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Wondrwherecraigis Leads Field For De Francis Dash At Laurel

It's on to the $200,000 Grade 3 Frank J. De Francis Memorial Dash for newly minted stakes winner Wondrwherecraigis, who tuned up for his return to graded competition with an easy half-mile breeze Saturday morning at Laurel Park in Laurel, Md.

Madaket Stables, Michael Dubb, The Elkstone Group, and Bethlehem Stables' 4-year-old gelding Wondrwherecraigis went four furlongs in :49 over Laurel's main track, which underwent a multi-million dollar reconstruction over the summer.

It was the second work for Wondrwherecraigis since earning his first career stakes victory Aug. 13 in the Tale of the Cat at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. He also breezed a half-mile in :49.20 Sept. 3.

“That's all we wanted,” trainer Brittany Russell said of Saturday's work. “He's great. He's in good form. He's happy and he's training well. We have a lot going on at the moment, but it looks like we're going to move forward to next week.”

The six-furlong De Francis for 3-year-olds and up headlines four stakes worth $500,000 in purses Saturday, Sept. 18 at Laurel, which launched its calendar year-ending fall meet Thursday. Joining the De Francis are the $100,000 Weather Vane for fillies and mares 3 and up sprinting six furlongs and a pair of $100,000 stakes going one mile, the Polynesian for 3-year-olds and up and Twixt for females 3 and older.

All four races are part of the Mid-Atlantic Thoroughbred Championship (MATCH) Series.

Named for the late president and chairman of both Laurel and historic Pimlico Race Course, the De Francis' illustrious roster of winners includes Hall of Famer Housebuster, fellow sprint champions Cherokee Run, Smoke Glacken, Thor's Echo and Benny the Bull, and Lite the Fuse, the race's only two-time winner (1995-96) honored with his own stakes race in Maryland.

Wondrwherecraigis has won each of his last two starts, both in front-running fashion. Saratoga meet champion Luis Saez was aboard in the six-furlong Tale of the Cat, beating fellow De Francis nominee My Boy Tate by 2 ¾ lengths in 1:10.09. He was a popular 5 ¾-length winner of a July 18 optional claiming allowance at Pimlico under Russell's husband, jockey Sheldon Russell.

The connections will need a new rider as Sheldon Russell suffered a broken foot after being thrown from his horse during the post parade of Thursday's opening day finale at Laurel and will be out indefinitely.

Other jockeys to have ridden Wondrwherecraigis include Jose Lezcano and Hall of Famer Javier Castellano, the latter in the 2020 Grade 2 Amsterdam last August where they ran fourth in the Munnings gelding's only previous graded-stakes attempt.

Sheldon Russell is also the regular rider for six-time stakes winner Hello Beautiful, trained by his wife and owned by Madaket Stables, Albert Frassetto, Mark Parkinson, K-Mac Stables, and Magic City Stables and scheduled to start in the Weather Vane. Hello Beautiful, who gave Russell his 1,500th career victory in the July 31 Alma North at Pimlico, breezed a half-mile in :48.60 Sept. 8.

“We'll just regroup here the next couple days and see what we're going to do,” Brittany Russell said.

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Other De Francis nominees breezing Saturday were Mucho, four furlongs in :50.80 at the Churchill Downs' Trackside training center for trainer John Ortiz; and Gary Capuano-trained stablemates Band On Tour (:48.20) and Threes Over Deuces (:48.40) at Delaware Park.

Band On Tour, 4, exits a six-furlong optional claiming allowance win Aug. 7 at Pimlico. Threes Over Deuces is a stakes winner that has run second or third in six others including a runner-up finish to Grade 1 winner Firenze Fire in the 2020 Grade 3 General George at Laurel.

Mucho leads the 3-year-old and up dirt sprint division of the MATCH Series with 20 points, two more than defending De Francis champion and fellow nominee Laki. Winner of the July 31 Challedon at Pimlico, Mucho is also tied with Chub Wagon for the overall MATCH Series championship.

