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Yaupon, Mrs. Orb Take MATCH Races At Pimlico; Series Resumes July 31

Yaupon and Mrs. Orb took their respective Mid-Atlantic Thoroughbred Championships Series (MATCH) stakes July 4 at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Md., and the usually contentious 3-Year-Olds and Up Sprint—Dirt division is again shaping up as one to watch

The two MATCH Series stakes joined two other stakes on an 11-race holiday program that generated $10.06 million in pari-mutuel handle that included a mandatory Pick 6 payout wager with a $5.1 million pool and a $1.43 million carryover.

In the $100,000 Lite the Fuse Stakes, the second of six legs in the 3-Year-Olds and Up Sprint—Dirt division this year, Yaupon, owned by Bill and Corinne Heiligbrodt, got back on the winning track after eighth-place finishes in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Sprint in November 2020 and the Group 1 Dubai Golden Shaheen in March. The 4-year-old Kentucky-bred by Uncle Mo had been training this spring at Churchill Downs and previously had won his first four races, including the Grade 3 Chick Lang Stakes at Pimlico in October 2020.

With Ricardo Santana Jr. riding for trainer Steve Asmussen, Yaupon stalked front-running Chateau for about a half-mile before taking over in upper stretch in the six-furlong event. He gradually pulled away to win by 1 3/4 lengths over Laki, who bid between those two on the far turn and ran on well for second. Chateau checked in third.

Yaupon, the heavy favorite, paid $2.80 to win and covered the distance in 1:09.43 on a track rated fast.

”He broke really sharp,” said Santana, who rode Yaupon for the first time. “He came in the race from the layoff and I wanted to give him a little break. He put me in a good position, so I let him take a second deep breath and at the three-eighths pole when my horse felt the other horse, he took off back.”

The other horse was Laki, who rated in third early and made his bid on the far turn. Laki, owned by Hillside Equestrian Meadows and trained by Damon Dilodovico, finished fifth in the Grade 3 Maryland Sprint Stakes—the first race in the division—but rebounded nicely in the Lite the Fuse.

“He ran really well,” Dilovodico said. “I thought he may be able to get outside down the backstretch because it looked like Yaupon (wasn't gaining on the leader). But there's no shame in running second to him. We're really blessed to have this horse.”

Yaupon and Special Reserve, winner of the Maryland Sprint, each have 10 points to top the division. Maryland-bred Laki now has 9 points thanks to having started in both stakes in the division thus far.

Mrs. Orb, a New York-bred owned by Ruggeri Stable, Richard Coburn, Script R Farm and trainer Mike Miceli, went over the $500,000 mark in earnings in the 1 1/16-mile Caesar's Wish, the second of six legs in the Filly and Mare Long—Dirt division. Ridden by Horacio Karamanos, who also rode Laki, Mrs. Orb rated in fourth through quick fractions before taking over in mid-stretch and holding off a late rally by Trolley Ride. Sweet Sami D. finished an even third.

Mrs. Orb, a 6-year-old mare by Orb, has been a fixture in New York-bred stakes company but last November was second in a Grade 3 stakes at Aqueduct Racetrack. She has been first, second or third in 13 of 15 starts.

“She's a tough gal—she's not easy to train, but you don't mind when they can run,” Miceli said. “She's a little temperamental. You pretty much have to cater to her.”

Mrs. Orb, a slight favorite, paid $6.20 to win and covered the distance in 1:44.17 on a track rated fast. She collected 10 MATCH Series points to tie Spice Is Nice at the top of the division.

The 2021 MATCH Series continues July 31 at Pimlico with three stakes in the 3-Year-Olds and Up Sprint—Dirt division, Filly and Mare Sprint—Dirt division and 3-Year-Olds and Up Long—Dirt division. Undefeated Chub Wagon, owned by George Chestnut and Daniel Lopez, leads the Filly and Mare Sprint—Dirt division and the overall series with 20 points.

