Sandbar pulls away late in Maryland Sprint

Sandbar was claimed for $30,000 by the Ramseys last year (Jessie Holmes/EquiSport Photos)

The four-year-old gelding Sandbar (War Pass) recorded his first stakes
victory on Saturday in the $150,000
Maryland
Sprint H. (G3) at Pimlico, the first graded stakes on the Preakness (G1)
undercard.

Pressing 2014 Maryland Sprint winner Happy My Way (Wilko) from second through
splits of :23 and :45 1/5, Sandbar reached the leader inside the final eighth
and edged clear late to win by three-quarters of a length in a time of 1:09 4/5
for six furlongs on a fast track.

“He broke sharp, but it looked like (Happy My Way) wanted the lead,” Rosario
said. “Around the turn, I could feel the horses coming up on the outside and I
asked him for a little run and he responded well.”

Owned by Ken and Sarah Ramsey and trained by Joe Sharp, Sandbar returned
$10.80 as the 4-1 third choice.

Service for Ten (Service Stripe), a 12-1 chance, rallied up the inside to
beat Happy My Way by a nose for second. It was 4 3/4 lengths back to Souper
Knight (Midnight Lute), who was followed by 9-5 favorite Coup de Grace,
Warrioroftheroses (A. P. Warrior), Jack’s in the Deck (Love of Money), and
Picko’s Pride (Cactus Ridge).