Kentucky-based Ortiz said Saturday that Mucho is being pointed to the Grade 2 Phoenix Oct. 8 at Keeneland, an automatic qualifier for the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Sprint Nov. 6 at Del Mar Thoroughbred Club in Del Mar, Calif.

“I know we're sitting so close to winning the MATCH Series, but when a horse is doing this well you have to take advantage,” Ortiz said. “Kentucky being our home and his home track and Lexington being my hometown, I just think it's best to get a 'Win and You're In' while things are going the right way.”

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Cordmaker Moves To The Top Of Mid-Atlantic Thoroughbred Championships Series

Hillwood Stable's Cordmaker won for the 10th time in his career and moved to the top of his Mid-Atlantic Thoroughbred Championships Series division as Colonial Downs hosted four $100,000 MATCH stakes the afternoon of Aug. 23.

Michell Lovell and Griffon Farms' Just Might, Chad Schumer's Saracosa, and Stud Los Lorones' Cheetara were the other winners of MATCH stakes as the series returned to Virginia for the first time since 2001 and now moves back to Maryland for the remaining division legs in September, November and December at Laurel Park.

Cordmaker, a 6-year-old Maryland-bred Curlin gelding, had finished fourth and third in the first two legs of the 3-Year-Olds and Up Long—Dirt division at Pimlico Race Course. He was entered in a $75,000 Maryland-bred stakes as “main track only” Aug. 22, but the race remained on the grass. That left the 1 1/16-mile Victory Gallop Stakes, and it worked out for his connections.

With regular rider Victor Carrasco aboard in a field shortened by scratches, Cordmaker rated in second or third a length or two behind front-running Rock on Luke in the one-turn event, made a bid for the lead turning for home and pulled away to win by 2 1/4 lengths over McElmore Avenue, who rallied from fourth and last. Rock on Luke held for third.

Cordmaker, trained by Rodney Jenkins, paid $4 as the favorite and covered the distance on a fast track in 1:40.45, which broke the previous record set in 1998 when the distance and more dirt races were run at the facility. It was his second stakes win of 2021 as he nears the $700,000 mark in earnings.

“What is there to say? He's awesome,” assistant trainer Eveline Kjelstrup said when asked about Cordmaker's performance in the Victory Gallop.

“We had the outside post and I just sat him and rode him like he was much the best like I thought he was,” Carrasco said. “When he changed leads he was gone. He's a very special horse and one of my favorites. If the Pimlico race (Sunday) had come off the turf, he would have been tough to beat in that race, too.”

Cordmaker collected 10 points for his victory and now has 18, seven more than Harpers First Ride in the division. He is also eligible for bonus money now that he has made three starts in his division.

Just Might, owned by trainer Michelle Lovell and Griffon Farms, is better known as a very good turf sprinter. But this winter he won the off-the-turf Colonel Power Stakes in Louisiana by five lengths, and in his return to dirt was a narrow winner of the $100,000 Chesapeake Stakes at six furlongs with Colby Hernandez aboard.

In his MATCH Series debut, Just Might grabbed the early lead from the outside post through a quick opening quarter-mile and for the rest of the race was in a battle with division leader Mucho. He fough back inside and held off Mucho by a head, with Bank three lengths behind in third. The time for six furlongs—1:07.38—was a new track record for the distance. The previous record was set in 2012.

Just Might paid $4.20 to win as the favorite.

“There were some questions but that really was an exciting race,” said Lovell, who is contending for the Colonial Downs training title with five programs left in the season. “It wasn't going to be an embarrassment running second to Mucho. The meet is going great—it has been a lot of fun. Winning today was great because my partner in the horse and his family were here.”

Mucho, with his second-place finish, picked up 7 MATCH points and now has 20. With three division starts the 5-year-old Blame horse is eligible for series bonus money. Hillside Equestrian Meadows' Laki, who was seventh in the Chesapeake, picked up 5 bonus points for his fourth division start and remains second with 18 points.

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Graded stakes-placed Saracosa, owned by Chad Schumer, didn't have the best of trips in her first two starts of the year but capitalized on a good journey to take the $100,000 Love Sign Stakes at 1 1/16 miles around one turn. And only two races after Cordmaker established a new track record, the 6-year-old Bernardini mare lowered it yet again to 1:39.72.

