Standup Comic wins the second and pays a whopping $126.20. Photo by Jim McCue, Maryland Jockey Club.
From a Maryland Jockey Club release
Standup Comic finished off the board in a pair of races last month at Timonium and was dismissed by the bettors in Wednesday’s second race at Laurel Park. The six-year-old gelding got the last laugh taking the $15,000 claimer with an impressive off-the-pace victory.
The son of Silver Train and apprentice jockey Angel Cruz saved ground early on in the 6-furlong test on the main track. Cruz then angled his charge outside leaving the far turn and took aim at the leaders. He collared front-runner Rob the Cradle to win by a length. Post time favorite Pot of Gold was third.
Standup Comic stopped the clock in 1:11.06 and paid $126.20 to win. He topped a $456.80 exacta and a $542.40 trifecta.
The victory was the third of the fall meeting for owner-trainer Billy Campbell. Campbell then captured the sixth race with Seven Days ($23.80) and is now tied atop the trainer standings after seven days of the fall meeting.
“It is a good way to start the meet,” Campbell said. “I thought he would run better at Timonium because he had been training well. It was good to see him put it together.”
Standup Comic improves to six-of-41 lifetime with earnings of $132,729.
Standup Comic was hardly the only longshot winner of the day. Indeed, the hard knocker was just one of four horses at double-digit odds to get the money — in the first six races. The roster also included:
- Athabaskan Hero, who took the first, a $7,500 claimer, at odds of 12.20-1. Jevian Toledo rode for Gary Capuano.
- Just Sayin, who scored a 16.10-1 upset in the fifth, a second-level allowance/optional claimer. The five-year-old Maryland-bred stopped the clock in a sharp 1:34.14 going a mile on the turf for trainer Dylan Smith and rider Sheldon Russell.
- Seven Days, for trainer Billy Campbell and rider Xavier Perez. Seven Days won a $5,000 starter allowance at odds of 10.90-1.
QUADE PRAISED FOR LAST SATURDAY’S VIRGINIA-BRED STAKES SERIES
Last Saturday’s 12-race card at Laurel Park featured six Virginia-bred stakes races because Colonial Downs’ ownership and horsemen could not reach agreement on holding a meeting this year.
“Maryland Racing Commission chairman Bruce Quade was instrumental in making this happen, working diligently with all the parties involved,” Maryland Jockey Club president Tom Chuckas said. “It was a successful day. The horsemen filled the races with an average of nearly 10 runners per race. We will be open to doing this again, if need be.”
