosies on the Colonial turf, running fourth. Back on the dirt and stretched out to a mile, he led from start to finish to romp by 10 ¾ lengths Sept. 20 at Delaware.

“We've been really high on this horse since we first got him. He was kind of a cheap horse and right away we could tell he was OK,” Ness said. “We got him stretched out to a mile at Delaware and he loved it. We're cutting back to six furlongs, but I think that's OK. His best races are going long but hopefully he's good enough to get it done short.

“I think he was just the best horse those days [he won]. I think there's going to be a little bit more speed in this race, which is fine,” he added. “He doesn't have to go to the lead. Maybe he will, we don't know.”

The fastest turnaround in the Nursery comes from Steven Newby's Vance Scholars, entered to run just six days after an impressive 5 ¾-length maiden claiming score going one mile at Laurel. The gelded son of Holy Boss had run at Delaware in his first two starts, running second by a head to fellow Nursery entrant Under the Radar in debut Sept. 9 and fifth in the First State Dash Sept. 25.

“He won so easily, and he went into that race real good. Six days, sometimes it's quick for some of them and sometimes they relish it. He seems the type that wouldn't mind it. He seems to feel good, so we'll play it by ear,” trainer Dale Capuano said. “We've always liked him. I knew he needed to go further. The stake was 5 ½ and it was too short for him. Three-quarters is a little bit better, but I think his best races should be at a distance of ground.”

Hickory Tree winner Local Motive; Under the Radar, third in Aug. 26 Dover; Buff Hello, Gallant Gold, Shady Munni, Coastal Mission, All for Love, Good Idea, Witty, Bet On Bitz and Free Sailin complete the field.

[Story Continues Below]

Five of trainer John 'Jerry' Robb's eight career Maryland Million wins have come with 2-year-olds, and he will look to add to his record of success with Eric Rizer's homebred filly Sparkle Sprinkle in the $100,000 Lassie.

Robb has won the Lassie for 2-year-old fillies previously with Ameri Allen (1990), Carniraibow (1992) and Jonesin for Jerry (2013). He also won the Nursery for 2-year-olds with Run Alden (1993) and Glib (2011).

Sparkle Sprinkle, a bay daughter of Holy Boss, debuted with a 3 ½-length maiden claiming victory sprinting four furlongs Aug. 28 during the Maryand State Fair meet at Timonium. She went all the way on the lead for a 6 ¼-length open allowance triumph going six furlongs Sept. 18 at Laurel.

Most recently, Sparkle Sprinkle got bumped at the start and was challenged on the lead before fading to be last of six in a six-furlong optional claimer Oct. 3 at Laurel behind Click to Confirm, one of four also-eligibles in the Lassie.

“The last race she had a little bit of a problem so, hopefully, we got that fixed,” Robb said. “She was very impressive when she won that starter allowance race here. She just ran very, very fast. But, she kind of had everything her own way that day, too, and that makes a difference. The last time she got hooked and pressured and had a few problems. Hopefully we see a little better race.”

Regular rider Xavier Perez climbs back aboard Sparkle Sprinkle (6-1) from Post 3.

Clark Brewster's Waterworks, trained by Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen, is the narrow 3-1 program favorite in the Lassie. The Mosler filly has raced twice, both at Monmouth Park, and exits a 9 ¼-length victory in a one-mile maiden special weight Sept. 10 that was originally carded for the turf.

Bird Mobberley's Buff My Boots (7-2) figures to be prominent early for trainer John Salzman Jr. By Buffum, she and Sparkle Sprinkle are the lone two-time winners in the Lassie. She has stakes experience, having run fifth in the Aug. 2 Keswick on the turf at Colonial Downs, and was third to Click to Confirm in the Oct. 3 race at Laurel.

Rounding out the main body of the race are Dowser, Luna Belle, My Thoughts, Sweet Gracie, Derby Julep and Moon Boss. The also-eligible list also includes Jester Calls Nojoy, exiting the Frizette (G1) for Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher, She's Mo Better and No More Mask.

The post Maryland Million: Cynergy’s Star Tests Streak In Nursery, Sparkle Sprinkle Looks To Shine In Lassie appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Maryland Million: Kenny Had A Notion Best In Nursery; Miss Nondescript Snatches Lassie

Under a ground-saving trip by jockey Jorge Ruiz, Louis J. Ulman and Neil Glasser's Kenny Had a Notion ran away from a dozen others down the stretch to win the $100,000 Maryland Million Nursery Saturday on the 35th edition of Maryland Million Day at Laurel Park in Laurel, Md.

A 2-year-old son of Great Notion trained by Dale Capuano, Kenny Had a Notion beat stablemate Alwaysinahurry by five lengths while covering six furlongs in 1:10.55. Reassured was third.

Kenny Had a Notion, a determined head winner of his maiden special weight debut July 30 at six furlongs at Delaware Park, cut back to 5 1/2 for the First State Dash there Sept. 26, contested over a sloppy track. Capuano brought him back in 13 days for the Jamestown Stakes, a 5 1/2-furlong turf dash for Virginia-breds Oct. 9 at Laurel, where he romped by five lengths as the favorite.

