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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