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Mrs. Orb Surges Late To Win Caesar’s Wish At Pimlico

Ruggeri Stable, Richard Coburn, Script R Farm, and trainer Michael Miceli's Mrs. Orb, a two-time New York-bred stakes winner, came with a steady run down the center of the track to reel in Trolley Ride and surge past late for a popular half-length triumph in Sunday's $100,000 Caesar's Wish at historic Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Md.

The 1 1/16-mile Caesar's Wish for fillies and mares 3 and up was the third of four stakes worth $375,000 in purses on the Independence Day holiday program and part of the Mid-Atlantic Thoroughbred Championship (MATCH) Series.

Favored at 2-1 in a field of seven, Mrs. Orb ($6.20) rated in fourth under jockey Horacio Karamanos as multiple stakes winner Artful Splatter was eager to go on from Post 3 and led through fractions of :23.32 and :46.63 seconds, with Midwest shipper His Glory in closest pursuit.

Trolley Ride, who swept into contention from well back on the far outside to challenge the leaders and was followed by Mrs. Orb, who dogged Trolley Ride into deep stretch before edging clear. Trolley Ride was 2 ½ lengths clear of Sweet Sammi D in third, followed by Artful Splatter, His Glory, Suggestive Honor and Gracetown. Landing Zone was scratched.

“She's done that before. Usually she's kind of a position-type mare, and today she was a little farther back. But she can come from that far back. It's just how the race unfolds for her,” Miceli said.

“She's a tough gal and not the easiest to train, but you don't mind when they can run,” he added. “She's a little temperamental and you've just kind of got to cater to her needs. If you do that, it goes a long way.”

The Caesar's Wish debuted in 1978 at old Bowie Race Course and was held at both Pimlico and Laurel before it was renamed the Beyond the Wire for 2018. It honors the Maryland-bred mare that won 11 of 16 starts over two seasons including the 1978 Grade 1 Mother Goose and Grade 2 Black-Eyed Susan and 1977 Grade 2 Demoiselle and Grade 3 Villager. Her winning time in the Mother Goose broke Hall of Famer Ruffian's stakes record and stood until 1994.

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Mrs. Orb Ends Seconditis With La Verdad Upset; Entered In Keeneland January Sale

Mrs. Orb's persistence paid off with her first victory in more than a year when she made a move from the outside in the stretch and outkicked 2-5 favorite Sharp Starr to win Sunday's $100,000 La Verdad for New York-bred fillies and mares 4-years-old and up at Aqueduct Racetrack in Ozone Park, N.Y.

Mrs. Orb, who was the runner-up in five consecutive stakes appearances, posted a one-length score, marking her first victory in seven starts dating to the Bay Ridge in December 2019.

Owned by Ruggeri Stable, Richard Coburn, Script R Farm and Michael Miceli, the trainer, Mrs. Orb broke last under jockey Dylan Davis but advanced to third as Prairie Fire led the four-horse field through the opening quarter-mile in 24.16 seconds and the half in 47.95 on the muddy and sealed main track.

All four horses stayed in contention out of the turn, with Davis tipping his charge outside of rivals for the stretch run. Mrs. Orb pressed on from the outside at the top of the stretch, dueling Sharp Starr to her immediate inside before gaining separation and completing the seven-furlong course in a final time of 1:24.54.

“She's a hard-trying filly,” Davis said. “I'm just happy that I could get to win with her again. If that's her last race, that's very nice and Mike has done a good job with her throughout her career. I'm just happy to be aboard her and get the job done today.

“I think with the seven-eighths, she had a little more kick to finish to the wire than when she was stretching out,” he added.

Off at the longest shot on the board at 5-1, Mrs. Orb returned $12.20 on a $2 win wager. The 6-year-old Orb mare, bred by Rhapsody Farm, improved her career earnings to $439.520.

