Runnymoore Racing's multiple stakes-winning Maryland-bred Alwaysmining, nominated to defend his title in the $100,000 John B. Campbell Feb. 13 at Laurel Park, emerged from his first victory since last year's race in good order, trainer Austin Trites said Wednesday.
“Alwaysmining, as you'd expect from the old war horse, is doing great,” Trites said.
The gelded 5-year-old son of Stay Thirsty rolled to a three-length victory in a one-mile optional claiming allowance Jan. 30 at Laurel – his first win in 350 days following the 2020 Campbell for 4-year-olds and up going about 1 1/16 miles, his seventh career stakes triumph.
It was the second start this year for Alwaysmining, who returned from 198 days between starts to run last of nine after setting the early pace in the one-mile Jennings for Maryland-bred/sired horses, a race he also won in 2020.
Alwaysmining got time off at the owner's Pennsylvania farm and was moved to Trites after successive off-the-board finishes last spring and summer. He won the Maryland Juvenile Futurity and Heft at 2; Miracle Wood, Private Terms and Federico Tesio at 3; and Jennings and Campbell last year.
“The Jennings just left us with so many more questions than answers and there was just enough reasons for us that here we are,” Trites said. “It was just kind of a can't-miss opportunity to run him in a conditioned allowance and try and give him that confidence booster. And, we figured the blinkers could really be a positive and they turned out to definitely be so.”
All 10 of Alwaysmining's wins have come at Laurel, but the most recent was his first time in 24 career starts wearing blinkers. Breaking on the far outside in a field of eight, he raced within striking distance while remaining in the clear, moved to within a length at the top of the stretch and steadily wore down front-running Zabracadabra before pulling away.
“I think the key in the afternoon is just what we learned [Jan. 30] and just to be very tactical with him, and try to keep him in that position where you know he's going to run for you,” Trites said. “Don't get him intimidated on the inside and just kind of ride him like he's the best horse and I think that's what happened.”
Nominations for the Campbell were due the same day Alwaysmining returned to the winner's circle. It comes just two weeks after his allowance win and would be his third start in a six-week span after wheeling back in 14 days following the Jennings.
“It is close. Obviously, in the heat of the moment we're going to nominate just in case,” Trites said. “We're going to keep all our options on the table. We're not going to rush into anything. Obviously the horse showed us what we wanted to see last time, and we'll kind of let him point us in the next direction.”
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