BALTIMORE – Sage Valley came back Saturday at Pimlico just as good as he left last fall, scoring an emphatic, 2 1/4-length victory in the Grade 3, $150,000 Maryland Sprint Handicap for his fourth straight win.
Although he had been off for more than six months, Sage Valley ($6.60), the favorite, was ready for a sharp effort, and he benefited from a perfect, stalking trip under jockey John Velazquez in the six-furlong race.
Raise the Reward dueled for the early lead but shook clear on the turn to win the $50,000 Michael F. Rowland Memorial at Thistledown under a hand ride Saturday.
A 7-year-old gelding, Raise the Reward dueled to the turn with Catlaunch before shaking clear to lead into the stretch by two and a half lengths. Jockey Jacob Radosevich sat chilly on his mount through the stretch and the final margin of victory was two lengths.
Beau Mec closed for second after being fourth early, while Catlaunch hung on for third.
BALTIMORE - The Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith was riding his first race for trainer Chad Brown when he climbed aboard Pianist in the Grade 3, $150,000 Gallorette Handicap at Pimlico on Saturday. If first impressions count for much, it won’t be the last.
BALTIMORE – Trainer Wesley Ward and jockey Joel Rosario regularly teamed together long before Rosario became one of the hottest riders in the game, and the pair was at it again Saturday at Pimlico Race Course with Redwood Kitten.
Redwood Kitten turned in a powerful, front-running performance in the $100,000 James W. Murphy, winning the one-mile turf race for 3-year-olds by a length over Shining Copper. It was another three lengths back in third to Notacatbutallama.
BALTIMORE – Minutes after the first rain shower of the racing day, Summer Applause proved a popular winner of the Grade 3, $150,000 Allaire DuPont Distaff on the Preakness undercard at Pimlico.
Summer Applause, who paid $5.20 as the favorite, turned back a stretch challenge from Sea Island to score by two lengths. Brushed by a Star, the 2-1 second choice, never was a serious threat after loping along last in the field of five early behind a very slow pace. She did manage third, though, finishing three lengths behind the runner-up.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Paynter, winner of the Grade 1 Haskell Invitational last August who later survived a bout with laminitis, is nearing a comeback.
Friday, the 4-year-old Paynter worked six furlongs in 1:12.60 at Hollywood Park, his sixth workout on the surface since mid-April. Trainer Bob Baffert, who won Friday’s Black-Eyed Susan Stakes at Pimlico with Fiftyshadesofhay, said that he has not selected a race for Paynter’s return.
“He still has a ways to go,” Baffert said.
BALTIMORE - It had been mentioned to trainer Bob Baffert early on Saturday that speed wasn’t very good at Pimlico.
“Hey, wait til Zee Bros gets on it,” Baffert responded.
Zee Bros, with Martin Garcia up, made a slow track look quick as he blitzed his eight rivals with a front-running 2 1/4-length victory in the $100,000 Chick Lang Stakes for 3-year-old sprinters.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Take Charge Indy, the romping winner of the May 3 Alysheba Stakes, had his first breeze since that breakout victory when going an easy half-mile in 51 seconds early Saturday at Churchill Downs.
Trainer Pat Byrne said he definitely is planning on running Take Charge Indy in the Grade 1 Stephen Foster Handicap at Churchill on June 15. The 4-year-old colt earned a 109 Beyer Speed Figure with his six-length triumph under Rosie Napravnik in the Grade 2 Alysheba on the Kentucky Oaks undercard.
Evelyn’s Dancer is going to be tough to beat in the 6 1/2-furlong, $50,000 Strawberry Morn at Hastings on Monday. Trained by Troy Taylor, Evelyn’s Dancer has won five of her last six races at Hastings, and in her only loss, she ran a huge race to finish second behind Class Included in the Grade 3 Ballerina, where she was facing older fillies and mares for the first time. She dominated the local 3-year-old filly division last year, and prior to her loss in the Ballerina, she romped by 5 1/4 lengths in the $100,000 British Columbia Oaks.
Older fillies and mares who suddenly produce a career-best Beyer Speed Figure while winning are usually good candidates to regress next time out. The 5-year-old mare La Grey Zuliana, who just ran the fastest race of her 35-race career, and 4-year-old filly Dani’s Storm, freshened after she delivered her best performance in 14 lifetime starts, would seem to be two good examples of runners to bet against in Monday’s $50,000 feature at Parx Racing.
