Trainer Damon Dilodovico waited until Saturday morning to declare
The Maryland Million is the second-most important racing day in the
Sheldon Russell, who won two other Maryland Million races earlier on
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The pace of the Classic was pedestrian, as longshot Movin’ Out (Diamond) led
the field around the clubhouse turn and down the backstretch. Post time favorite
In The Juice (Rock Slide) and nine-year-old warrior Cuba (Not for Love) raced in
close pursuit, while Regal Solo was content to travel at the back of the field.
Russell kept his mount tucked in behind them all, then sent him wide around the
turn and widest into the stretch, where he catapulted to the lead and pulled
away to win by 1 1/4 lengths. Not Abroad (Not for Love) finished second while
Regal Warrior (Louis Quatorze) was third.
“We had to go to plan B because he did not break sharply from the gate,”
Russell said. “He gave me a particularly good race, though, and sat comfortably
around the entire track. We had to be a bit cautionary going around because the
ground had been somewhat wet all day. All I had to do was keep out of trouble
and when I let out a notch, he really took off for me. He was a lot sharper at
the end then I thought he might be.”
“I thought we could get the job done here,” said Dilodovico, who has five
Maryland Million victories, all off the claim. “We’ve been pointing for this
race. Had a couple setbacks with this horse in the spring but he’s come on
lately. We just needed to tweak a few things, although I was a little concerned
with the distance. We didn’t know what to expect so we told Sheldon to be ready
for anything. When he was settling, with a ton of horse, as close as he was, I
felt good about it. If he had done anything careless early, the horse would have
taken off with him.”
After Regal Warrior came In the Juice, and 2008 Classic winner Cuba. Movin’
Out was pulled up by jockey Eric Camacho and did not finish.
“He was running hard but just shut down,” Camacho explained. “I had to check
him slightly when they went by us and he just turned it off immediately. He went
from on to off. I knew there wasn’t any speed in the race so I tried to go to
the front from the one-hole and take a chance.”
Regal Solo’s career line now reads 25-7-4-5 and he’s banked $276,840
lifetime. He paid $13.40 as the 5-1 third choice.
The companion $100,000
“Our concern going into the race was the seven furlongs because this is a
“She’s not a sprinter by any means,” Smith agreed. “She’s almost 17 hands and
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Blind Date was making her third appearance on Maryland Million Day, having
also finished third in the Lassie two years ago, and improved her record to
16-7-2-1, $270,260. The four-year-old lass added a fifth stakes win to her line,
which also includes a triumph in the 2009 Virginia Oaks (G2).
It was another three lengths back to third-placer and last year’s Distaff
Charles McGill’s POCKET PATCH (Partner’s Hero) finished off the board
“Jonathan did a great job of getting him relaxed,” said Flint Stites, who
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Pocket Patch ran fifth in the 2009 Turf, but was second two back in the
Robellino S. The dark bay was worth $14 at 6-1 in the Turf, which is the biggest
win of his career. His lifetime mark now reads 20-4-5-1, $207,860.
While Pocket Patch provided a slight upset in the Turf, Daniel T. O’Ryan’s MY
Last year, the O’Ryan trainee finished second in the Maryland Million Distaff
“We planned to make the lead and sit there on an easy pace,” Ho said. “The
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My Sweet Nenana won by four lengths in 1:54 3/5 for nine grassy furlongs.
Love’s Blush (Not for Love) finished second and Amelia’s Brio (Crowd Pleaser)
was third. Defending champion Talkin About Love (Not for Love) ran seventh.
Funky Munky Stable LLC’s JACK ON THE ROCKS (Outflanker) led into deep
“This horse was very game today,” Russell said. “I wasn’t concerned today
Jack on the Rocks, who is trained by Gary Gullo in New York, made his stakes
“The horse that ran second tried his heart out, gave his all, and I almost
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It was another outstanding Maryland Million effort by Celtic Innis in his
45th, and likely final, start of his career. The Tim Keefe-trained
eight-year-old won this race in 2008 and was second in 2006 and 2009.
