CONCEALED IDENTITY PROVES BEST IN TESIO STAKES
BALTIMORE, 05-07-11---Linda Gaudet & Morris Bailey’s Concealed Identity sat off a contested pace, went by the leaders going around the turn and continued home under a hard drive to win the $75,000 Federico Tesio Stakes, the feature offering for possible Preakness starters at Pimlico Race Course.
Sent to post at 7-1 under leading jockey Sheldon Russell for trainer Eddie Gaudet, the son of Smarty Jones won by two lengths and completed the 1-1/16th mile distance in 1:45.67. Post time favorite Ruler On Ice rallied into the picture, then held on to take second by a neck over slow starting J W Blue.
Concealed Identity was winning the second stakes of his eight-race career. He captured the Maryland Juvenile Championship last December. He came into the Tesio off an impressive allowance score at the distance here on April 15.
“He ran excellent today,” Russell said. “We were very impressed how he ran last time, the first time going two turns. Last time they took the blinkers off him because he only has one eye and we were able to relax him there and get him into good position early on and he finished so much better. He came home running today and didn’t seem like he was slowing down.”
The 80-year-old Gaudet has been a fixture at the Bowie Training Center for decades. He finished third in the Maryland standings behind King Leatherbury and Dale Capuano for three straight years in the mid-1990’s. He won the 1971 Black-Eyed Susan with At Arms Length and took the 1991 General George Handicap (Grade II) with Star Touch.
“He has a lot of talent and trained like a good horse,” Gaudet said. “He is doing everything right here of late. We are certainly thinking about the Preakness but have to see how he comes out of this one and how crowded the field is going to be. It would be something if we had two Bowie horses in the Preakness.”
Norman Asbjornson, from Chris Grove’s Bowie barn, is also hoping to find his way into the Preakness field two weeks from today.
Concealed Identity, who upped his earnings to $120,780 with the win, paid $16.60 and topped a $60 exacta and $141.80 exacta.
The Kentucky Derby day festivities at Old Hilltop included a Preakness Prep Infield Party with concerts by The Plain White T’s and Sons of the Radio in the beer garden section.
ACOSTA, SHUMAN CLOSING IN ON MILESTONES
Jockey J.D. Acosta and trainer Mark Shuman, both mainstays in the Mid-Atlantic tracks since 2002 are closing in on career milestones.
Acosta is now one win shy of 2,000 after riding Good General to victory in today’s 8th race. The 29-year-old from Puerto Rico rode his first domestic winner at Pimlico in April 2002 and has captured multiple riding titles at Timonium and Charles Town. He has mounts at Charles Town tonight, tomorrow and Wednesday before returning to Pimlico Thursday afternoon.
Shuman has three wins at Pimlico this week to move to within one of 1,000. The 40-year-old visited the winners’ circle twice Thursday and once on Friday’s card. He has two out-of-town starters before running a pair here Thursday afternoon.
-mjc-
PHOTO CREDIT-Jim McCue, Maryland Jockey Club
Mike Gathagan
Vice President-Communications
Maryland Jockey Club
410-578-4461 (Pimlico)
301-470-5461 (Laurel Park)
240-876-7403 (Mobile)
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