MY SWEET NENANA PULLS $119 SHOCKER IN MARYLAND MILLION LADIES
LAUREL, MD. 10-02-10---Daniel T. O’Ryan’s My Sweet Nenana sprung an upset in the $100,000 Jim McKay Maryland Million Ladies, leading from start to finish at odds of $58.50-1. The win payout was the largest in the 25-year history of the Maryland Million, $30 more than Missy White Oak in the 1991 Lassie.
Last year, the daughter of Jazz Club finished second in the Maryland Million Distaff Starter Handicap at odds of 67-1. This was just her second attempt on the grass and second start under apprentice Christopher Ho, who was winning his first stakes, as was My Sweet Nenana. Owner O’Ryan also conditions the daughter of Jazz Club at the Bowie Training Center.
“We planned to make the lead and sit there on an easy pace,” said Ho. “The last time on turf, which was her first time, she ran real good for us but we just didn’t get the position we wanted. This time we got to the rail. This filly likes to lay on other horses when she’s outside.”
Jockey Ho outfoxed his eight opponents when My Sweet Nenana skipped to an easy lead. The remaining riders decided to back off the pacesetter, but when they finally came after her, the Not For Love filly spurted away. She won by four lengths in 1:54.67 for the nine furlong distance over the good turf. Love’s Blush finished second and Amelia’s Brio was third.
“I told Chris to try to take the lead if possible,” said O’Ryan. “He rides just about all of my horses and he knows them all very well. When he got to the mile and he was riding easy, I knew that we had a good shot. Everything just seemed to come together for us today.”
O’Ryan, who saddled Toboggan Slide to victory in the 2009 Maryland Million Nursery, did not have a winner in Maryland this year until Matanuska Passion won Friday’s second race.
Defending champion Talkin About Love finished seventh.
-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)
This e-mail, and any documents or data attached hereto, is intended for the intended recipients only. It may contain confidential and/or privileged information and no rights have been waived by the sender. If the reader of this message is not the intended recipient, or the employee or agent responsible for delivering the message to the intended recipient, you are hereby NOTIFIED that any dissemination, distribution, retention, archiving or copying of this communication is strictly prohibited. If you have received this e-mail in error, please notify me at the telephone number shown above or by return mail and delete this communication and any copy immediately. MID provides no assurances that this e-mail and its attachments are virus free; you are responsible for scanning all e-mails and attachments for viruses. MID disclaims all liability for damages caused by any virus which may be transmitted by this email. Thank you.