Saracosa, trained by Cipriano Contreras at Indiana Grand Racetrack & Casino, was content to trail in seventh through the first six furlongs before jockey Francisco Arrieta asked her for run. She rallied inside, split horses late and drew away to win by 1 1/2 lengths. Dream Marie was second and Paris Lights third. The winner paid $38.40 as the second-longest price in a seven-horse field.

“Her first start of the year at Churchill Downs was at a flat mile—that was the only option, but she wants to go longer,” Schumer said. “Her second start (in the Delaware Handicap) wasn't the best; she had some trouble. Today she finally got a clean trip and she won. I know if she gets clear, she will run her race. There aren't a lot of spots for older fillies and mares going two turns on dirt. This race was one turn but it was 1 1/16 miles, and I think that makes a difference.”

Saracosa was second in last year's Grade 2 Del Cap and fourth in the Grade 1 La Troienne at Churchill. The Love Sign victory pushed her earnings over the $400,000 mark. She now has 10 MATCH Series points along with two others to make for a three-way tie at the top.

In a July 26 allowance sprint at Colonial Downs, Larry Johnson's Never Enough Time defeated Stud Los Leones' Cheetara by a neck. In the seven-furlong Seeking the Pearl, Cheetara was able to take command early and held off a rallying Never Enough Time by a neck. Heavily favored Frank's Rockette didn't break well but rallied well for third.

Trained by Ignacio Correas IV and ridden by Horacio Karamanos, Cheetara had raced in high-level races in her native Chile before shipping to the United States. Her first U.S. start came in the allowance race at Colonial Downs.

“Her last race was her first race in the United States,” said Karamanos, who had ridden Cheetara in the allowance event. “Today she was more relaxed. She broke well, and I tried to take her back, but she wanted to go. She gave me beautiful kick (in the stretch). She responded when had she had to.”

Cheetara, who paid $14.80 to win, covered the distance in 1:20.61, which broke the previous track record set in 1997.

Never Enough Time became the only member of her division to qualify for bonus money given the Seeking the Pearl was her third start in the series. She is now third in the division standings with 12 points behind Chub Wagon and Hello Beautiful.

Colonial Downs was a MATCH Series partner when the series was first held from 1997-2001. The series returned in 2018. Colonial Downs was part of the schedule for 2020, but the series was canceled because of COVID-19. Management and the Virginia Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association reached out when Maryland interests proposed an in-state series to bridge the gap, and Colonial became part of the 2021 series.

The next stop for the MATCH Series is Sept. 18, when all four divisions will be represented at Laurel.

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MATCH Series Returns To Colonial Downs With Four Stakes On Monday

Strong fields have been assembled for the four Mid-Atlantic Thoroughbred Championships Series (MATCH) Monday, Aug. 23, at Colonial Downs, which returns to the series for the first time since 2001.

The Virginia track will host four $100,000 stakes in each MATCH Series division for 2021: the Chesapeake (3-Year-Olds and Up Sprint—Dirt), Seeking the Pearl (Filly and Mare Sprint—Dirt), Victory Gallop (3-Year-Olds and Up Long—Dirt) and Love Sign (Filly and Mare Long—Dirt). First post time for the pari-mutuel program is 1:45 p.m., with a pair of non-wagering steeplechase events beginning at 12:15 p.m.

The six-furlong Chesapeake attracted the top two horses in the division standings by points: WSS Racing and 4 G Racing's Mucho (13 points) and Hillside Equestrian Meadows' Laki (12 points).

Mucho, who has been stabled at Colonial Downs with trainer John Ortiz, won the Challedon Stakes at Pimlico Race Course July 31 to earn his first series victory. Reylu Gutierrez, who was aboard at Pimlico, is named again in the Chesapeake, which will be the 5-year-old Blame horse's third series start.

