Showalter held off Hennessy to break his maiden at first asking yesterday at Laurel Park. Photo by Jim McCue, Maryland Jockey Club.

Showalter held off Hennessy Fire to break his maiden at first asking yesterday at Laurel Park. Photo by Jim McCue, Maryland Jockey Club.

From a Maryland Jockey Club release

Baltimore Orioles manager Buck Showalter is a popular fellow in Birdland, having piloted the previously moribund franchise to two playoff trips in the last four years.  He was named American League Manager of the Year after his 2014 team went 96-66.

Now, his namesake horse might be poised to make some waves of his own.

Showalter, a 2-year-old gelding bred and owned by Orioles CEO and majority owner Peter Angelos (as Marathon Farms), won his racing debut Sunday at Laurel when he led throughout to win a 5 ½-furlong race by a neck over Hennessy Fire.  It was another six lengths back to Cozze Cat in third.

Showalter, a Maryland-bred son of the Grade I winner Quality Road and out of the stakes-winning mare Lucette, also owned by Angelos, covered the distance in 1:05.32 over a muddy and sealed track.

Showalter is trained by Robert Leaf Jr., and was ridden by Xavier Perez. Showalter earned $29,640.

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