Nominations robust for Tesio, Weber City Miss

by | Apr 8, 2018 | Breaking, Maryland, MD Racing, Racing

Still Having Fun slipped through inside to win the Miracle Wood. Photo by Laurie Asseo.

From a Maryland Jockey Club release

A total of 73 horses were nominated to the $125,000 Federico Tesio for 3-year-olds and the $125,000 Weber City Miss for 3-year-old fillies, highlighting the Spring Stakes Spectacular program Saturday, April 21 at Laurel Park.

The Tesio and Weber City Miss are among five stakes worth $550,000 in purses that close the winter-spring meet stakes schedule, joined by the $100,000 Primonetta for females 3 and up and the $100,000 Henry S. Clark and $100,000 Dahlia, both at one mile over Laurel’s world-class turf course.

For the third straight year, the 1 1/8-mile Tesio will serve as a “Win and You’re In” race for Triple Crown-nominated sophomores to the 143rd Preakness Stakes (G1) May 19 and the Weber City Miss at about 1 1/16 miles will be a “Win and You’re In” race for the 94th Black-Eyed Susan (G2) May 18, both at legendary Pimlico Race Course.

Gary Barber, Wachtel Stable and Terp Racing’s Still Having Fun heads 37 nominees to the Tesio. Fourth as the favorite in the 1 1/16-mile Private Terms last out, he won the seven-furlong Frank Whiteley Jr. Jan. 27 and one-mile Miracle Wood Feb. 17 at Laurel to open his 3-year-old campaign.

Everest Stables homebred V. I. P. Code, upset winner of the Private Terms at 36-1, is also prominent among nominees along with Grade 3-placed Diamond King, winner of the Heft Stakes Dec. 30 at Laurel; multiple stakes winner Whirlin Curlin; Battle At Sea, who ran his win streak to two in the Crescent City Derby March 24 at Fair Grounds; unbeaten Sophomore Stakes winner Noble Commander; Forest Fire and Dynamic Asset, 2-3, respectively, in the Private Terms; Well-regarded Curlin colt Cordmaker, a Laurel allowance winner in his 3-year-old debut April 2; Notebook Stakes winner Sea Foam; Midnight Poker, undefeated in three career starts at Parx for trainer John Servis; and Navy Commander, whose two straight wins have come by 18 combined lengths.

John Salzman Jr., Fred Wasserloos and George Greenwalt’s Limited View, a three-time stakes winner at Laurel, tops 36 fillies nominated to the Weber City Miss. Also trained by Salzman, the sophomore Freedom Child daughter won the Maryland Million Lassie and Maryland Juvenile Filly Championship at 2 and the Marshua Jan. 27 before being run down on the lead and finishing second in the one-mile Beyond the Wire March 17.

Layla Noor and Shamrock Rose, each graded-stakes placed last year; Maddie May Stakes winner Split Time; stakes-placed Deep Red and Vente to Go; Blue Union Rags, a winner of her only two races this year, both at Laurel; Elevated Vision, unbeaten in two career starts; and recent maiden winners Blue Strike, Contrarian, Miss Mi Mi, Mo Smart and Ox Eyed Daisy are also among the nominees.

Limited View is also among 31 nominees to the six-furlong Primonetta, which also attracted No Guts No Glory Farm’s Anna’s Bandit, who ran her win streak to three with a victory in the seven-furlong Conniver Stakes March 17 at Laurel; multiple stakes winner Crabcakes, unraced since Nov. 20; New York stakes winners Bluegrass Flag and Short Kakes; 2017 Jersey Girl Stakes winner Chalon, yet to race in 2018 after being second in back-to-back Grade 2 stakes to cap last year; stakes-placed Elusive Joni, Faze the Nation, She Rolls, Summer Reading and Up Hill Battle.

The most popular races among horsemen were the Dahlia and Henry S. Clark, each of which drew 42 nominations. Prominent among Clark nominees are multiple graded-stakes winner Ring Weekend; 2017 Arlington Handicap (G3) winner Ghost Hunter; 2017 Palm Beach (G3) winner Ticonderoga; 2017 American St. Leger (G3) winner Postulation; El Areeb, a multiple Grade 3 winner on dirt; claimer-turned-millionaire Page McKenney, who has five wins in 14 career tries on turf; multiple stakes-winning millionaire Kharafa; 2017 Maryland Million Classic winner Bonus Points; multiple stakes winners John Jones and O Dionysus and two-time Maryland Million Turf winner Phlash Phelps.

Nominees to the Dahlia, for fillies and mares 3 and up, are multiple graded-stakes winners Cambodia and Hawksmoor; 2018 Marshua’s River (G3) winner Ultra Brat; 2017 Florida Oaks (G3) winner Fifty Five; 2017 Sands Point (G2) winner Uni; Miss Inclusive, winner of the Maryland Racing Media Stakes March 17; Queen Caroline, a two-time stakes winner at Laurel; In the Navy Now, winner of the Jan. 27 Nellie Morse on dirt; and Chilean Group 1 winner Ruby Love.