Photo by Laurie Asseo.
From Staff Reports
LAUREL PARK: BOMBS AWAY AS $121 WINNER LEADS BUG PARADE
Even knowing the final outcome, handicappers had a tough time finding Senor Quickie in the seventh race at Laurel Park March 12.
The seven-year-old Scipion gelding, trained and owned by Annette Eubanks, was working on a nine-race losing streak coming in — and not just any nine race losing streak. He hadn’t finished better than fourth in any of those nine races.
He had finished five lengths behind Hurricane Creek in his last start, and Hurricane Creek was 7-1 here. He had finished seven lengths behind Mavericks Gun two back, and Mavericks Gun was the second choice here.
That’s all done with.
Yesterday, when a favorable pace scenario developed in front of him, Senor Quickie took advantage, rallying between horses and surging to the front late to win the $5,000 claiming event by three parts of a length over Mike the Hab, the 7-5 favorite.
Senor Quickie has now won eight of 65 career starts with earnings of more than $165,000. Under Lauralea Glaser, he rallied from eighth after a quarter mile in the 10-horse field.
But the back was the place to be: the top four after the contested opening quarter all ended up fifth or worse.
Senor Quickie paid $121.40 to win — the second consecutive day with a $100 winner at Laurel — and topped a $469.60 exacta.
Remarkably, Glaser led a parade of apprentice riders across the line: the top five finishers all were ridden by bug riders, with Kevin Gomez, who won two on the day, in second; Caitlyn Stoddard in third; Lane Luzzi in fourth; and Kali Francois in fifth.
STAKES NOTES
- Abiding Star and Jevian Toledo sprung a $39 upset in the Private Terms, and his connections might be thinking about supplementing him to the Triple Crown.
- Sophia’s Song was impressive in winning the Caesar’s Wish under Victor Carrasco, who took both halves of the late double.
CHARLES TOWN: WHITE LACE LADY ROMPS IN RETURN
White Lace Lady hadn’t raced since July of 2015. Yesterday evening, it looked like she’d been waiting all that time for the gates to be sprung.
Once they were, the four-year-old daughter of The Deputy shot right to the front and never looked back. She romped to a 9-length victory in the $10,000 maiden claiming event for West Virginia-bred fillies and mares. Running time for the 4 1/2 furlongs was 52.93 seconds.
It’s not every day you see a horse win a 4 1/2 furlong race by nine lengths.
As a three-year-old, the Jami Poole trainee had failed to break her maiden in four tries, finishing third in two of them. But she made her first start as a four-year-old count and now has a win, and over $11,000 in earnings, from five starts.
Tracy Hebert, who rode White Lace Lady, took both halves of the early double.
PENN NATIONAL: M J’S WARRIOR OUTDUELS MONGOLIAN KING IN FEATURE
M J’s Warrior moved up to engage leader Mongolian King nearing the half-mile marker in a first-level allowance that was Saturday’s Penn National feature.
The two rivals were never more than a head apart the rest of the way.
They disposed of favored Gansett Bay entering the turn.
They brushed each other in the lane.
M J’s Warrior, with Angel Cruz up, took the advantage. Mongolian King and Forest Boyce surged back.
In the end, it was M J’s Warrior who earned the win by a head over Mongolian King, and nearly three back to Winning Shot in third. M J’s Warrior, trained by Chuck Lawrence for Matthew Schera, now has won three of 10 starts and earned just shy of $75,000.
Running time for the flat mile was 1:39.51.
PARX RACING: FREEDOM FOR D L T SURVIVES RACELONG BATTLE
It was just a $10,000 maiden claiming race. But nobody told the horses that.
Freedom for D L T and Wind Clan Warrior went toe-to-toe thoroughout the one-mile test, with Freedom for D L T finally prevailing by a bobbing nose.
After a quarter mile, Wind Clan Warrior was in front by a half-length. After a half, Freedom for D L T had a head advantage. After three-quarters, Wind Clan Warrior had retaken the lead by a head. Meanwhile, the rest of the field could merely watch, with No Game No Fame finishing third, about three back.
Freedom for D L T, trained by owner Alexander Martinez, and jockey J.D. Acosta finally got the nod over Katie Davis and Wind Clan Warrior. It was the sophomore Twirling Candy gelding’s first win in his 13th career start.
