Laughing all the way in the Matchmaker

The beautifully-bred Laughing earned a date with a Taylor Made stallion, as did the placegetters (Bill Denver/Equi-Photo) Richard Santulli’s Laughing scored her first graded coup in front-running fashion in Sunday’s Grade 3, $150,000 Matchmaker Stakes at Monmouth Park. Under a heady ride by the on-fire Rafael Bejarano, the half-sister to former Hong Kong superstar Viva Pataca enhanced her broodmare value, and earned a visit to a Taylor Made stallion. Laughing, the 6-5 favorite, initially stalked Silver Screamer in second through an opening quarter in :24 2/5 on the firm turf. Then Bejarano decided to take the initiative, and Laughing collared the leader as they passed the wire for the first time. The Alan Goldberg trainee set steady fractions of :48 4/5 and 1:12 4/5, now tracked in turn by Silver Screamer. Turning into the stretch, Silver Screamer threw down her challenge, but Laughing had plenty up her sleeve. She repelled Silver Screamer in short order and pulled away. Although Shimmering Moment closed strongly from the tail of the field to pose a brief threat, Laughing had her covered as well. The winner held a one-length margin at the wire while completing 1 1/8 miles in 1:48 4/5, and she gave back $4.40, $2.80 and $2.60.

Shimmering Moment was herself 3 1/2 lengths clear of Island School, who got
up late for third. Both also earned a date to a Taylor Made stallion for their
placed efforts.

Island Time checked in fourth. Silver Screamer faded to fifth, and Unbridled
Humor, a rank third early, wilted to last of six. Dealbata was withdrawn, as was
Hessonite, winner of Friday’s Irish Linnet at Saratoga.

Laughing’s resume now reads 8-4-1-1, $210,795. Bred by Floors Farming and the
Duke of Devonshire in Ireland, the daughter of Dansili was purchased by her
original trainer Charles O’Brien for $460,411 as a Tattersalls October yearling.
Laughing first sported the silks of Mrs. John Magnier, breaking her maiden in
her third try as a three-year-old in Ireland and promptly following up in the
Nijinsky Stakes at Leopardstown.

Subsequently bought by Santulli, Laughing made her North American debut in a
tough spot in last October’s Grade 1 E.P. Taylor Stakes, where she finished
seventh. She was transferred to Goldberg for her four-year-old campaign, and
started off on a winning note by defeating Silver Screamer in a second-level
optional claimer at Aqueduct on April 20. Laughing raced only once in the
interim, reporting home third to Zagora in the Grade 3 Gallorette Handicap at
Pimlico on Preakness Day.

Laughing’s half-brother, Viva Pataca, reigned as Hong Kong’s Horse of the
Year and all-time leading money winner with more than HK$83 million in the bank.
A two-time hero of the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth II Cup, he also won a trio of
Group 1 Champions & Chater Cups, a pair of Group 1 Hong Kong Gold Cups and the
Hong Kong Derby, among other titles. Viva Pataca’s lengthy list of placings
includes two more runnings of the QEII, as well as the Group 1 Hong Kong Cup and
Group 1 Dubai Sheema Classic.

Their dam, the winning Be My Chief mare Comic, is herself a half-sister to
multiple Grade 2-winning millionaire Brave Act. Laughing’s third dam, English
co-champion juvenile filly Circus Ring, is the ancestress of Italian co-highweight
Voila Ici and Australian champion filly Serenade Rose, heroine of such major
events as the Group 1 V.R.C. Oaks and Group 1 A.J.C. Australian Oaks.

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