BOLD AFFAIR HEADLINES SATURDAY’S PRIMONETTA STAKES
BALTIMORE, 04-12-12---Fillies and mares take the spotlight in Saturday’s feature offering at Pimlico Race Course, the $75,000 Primonetta Stakes. Recent stakes winner Bold Affair is the 3-1 morning line favorite to capture the 6-furlong test on the main track.
Bold Affair has won five of nine starts for trainer Howard Wolfendale. The Two Punch filly is two for three at Pimlico, including her maiden score in her debut and a third place finish in the Miss Preakness Stakes last year. Her latest effort was a galloping victory in Laurel Park’s Conniver Stakes under Abel Castellano, who retains the mount.
Graham Motion started training Valiant Passion (7-2) after a two year old campaign in which she finished third in the G1 Spinaway and fourth in the G1 Frizette. Motion’s only try with the Lion Heart filly resulted in an easy, 6-1/2 length victory against allowance company at Saratoga in July. She hasn’t started since. Luis Garcia will ride.
Hamilton Smith will saddle Aquitania (4-1) who has won five of her last seven starts. Her last three efforts were against stakes company, finishing third in Aqueduct’s Interborough, fourth in the Barbara Fritchie (G2) at Laurel and first in the Lynclar Stakes in New York. Sheldon Russell, who won two races aboard the Leroidesanimaux filly last year, regains the mount. Smith has cross entered Aquitania in Saturday’s Distaff Handicap (G2) at Aqueduct.
“I don’t know what I am going to do. It would be better to place in a Grade 2 but we’ll make a decision by tomorrow morning,” Smith said. “She is bred for grass but has turned into a pretty honest sprinter on the dirt. She is doing great leading into either race.”
Smith is still basking in the glory of Done Talking’s upset victory in the Illinois Derby (G3) at Hawthorne Saturday afternoon. Smith hopes the son of Broken Vow will make his next start in the Kentucky Derby (G1) on May 5.
“It was very exciting and we are hoping to stay in the top 20,” added Smith. “There are a couple races this weekend (Arkansas Derby and Blue Grass Stakes) that could bump us below the line but we are hoping to make the trip to Louisville next month and enjoy it. I really expected him to run well and was not surprised by the result. He was training well leading into the race.”
Jamie Ness has cross-entered Lady of Greatness (4-1) in both the Primonetta and Charles Town’s Sugar Maple Stakes. A $10,000 claim in 2010, Lady of Greatness has won nine times in thirty-five starts. This will be her first stakes attempt. No rider is named.
Speedy Maple Forest (6-1) will represent Todd Pletcher’s powerful stable. The Forestry filly can count a victory in Monmouth’s Dearly Precious Stakes among her three lifetime wins. Forest Boyce has the mount.
The remainder of the field includes New York shipper Enchante (8-1), the Jonathan Sheppard trained Armarante (20-1) and locally-based Terra Rolla (20-1).
Saturday’s promotion is the Wild West Comes To Pimlico, which includes a BBQ and Brew Fest for $25 featuring western entertainment and country music standouts Detour with an additional $10 for craft beer sampling. On-track events will feature performances by Hi Ho Silver and the Lone Ranger (after race 1), bull herding (after race 2), trick riding (after race 3) and roman riding (after race 5).
PLAYERS’ JACKPOT PICK 5 DEBUTS SATURDAY
The new Pimlico PLAYERS’ JACKPOT PICK 5 will be added to the wagering menu Saturday and continue every live racing day throughout the spring meeting, which ends on Preakness Day Saturday, May 19.
The wager, which begins with race six on Saturday’s 11-race card, pays any carryover to a single, unique winning ticket.
Here are the highlights:
- 60% of the daily pool is paid to multiple winners or “best of fives”
- 40% of the daily pool builds a jackpot carryover payable to a single, unique winning ticket
- 50¢ minimum bet and ticket value
- 18% takeout
- Late scratches are awarded post time favorites
- A move from turf to dirt results in an “all”; a surface change in more than one leg results in a refund
- Mandatory payout final day of the meet
“Fans are really into the Jackpot Pick 5 concept,” said Maryland Jockey Club president Tom Chuckas. “We have a potential to have some substantial carryovers heading into Preakness week.”
The AELR Committee approved an emergency regulation last Thursday during the General Assembly in Annapolis for the period ending August 30, 2012.
JOHN SALZMAN JR. WINS FIRST TWO-YEAR-OLD RACE FOR THE FOURTH STRAIGHT YEAR
The first race for 2-year-olds in Maryland this year was won today at Pimlico Race Course by the promising filly Brenda’s Way, who is trained by John Salzman, Jr. This was the fourth year in a row that Salzman had won the first baby race of the season, following future stakes winners Gator Prowl, Twelve Pack Shelly and Bluegrass Atatude.
Brenda’s Way rallied from off the pace and drew off to a commanding 7 3/4 length victory in today’s third race, a maiden test for juvenile fillies. Jonathan Joyce was in the saddle as the bay daughter of Weigelia made an impressive debut for a trainer who specializes in getting his young horses ready for their debut.
“It is a lot of fun but there is a lot of pressure after doing it year after year,” Salzman said. “The field was much larger this time and you hear so many rumors about who has runners. I didn’t say anything. I knew this filly was fast but actually thought my other one (sixth place finisher Stormy Adventure) might be more talented. I was very impressed she won from off the pace.”
Brenda’s Way completed the 4-1/2 furlong distance in 54.78 seconds and paid $6.60, as the 2-1 betting choice. 25-1 shot Craftwell Belle finished second and Set to Smoke, a filly trained by John Salzman Sr., finished third. The trifecta paid $606.
Eleven of the last 13 years, the winner of the first juvenile race in the state has been conditioned by a Salzman (John Sr., Tim or John Jr.).
“We love the young horses,” added Salzman. “I like the claiming business but most of my owners come to me for the 2-year-old game. It is exciting to get them ready to run right out of the gate.”
Salzman will saddle Worldseriesatatude (4-1) and Knock Two Times (8-1) in the first two-year-old colt or gelding race of 2012 in tomorrow’s third. His brother and father also have runners in the race.
-mjc-
PHOTO CREDIT-Jim McCue, Maryland Jockey Club
Mike Gathagan
Vice President-Communications
Maryland Jockey Club
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