Laki, trained by Damon Dilodovico, will make his first Colonial Downs start in 36 career outings. Laki, an 8-year-old Maryland-bred gelding by Cuba, was second in the Lite the Fuse Stakes at Pimlico and has started in the first three stakes in his division. He will pick up 5 MATCH Series bonus points in the Chesapeake for his fourth start in the series. Regular rider Horacio Karamanos is named.

Also entered is Whereshetoldmetogo, who finished third behind Mucho in the Challedon for owners Madaket Stables, Ten Strike Racing, Michael Kisber and BTR Racing (trainer Brittany Russell). The 6-year-old Maryland-bred by El Padrino has won 11 races and also makes his local debut. Sheldon Russell is named to ride.

With division leader Chub Wagon (20 points) having opted for a Pennsylvania-bred stakes at Parx Racing on the same day, and Hello Beautiful—second in the standings with 17 points—taking a pass, the seven-furlong Seeking the Pearl offers a chance for Larry Johnson's Never Enough Time to make up ground.

Trained by Mike Trombetta, who also entered Three Diamonds Farm's Kiss the Girl, Never Enough Time has 5 MATCH Series points after two starts in her division. The 5-year-old Maryland-bred by Munnings is the only entrant with a win at Colonial Downs—in her last start in her first outing locally. Julian Pimentel is named to ride again.

Multiple graded stakes winner Frank's Rockette, owned by Frank Fletcher Racing Operations and trained by Bill Mott, also is entered and appears the probable favorite as the 4-year-old Into Mischief mare approaches the $900,000 mark in earnings on a record of eight wins in 15 starts.

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Hillwood Stables' Cordmaker, third in the division standings with 8 points after two MATCH Series starts, gets a chance to move up in the standings in the 1 1/16-mile Victory Gallop which, like the Love Sign, is raced around one turn.

Regular rider Victor Carrasco is named on Cordmaker, a 6-year-old Maryland-bred gelding trained by Rodney Jenkins. He has been first, second or third in 20 of 30 starts and has performed well at the one-turn-mile distance at Laurel Park.

Triple V Racing and trainer Ortiz claimed Singapore Flash for $40,000 from an allowance/optional claiming race on the turf at Colonial Downs last time out and entered him in the Victory Gallop. In his last race on the dirt, the 5-year-old Shanghai Bobby gelding cleared his first allowance condition at Fair Grounds Race Course in Louisiana. Gutierrez will ride.

Mark Grier's Sosua, undefeated in three starts for Fair Hill Training Center-based trainer Arnaud Delacour, will attempt to remain perfect in the 1 1/16-mile Love Sign. Hector Diaz Jr., aboard for all three of the 4-year-old Speightstown mare's victories, will ride again.

ABL Stables, Domenic Bossone, Patrick Donnelly, Jacob Schnoor and W. Oberdorf's Sweet Sami D, with 5 MATCH Series points after two of six division legs, also is entered. Trained by Pat McBurney, the 5-year-old First Samurai mare finished third in Caesar's Wish Stakes at Pimlico and then won an allowance event at Delaware Park.

The MATCH Series, the only one of its kind in racing, began May 14 at Pimlico and will wrap up Dec. 26 at Laurel. The 2021 edition features 24 stakes valued at $2.75 million and $282,000 in bonus money.

Owners and trainers will compete for $63,000 in divisional bonuses and the overall MATCH Series champion will net $30,000 in bonuses for its owner and trainer. In addition, the Maryland Horse Breeders Association will pay a $3,000 bonus to the breeder of the top points-earning Maryland-bred and $3,000 for the top points-earning Maryland-sired horse. If the top points-earner is both Maryland-bred and -sired, the breeder would get $6,000.

Colonial Downs, which was an original partner when the series debuted in 1997 and participated until it was discontinued in 2001 but returned in 2018, had signed onto the planned 2020 series, which was canceled because of COVID-19. When the regional MATCH partners determined that the full series would be delayed until 2022, the Maryland Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association and Maryland Jockey Club decided to run a Maryland-based series, and the Virginia Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association and Colonial Downs offered to participate.