“She ran a big race,” Miceli said. “She sat off the pace nicely, dragged Dylan [Davis] up to the leaders and when he asked her to run, she delivered. “She got floated wide, but she dug in nicely. She's tough and she always delivers. I was glad she got over the seconditis.”

The victory, which improved her career ledger to 6-8-3 in 23 starts, could be the finale to a career that started in 2018. Miceli said she is catalogued at Keeneland's Horses of All Ages Sale on January 11.

“That's still the intention. Things can always change, but right now that's still on,” Miceli said.”

Sharp Starr, owned by Barry Schwartz and trained by Horacio DePaz, was three lengths clear of Espresso Shot for second. Prairie Fire was fourth.

“She handled the track fine,” said Sharp Starr jockey Trevor McCarthy. “She sat off the slow pace and was comfortable. She gave me a good kick, but we just got outrun today. She was the big favorite but I have no excuses. The other mare was just a little bit better today.”

Timely Tradition and Sadie Lady scratched.

Live racing resumes Thursday at Aqueduct with an eight-race card. First post is 12:50 p.m. Eastern.

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Lucky Move Avenges 2019 Loss To Mrs. Orb In Bay Ridge

Ten Strike Racing's Lucky Move overtook Mrs. Orb in deep stretch, rallying from last to outkick the even-money favorite by a half-length in Sunday's $100,000 Bay Ridge for New York-bred fillies and mares 3-years-old and up at Aqueduct Racetrack in Ozone Park, N.Y.

Lucky Move, the winner of the Empire Distaff Handicap on October 24 at Belmont Park going 1 1/16 miles, handled the stretch out to 1 1/8 miles for the seventh running of the Bay Ridge, notching her second consecutive victory. The result was the reversal of last year's 1-2 finish in the Bay Ridge, when Mrs. Orb bested Lucky Move by a nose.

The Juan Carlos Guerrero trainee broke sharp from the inside post under Kendrick Carmouche but stayed off pacesetter Singular Sensation's early speed as she led the compact four-horse field through an opening quarter-mile and the half on the fast main track.

Out of the turn, Singular Sensation kept the lead under Manny Franco near the rail, with Mrs. Orb giving close pursuit before gaining temporary command from the outside. But Carmouche, who urged Lucky Move up from the rear of the field, continued to press his charge as she thundered home in the stretch, getting the edge in the final jumps to hit the wire in 1:56.54.

“It was a different result this year. I had that nose in mind from last year when I lost this race,” Carmouche said. “I knew it was going to be slow up front. I just had to sit, wait and bide my time. My horse ran very well. Juan Carlos Guerrero had this horse ready to run.”

Off as the 6-5 second choice, Lucky Move returned $4.40 on a $2 win bet. The veteran Lookin At Lucky mare, bred by Maltese Cross Stables and Stonegate Stables, capped her 6-year-old campaign by improving her career earnings to $429,759.

“You don't worry about [the pace]. You just got to sit and wait as long as you can to make them run and let them run home the last eighth of a mile,” Carmouche said. “She had me in a good spot the whole way around. No excuses today. I just had to get the job done.”

Mrs. Orb, ridden by Dylan Davis, finished second for the fifth consecutive race, besting Singular Sensation by 1 ½ lengths. Firenze Freedom completed the order of finish.

Owned by Ruggeri Stable, Richard Coburn, Script R Farm and trainer Michael Miceli, Mrs. Orb added another runner-up effort to her ledger, joining her efforts this year in the Critical Eye, Union Avenue, Empire Distaff Handicap and the Grade 3 Turnback the Alarm in her previous start on November 7 at Aqueduct.

“She was nice and relaxed,” Davis said. “She always tries hard. It's just a timing thing with her. She locked eyes with the five [Singular Sensation] and just barely got by. She's a steady grinder. Once she gets there, she kind of steadies up a bit.”

Sky Kitten and Kilkea were scratched.

Live racing resumes on Thursday at Aqueduct with an eight-race card. First post is 12:50 p.m. Eastern.

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