“It was a great effort,” Keefe said. “He is a cool horse and means everything
to our barn. We have had him since he was a two-year-old and he always tries.
He’s just a notch below a really good horse but inside he thinks he’s a classic
winner. That’s why he has made $650,000 (in lifetime earnings). He thinks he is
that good. We think this will be his last race, maybe something at the end of
the year but this is probably it.”
Roaring Lion, the 1-2 betting favorite and defending champion, broke behind
the leaders and despite a rally, could finish no closer than third.
The Jim Stable’s BEN’S CAT (Parker’s Storm Cat) made it six-for-six with a
“This is a phenomenal horse who just runs,” Pimentel said after completing
“I hoped we’d break well and told the jock to use his judgment and to do what
Ben’s Cat’s debut was delayed by a broken pelvis and the dark bay did not
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If Not for Lust (Not for Love) followed in second by 4 1/2 lengths while
holding Sandbaggin’ Lover (Outflanker) to third by a neck. The Turf Sprint
featured two former winners. Kosmo’s Buddy (Outflanker), the 2008 victor, ran
fourth, while defending champion Natural Seven (Partner’s Hero) was next to
last.
Leatherbury moved into a second place tie in the Maryland Million trainer
standings, one behind Dale Capuano, with this, his eighth victory. It was his
first win at the event in nine years. Prior to the Distaff, Leatherbury was
presented the John Galbreath Award by the University of Louisville for
outstanding entrepreneurship in the equine industry. The 77-year-old ranks third
on the all-time win list with 6,304 career wins.
With a million dollar ride on Maryland Million day, Vladimir Diaz guided
“My filly put herself in a perfect spot along the rail,” Diaz said. “It was
Baltimore Belle paid $8.60 as the 3-1 second pick. She was making her stakes
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R. Larry
Johnson’s homebred DOING GREAT (Great Notion) stood up to 1-5 favorite Twelve Park Shelly
(Deputy Storm) and beat her
in the drive to win in the $100,000
Maryland Million Lassie,
which kicked off the 11-stakes program. Under steady urging by jockey Julian Pimentel, the
dark bay lass completed six furlongs in 1:12 to win by a half-length. Twelve
Pack Shelly, who led from the start and was looking for her third straight
stakes win and her fifth victory in seven starts, held on by a narrow head to remain
second as Love’s Reason (Not for Love) rallied furiously to finish third.
“The two horse was the one to beat,” Pimentel said. “We were going pretty
Mike Trombetta trains Doing Great, who had romped in her only start against
“My instructions to Julian were if nobody entertains the favorite, it’s going
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One race later, ZWP Stable Inc. & Non Stop Stable’s STEADY WARRIOR captured
the $100,000
Maryland Million Nursery just as his sire, Cherokee’s Boy, did in 2002. Only
one other previous winner has sired a Maryland Million winner. Awad, who
captured the Turf in 1993, was the father of Let Me Be Frank, who was victorious
in the 2008 Starter H.
Trained by Gary Capuano and ridden by Travis Dunkelberger, Steady Warrior had
“I had to get after him on the far turn a bit because he was looking out at
Steady Warrior paid $2.20 in winning just his second lifetime start. He broke his maiden
Laurel also hosted two starter handicaps as part of its Maryland Million
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Nancy Terhune’s SILVER HEART (Lion Hearted) took the finale on Maryland
Million day when an opposing rider misjudged the finish on Serenadia (Lion
Hearted), allowing Silver Heart to go by unopposed in the $100,000
Maryland Million Distaff Starter H. Ricardo Chiappe drove to the lead aboard
Serenadia, the defending champion, a furlong from the finish and then stood up
in the mistaken belief that the race was over. By the time he realized his
error, Silver Heart and Dunkelberger had rolled by and were on their way to a
three-quarter length victory. Serenadia drifted home second and Profit (Not for
Love) finished third in the mile test, which was completed in 1:39 1/5.
Country music sensation James Otto held a special concert in-between the 5TH
and 6TH races. The 37-year-old performed for 40 minutes, singing his 2007 number
one single “Just Got Started Lovin You” and his current chart-climbing single
“Groovy Little Summer Song”.