On Saturday afternoon at Laurel, Kenny Had a Notion broke well and raced third down the backstretch behind pacesetter Tiz Golden and inside San Antone past an opening quarter mile in :22.68. But around the turn, Ruiz drove Kenny Had a Notion to the front along the rail and then cruised away. Alwaysinahurry, who also saved ground entering the stretch, split horses to get up for the place.

“They're both nice,” said Capuano of his first two finishers. “Kenny is getting better and so is Alwaysinahurry. [Kenny] showed more speed than I thought he would. He was on the bit very early and the rider had to just get a seam and lucky the rail opened up and he got through.”

Miss Nondescript Gives Sire Mosler First Stakes Winner
Barak Farm's Miss Nondescript, making her second start and first for trainer Michael Trombetta, rallied down the stretch and got up in the final strides to win the $100,000 Maryland Million Lassie by a neck over Street Lute, giving freshman sire Mosler his first stakes winner.

Miss Nondescript, who broke her maiden at first asking Sept. 4 at Monmouth Park, covered the six furlongs in 1:10.13 under jockey Trevor McCarthy.

“This filly gave me a great effort today,” McCarthy said. “She had a nice break and the pace was quick … we had a perfect pace to run at.”

Miss Nondescript (outside) is up just in time to win the Maryland Million Lassie

Trip to Freedom, who broke her maiden a week earlier, shot out of the gate and went the opening quarter in :21.93 and the half in :44.38 before Street Lute and Miss Nondescript both rallied to the outside inside the final eighth. But in the final yards, it was Miss Nondescript who put her neck out front at the wire.

“I was worried that she might run out of time,” Trombetta said. “I could see her chiseling into the margin but I didn't know if she had enough time. Fortunately it worked out.”

Trombetta, who has only had the filly about a month, said there were “a real good set of circumstances” about the Lassie, with the filly having seven weeks since her debut and the quick early pace of Saturday's race. When asked about the offspring of Mosler, Trombetta said, “From what I'm seeing of these guys I think they'll run on whatever you ask.”

The post Maryland Million: Kenny Had A Notion Best In Nursery; Miss Nondescript Snatches Lassie appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Multiple Stakes-Winning Filly Hello Beautiful May ‘Take A Shot’ In Saratoga’s Test

All but one of eight career starts have come over her home track of Laurel Park, including a pair of juvenile stakes victories, but standout 3-year-old filly Hello Beautiful may hit the road for her next, and biggest, race yet.

Trainer Brittany Russell said Madaket Stables, Albert Frassetto, Mark Parkinson, K-Mac Stable and Magic City Stables' Hello Beautiful is under consideration for the seven-furlong Test (G1) Aug. 8 at Saratoga Race Course.

It would be the first time in graded company for Hello Beautiful, the highest-earning offspring of second-crop sire and multiple graded-stakes winner Golden Lad bred in Maryland by Ellen Charles' Hillwood Stable.

“It looks like we're going to take a look at the Test. It's going to depend on who comes. There's been some good fillies running the last few weeks and it's just going to kind of depend on where they go,” Russell said. “She's going to have the big test up there if we go. We'll nominate and take a look and if she's doing well we might take a shot up there.”

Hello Beautiful owns four wins, two seconds and a third for purse earnings of $199,360, having raced exclusively in Maryland since her unveiling last May at Pimlico Race Course. She captured the Maryland Million Lassie and Maryland Juvenile Filly Championship last fall at Laurel by a combined 15 ½ lengths.

The combination of a planned break and a 2 ½-month pause in live racing from mid-March to late May amid the coronavirus pandemic pushed Hello Beautiful's sophomore debut to a June 1 sprint over Laurel's world-class turf course, where she faded to seventh, her only time off the board. She rebounded with a front-running 8 ¼-length allowance romp 19 days later on a sloppy and sealed main track.

“She's certainly answered each question on the dirt for us, and that's what we have to stick with. She's a good dirt filly, and if she's going to be that kind she's going to have to run against good horses,” Russell said. “So there's no time like the present, as long as she's doing well.”

Hello Beautiful has had one timed work since her most recent race, a half-mile breeze in 49.40 seconds July 8. Russell plans to give Hello Beautiful another work this weekend over Laurel's main track, which was closed for training July 12-14 to undergo routine maintenance.

“We're moving forward, just kind of doing the same thing I did with her going into the Maryland Juvenile [Filly] Championship. She works about every 10 days,” Russell said. “We'll just try and keep it simple, but she's doing really well and that's all we can really ask.”

“[The Test is] not for a couple weeks, and a lot can happen in a couple weeks,” she added. “We just have to focus on keeping her happy so at least we can take a fresh, happy filly up there and see what we can do.”

The post Multiple Stakes-Winning Filly Hello Beautiful May ‘Take A Shot’ In Saratoga’s Test appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Verified by MonsterInsights