Tag: Racing

Lea Farms' Lightening Larry stalked Wondrwherecraigis from the gate and came with a steady run through the stretch to reel in his fellow Grade 3 winner inside the sixteenth pole and capture Saturday's $150,000 Frank J. De Francis Memorial Dash by a half-length at Laurel Park.

The 32nd renewal of the six-furlong De Francis for 3-year-olds and up, named for the late president and chairman of both Laurel and historic Pimlico Race Course, anchored five stakes worth $500,000 in purses on a 10-race program.

In earlier stakes, Be Better rallied from last in the $100,000 Deputed Testamony for 3-year-olds and up going 1 1/8 miles; Beguine was a popular winner of the $100,000 Alma North for fillies and mares 3 and older at 6 ½ furlongs; Super Accelerate was resolute in taking $75,000 Star de Naskra for Maryland-bred/sired 3-year-olds and Talk to the Judge wired the $75,000 Miss Disco for Maryland-bred/sired 3-year-old fillies, both sprinting seven furlongs. For recaps, click here.

With Daniel Centeno aboard for the first time, Lightening Larry ($3.40) extended his win streak to three races, all in stakes, following the May 29 Mr. Prospector at Monmouth Park and July Alapocas Run at Delaware Park. The 4-year-old Florida-bred Uncaptured colt out of Moon and Sun, by Malibu Moon, was victorious in his only other trip to Maryland for the 2022 Chick Lang (G3) at Pimlico, the first graded triumph for the horse and trainer Jorge Delgado.

“He ran big,” Centeno said. “Jorge called me this morning and said just to try to be close to the lead. He didn't have to be on the lead, but he can be really close. We knew there was speed inside and we had the outside position so that was perfect for us. It set up perfect. I know the track was fast today and speed was holding a lot, and I know [Wondrwherecraigis] is strong so I moved a little early to try to catch him and he fired big to the wire.”

Breaking from the rail due to the early scratch of Ladneedsahandler, jockey Sheldon Russell settled Wondrwherecraigis on the lead where they went in 21.84 seconds for the opening quarter mile chased by multiple stakes winner Sir Wellington to his outside while Centeno had Lightening Larry in the clear three wide in third. Wondrwherecraigis was still in command rounding the far turn after going a half in 44.65, when Centeno began to work on Lightening Larry.

A duel to the wire was set up as the two favorites straightened for home with Wondrwherecraigis clinging to a tenuous lead and Lightening Larry bearing down on the outside. Wondrwherecraigis dug in but could not hold off Lightening Larry's late surge that saw him cross the wire in 1:09.29 – the fastest De Francis since Killybegs Captain (1:08.10) in 2019.

Holy Synchronicity was third, seven lengths behind Wondrwherecraigis, followed by Sir Wellington and Threes Over Deuces. Multiple graded stakes placed Synthesis was also a late scratch.

This marked the third consecutive year Wondrwherecraigis was second in the De Francis. He crossed the wire first, three-quarters of a length ahead of Jalen Journey, but was disqualified to second for interference in 2021, when the race was a Grade 3. He was beaten last year by Beren in his first start since returning from Dubai.

Now 6, Wondrwherecraigis won the Bold Ruler (G3) one start after his De Francis disqualification and opened 2023 with an optional claiming allowance victory April 13 at Laurel in Russell's first race of the year. In his prior start, he ran sixth in the Maryland Sprint (G3) May 20 at Pimlico.

“He was coming from off a layoff, he gave me my first win back from the injury, and he's a barn favorite,” Russell said. “We knew the race at Pimlico was too tough for him but it was nice to see him bounce back and run his race today. He's a fast horse. It's not that he ever slowed down; Danny came and got me at the right time.

“But, if you watch the gallop out, 'Craig' is right there. If Danny had come a little bit sooner, 'Craig's got that fight in him where maybe it would have been even closer,” he added. “Fair play to Danny and the connections; it was just nice to see 'Craig' bounce back. Hopefully he comes out of the race good and we can win another big one down the road.”

Lightening Larry was bred by Michelle Redding.

Inaugurated in 1990, the De Francis Dash was contested as a Grade 1 race from 1999-2009. carried Grade 2 status from 1994-1998 and was a Grade 3 from 1992-1993 and 2016-2021. 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).

The post Lightening Larry Strikes In De Francis Dash For Third Straight Win appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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After advancing to second in early stretch, Juddmonte Farm's reigning champion sprinter Elite Power wore down front-runner Gunite through the final sixteenth and was up in time to win the $350,000 Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap (G1) by a head on Saturday at Saratoga Race Course.

Ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr. for trainer Bill Mott, Elite Power returned $4.20 for the victory after covering six furlongs in 1:09.22 on a sloppy (sealed) track. The win was the eighth consecutive from 11 career starts for the 5-year-old son of Curlin out of of Broadway's Alibi, by Vindication.

Dean Delivers finish 6 1/2 lengths back in third in the seven-horse field.

The $192,500 winner's share of the purse elevated Elite Power's lifetime bankroll to $2,635,711.

The post Champion Elite Power Reels In Gunite In Alfred G. Vanderbilt To Extend Win Streak appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Repole Stable's Be Better, a homebred son of champion Uncle Mo, extended his win streak to three races by passing multiple stakes winners Nimitz Class and Ournationonparade in deep stretch and going on to a 1¼-length triumph in Saturday's $100,000 Deputed Testamony at Laurel Park.