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MATCH Series Stakes At Colonial Downs Draw 139 Nominations

The Mid-Atlantic Thoroughbred Championships Series (MATCH) returns to Colonial Downs in Virginia for the first time since 2001 with a slate of four $100,000 stakes—one in each of this year's four divisions—Monday, Aug. 23.

In all, 139 horses have been nominated pending late mail. The four stakes are the Chesapeake (3-Year-Olds and Up Sprint—Dirt division), Seeking the Pearl (Filly and Mare Sprint—Dirt division), Victory Gallop (3-Year-Olds and Up Long—Dirt division) and Love Sign (Filly and Mare Long—Dirt division).

The Chesapeake and Seeking the Pearl are the fourth of six legs in their divisions, while the Victory Gallop and Love Sign are the third of six legs in their divisions.

WSS Racing and 4 G Racing's Mucho and Hillside Equestrian Meadows' Laki, the top two horses in the division by points, are among the nominees. Mucho (13 points), trained by John Ortiz, took the division lead with a strong win in the Challedon Stakes at Pimlico Race Course July 31. Laki (12 points), trained by Damon Dilodovico, finished a close fourth in the Challedon and is the only horse thus far to have started in all three races in his division.

Tamaroak Partners' Bango, who hasn't competed in the MATCH Series, has won three consecutive stakes in Kentucky for trainer Greg Foley and defeated Mucho by a nose in the Kellys Landing Stakes at Churchill Downs June 25. Whereshetoldmetogo, owned by Madaket Stables, Ten Strike Racing, Michael Kisber and BTR Racing, finished a close third in the Challedon in his first series appearance for trainer Brittany Russell.

Hello Beautiful, second in the division standings with 17 points, would make her third MATCH Series start should she make the trip to Virginia. Owned by Madaket Stables, Albert Frassetto, Mark Parkinson, K-Mac Stable and Magic City Stables, Hello Beautiful won the Alma North Stakes at Pimlico July 31 and before that finished a neck behind division and overall series leader Chub Wagon (20 points) in the Shine Again Stakes at Pimlico. Chub Wagon is not nominated to the Seeking the Pearl.

Other nominees with two series starts are C and B Stables' Paisley Singing (7 points), trained by Charles A. Frock; and Larry Johnson's Never Enough Times (5 points), trained by Mike Trombetta. Never Enough Time was a game winner in quick time for six furlongs in an allowance event July 26 in her first start at Colonial Downs.

The one-two-three-four finishers in the July 31 Deputed Testamony Stakes at Pimlico—MCA Racing Stable's Harpers First Ride; Morris Kernan Jr., Yo Berbs and Jagger Inc.'s Magic Michael; Hillwood Stables' Cordmaker; and Burning Daylight Farms and Rebecca Galbraith's Mischief Afoot—are among the nominees. Twelve-time winner Harpers First Ride, trained by Claudio Gonzalez, has made two series starts and leads the division with 11 points, while Cordmaker, also with two starts, is third with 8 points.

Grade 3 stakes winner Silver Dust, owned by Tom Durant and trained by Bret Calhoun, has been stabled at Colonial Downs since early July. Martin and Pam Wygod's Modernist, a Bill Mott trainee who finished second in the Grade 3 Pimlico Special—first leg of the division—also is nominated.

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Mrs. Orb, owned by Ruggeri Stable, Richard Coburn, Script R Farm and trainer Mike Miceli, is tied at the top of her division with Spice Is Nice, each with 10 points. Mrs. Orb captured the Caesar's Wish Stakes, second leg of the division at Pimlico July 4. She is joined on the Love Sign nominations list with Sweet Sami D (5 points), Artful Splatter (3 points) and Gracetown (1 point), who finished third, fourth and seventh, respectively, in the Caesar's Wish.

Horses in the MATCH Series qualify for a share of more than $280,000 in bonus money for owners and trainers if they start at least three times.

Colonial Downs was an original MATCH partner when the series was launched in 1997, having hosted four stakes in four of the five divisions that year. Track management and the Virginia Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association had agreed to rejoin the series in 2020—Colonial Downs was to have run five $100,000 stakes on one day in mid-August—but MATCH was canceled because of COVID-19.

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