Laurel Park Racing Notebook, Vol. 5

GQ’S HORSES TO WATCH

• Prime Time Man – 9-5 favorite broke in air, made a rail run in upper stretch, altered out sharply off heels leaving the three sixteenths and closed gamely to be fourth, beaten less than two lengths.
• Barry Lee – An eye-popping debut by this two-year-old Violence colt who led every step of the way stopping the clock at 57.96 for 5 furlongs to win by six-and-one-half-lengths, zipping the last eighth in under 12 seconds. Word is the folks at Sagamore are higher on him than stablemate He Hate Me who followed up his debut maiden win with an easy victory at Belmont in the Tremont Stakes on Belmont Stakes Day.
• V.I.P. Code – Debut performance was a winning one if not for future star Barry Lee, as he was five lengths clear of the rest of the field at the wire after splitting rivals for running room.
• Fly and Flutter – Game run once again in $16kN2L turf sprint only to be hampered while making a late run in close quarters leaving jock unable to ask his mount for everything, then steadied in the final strides costing a few positions, less than a length from being fourth…. officially 8th — but beaten just 2 1/4 lengths.
• Moonshine Lullaby – This sophomore Virginia-bred Blame filly out of a Came Home mare was tardy leaving the gate in debut going 5 1/2 furlongs on the Laurel lawn, was patiently ridden in the back to settle in stride, moved to the outside on the turn and rallied nicely through the lane matching strides with the favorite as they chased the lone leader in vain to the wire, coming up 2-lengths short and just a neck from getting runner-up spot.
• More Trix — Rory Huston-trained longshot was buried down inside behind a fading leader when the running began, finally found room too late, beaten two lengths for all the money.

It was a big weekend for jockey Horacio Karamanos, who posted six wins over the weekend and won the state-bred Pearl Necklace Stakes aboard speedster I’m Betty G. That was the most in the colony, one more than Victor Carrasco posted. It was the second straight weekend in which Karamanos led (or tied for the lead) among local jocks.

The six wins also brought Karamanos into a clear second in the colony overall. His 19 wins are two behind Carrasco’s 21, with Jevian Toledo three back in third.

Alex Cintron continued to have a productive meet in limited action. He won twice in just nine starts and took the Caveat Stakes aboard promising Just Howard. Cintron has won at a 24 percent clip during the meet to date, and his $8,050 earnings per start are by far the most of riders with at least 10 starts at the meet.