The 27th running of the 1 1/8-mile Deputed Testamony for 3-year-olds and up and the seventh renewal of the $100,000 Alma North for fillies and mares going 6½ furlongs were among five stakes worth $500,000 in purses headlined by the $150,000 Frank J. De Francis Memorial Dash for older sprinters.

Ridden by Sheldon Russell for his wife, Maryland's leading trainer Brittany Russell, Be Better ($7.80) picked up his first stakes win in his fifth start since being sent to the Mid-Atlantic after going 2-for-7 primarily in New York for Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher.

“He showed up in great shape. I didn't have a whole lot to do,” Brittany Russell said. “Really we just kind of got him happy. He seems to really like Maryland. We found a couple spots for him that seemed to pick his head up and that seemed to give him some confidence.”

Be Better ran second and third in his first two tries for Russell in the spring at Laurel, both at a mile, before breaking through with a 3¾-length optional claiming allowance victory May 20 on the undercard of the 148th Preakness Stakes (G1)) at Pimlico Race Course.

In his prior start, Be Better again came from off the pace to notch a 5¼-length third-level allowance score June 17 at Laurel, his second straight going 1 1/16 miles. The Deputed Testamony was his fourth overall win and first in four tries at 1 1/8 miles.

“We've had this race on our radar for some time, since he won the three-other-than. We had some some options to run in New York and Delaware, but we opted to just point to this race and give him some time and it seemed to work out,” Russell said. “When you see the overnight come out and you see the horses in the race, it was a tough spot. But, as good as he's been doing and stepping forward I felt like he was up to the task.”

Ournationonparade, one of two horses in the Deputed Testamony for red-hot trainer Jamie Ness, outran his rivals to the front and led through an easy opening quarter-mile of 25.59 seconds. Nimitz Class, the 1-9 favorite who had a five-race win streak – including four consecutive Laurel stakes – snapped last time out, settled in second followed by 14-time career winner Yodel E.A. Who and Be Better.

Sheldon Russell remained unhurried on Be Better as the half went in :49.84 without a change in running order, though Nimitz Class began to close the gap on the leader. They reached the top of the stretch together and Nimitz Class was able to ease by Ournationparade passing the eighth pole, but Be Better was only starting to roll on the far outside and surged past them both, finishing up in 1:49.68 over a fast main track.

“It's great,” Brittany Russell said. “Just watching Sheldon's body language as he was riding him, I just felt like he had horse and I felt like when he tipped him out he was going make a run. It was just a matter of if he was going to get there.”

Nimitz Class stayed up for second, a half-length ahead of Ournationonparade, with stablemate Yodel E.A. Who seven lengths back in fourth.

“I'm delighted. I'm so excited. I have to thank Mike Repole and his team. They've been super supportive in sending us a horse like this,” Russell said. “It's huge. I'm very thankful for these guys. Winning races like this today, it's a lot of fun.”

Beguine Goes The Distance In Alma North

Beguine, a 4-year-old homebred daughter of Gun Runner owned by Charles Matses and trained by Edward Allard, led gate-to-wire to win the $100,000 Alma North, covering 6½ furlongs in 1:15.83.

Out of the five-time winning mare Shananies Song, Beguine, second by a neck last year in the Fantasy (G3), has won two of her three starts this year. The Alma North turned out to be pretty straight forward for Beguine and jockey Jevian Toledo, who went to the front, clicked off fractions of :22.70 and :45.52, and drove home 2 3/4 lengths in front of Response Time. Dreamster checked in third.

Only five went to post in the Alma North after Street Lute, Prince Kokachin, Sweet Gracie, and Moody Woman scratched.

Also on Saturday's card, Steven Walfish's Super Accelerate, stepping up to stakes company for the first time, got a patient trip from jockey Horacio Karamanos and dug in late to fend off a pair of challengers for a half-length victory in the $75,000 Star de Naskra. By Accelerate, Super Accelerate ($6.60) ran his win streak to three races for trainer Robin Graham.

Midwest shipper Easy Action, without a start since April 14 and racing as a new gelding, was sharp from the gate and went the opening quarter-mile in :23.45  as Super Accelerate saved ground inside and multiple stakes winner Coffeewithchris in the clear three wide.

Coffeewithchris ranged up alongside Super Accelerate rounding the far turn and was set down for a drive with Easy Action making his bid on the rail, but neither horse was able to get by a determined Super Accelerate, who crossed the wire in 1:22.54 over a fast main track. Easy Action edged Coffeewithchris by a neck for second.

Waldorf Racing Stables' Talk to the Judge, stretched out an extra furlong and a half and returned to the dirt following a failed turf attempt two weeks earlier, led from start to finish to register a 13-1 upset in the $75,000 Miss Disco.

Trained by Marya Montoya, Talk to the Judge ($28.40) gave jockey Victor Carrasco his second straight Miss Disco victory following Divine Huntress last year.

Carrasco was able to settle Talk to the Judge on the lead through fractions of :23.02 and :45.37 with 2022 Maryland Juvenile Fillies runner-up Fast Tracked and 30-1 long shot Willful Desire giving closest chase. Liquidator, coming back eight days off a 5½-furlong victory at Laurel, was next while favored Malibu Moonshine ran last of eight.

Talk to the Judge, a 4-year-old Maryland-bred Golden Lad filly, remained in command at the top of the stretch with Liquidator to her outside looming as the main competitor. Under Carrasco's urging, Talk to the Judge was able to withstand a steady bid from Liquidator to win by a head in 1:23.81. It was two lengths back to late-running 12-1 long shot Rowsie Express in third.

The post Be Better Proves Best In Deputed Testamony; Beguine Takes Alma North At Laurel appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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