Ten Oaks Miss, Brown, and Runco: The week in maiden winners
Mini Bolt took 51 tries to break his maiden, which he did February 14. Photo by Coady Photography.
The week’s priciest maiden winner came at Penn National on March 21. That’s when Julia Mae’s Legacy graduated in maiden special weight company after never having run better than fourth in three prior starts. The Donald Demeza trainee was ridden by William Otero and returned $56.80 to win.
CHARLES TOWN MAIDEN WINNERS
Trainers Jeff Runco and Ronney Brown dominated the Charles Town maiden ranks last week.
Runco won three maiden special weight tests, teaming up with three different riders — Arnaldo Bocachica, Keimar Trotman, and Gerald Almodovar — in the process.
Meanwhile, Brown struck twice, both times in $12,500 maiden claiming company. Dropped into claiming company for the first time March 21, three-year-old Sunset Girl, a West Virginia-bred daughter of Swiss Yodeler, ripped off a nearly-five-length win while navigating 4 1/2 furlongs in 54.60 seconds with Christian Hiraldo up. It was her first win in six career starts and pushed her earnings to $19,443. She was bred and is owned and trained by Brown.
The following day, Brown struck again, this time with Strong Ties, making her fourth career start. The sophomore Fed Biz filly cruised to a two-length win under Kelvin Morales, getting the 4 1/2 furlongs in 54.42 over a sloppy, sealed track. Owned by Mark Becraft, who paid $5,000 for her at last May’s Fasig-Tipton Midlantic two-year-old sale in Timonium, she has a win from four starts and earnings of $10,538.
| Horse (state bred), trainer and jockey | Level | $2 win payout |
| Foxy Shot (KY), trained by J C Runco and ridden by A Bocachica | MSW | $6.20 |
| Helen’s Pitch (WV), trained by K Gazzier and ridden by J Villegas | MCL 5000 s | $13.00 |
| Little Miss Muffin (WV), trained by D C Barber and ridden by G W Mayhew | MCL 5000 s | $6.60 |
| Out of Cents (WV), trained by J C Runco and ridden by G Almodovar | MSW s | $8.40 |
| Strong Ties (KY), trained by R W Brown and ridden by K Morales | MCL 12500 | $12.80 |
| Sunset Girl (WV), trained by R W Brown and ridden by C Hiraldo | MCL 12500 s | $2.80 |
| Telecommunication (KY), trained by O L Figgins, III and ridden by L A Batista | MCL 5000 | $3.20 |
| Terrafirma (KY), trained by S R Viands and ridden by L A Batista | MCL 5000 | $2.80 |
| The Leeman Dinner (KY), trained by J C Carlisle and ridden by V Rodriguez | MCL 5000 | $5.00 |
| Unruly Julie (WV), trained by J C Runco and ridden by K Trotman | MSW s | $10.80 |
LAUREL PARK MAIDEN WINNERS
One of the week’s biggest upsets at Laurel Park took place March 24, when Ten Oaks Miss graduated in maiden special weight company, returning $28.20 on a two-dollar win bet.
Ten Oaks Miss, a three-year-old Tritap filly, is a Lewis family homebred, bred in Maryland by Dr. Frederick Lewis, Jr. and owned by the Lewis Family Racing Stable. Trained by Carlos Mancilla, she had raced three times prior to her weekend score, having finished eighth and ninth in her first two tries before running second — albeit a well-beaten second — at the same level.
On Sunday, with Kevin Gomez up, she stalked the early pace, challenged for the lead in upper stretch, and prevailed by a head following a long stretch duel. The win pushed her career earnings to $43,760.
| Horse (state bred), trainer, and jockey | Level | $2 win payoff |
| America’s Prince (NY), trained by Capuano Dale and ridden by Correa J | MCL 10000 | $3.40 |
| Bash (Md), trained by Sanchez-Salomon Rodolf and ridden by Pimentel J | MCL 10000 | $2.80 |
| Grand Oasis (Ont-C), trained by Gonzalez Claudio A and ridden by Cardona S | MCL 25000 | $4.00 |
| Great French Kiss (Md), trained by Gonzalez Claudio A and ridden by Karamanos H A | MCL 16000 | $2.60 |
| Great Herman (Md), trained by Robb John J and ridden by Perez X | MSW | $5.40 |
| Linda’s Nekia (Ohio), trained by Ramirez Jose A and ridden by Pinero F A | MCL 10000 | $21.00 |
| Ten Oaks Miss (Md), trained by Mancilla Carlos A and ridden by Gomez K | MSW | $28.20 |
| Unique Humor (Ky), trained by Robb John J and ridden by Perez X | MCL 25000 | $8.00 |
PENN NATIONAL MAIDEN WINNERS
| Horse (state bred), trainer, and jockey | Level | $2 win payoff |
| Brooksley (KY), trained by G Saleem and ridden by D Feliciano | MCL 5000 | $7.00 |
| Don’t Blame Bertie (KY), trained by T M Beattie and ridden by E Gonzalez | MSW | $2.20 |
| He’s Zippin On By (KY), trained by T M Beattie and ridden by D G Whitney | MCL 15000 | $4.60 |
| Julia Mae’s Legacy (KY), trained by D L Demeza and ridden by W P Otero | MSW | $56.80 |
| Regal Treasure (FL), trained by C F Rodriguez and ridden by J A Davis | MCL 5000 | $5.00 |
PARX RACING MAIDEN WINNERS
| Horse (state bred), trainer, and jockey | Level | $2 win payoff |
| Cawaja Time (ON), trained by H Wyner and ridden by A Bowman | MCL 40000 | $3.00 |
| Dance for Oro (KY), trained by T M Beattie and ridden by T Conner | MSW | $14.80 |
| Fort Apache (CA), trained by S A Lake and ridden by A R Rodriguez | MCL 10000 | $23.60 |
| Lorden’s Love (PA), trained by S A Lake and ridden by E Esquivel | MCL 10000 | $8.40 |
| St Edmond’s Girl (NY), trained by C J Englehart and ridden by A S Worrie | MCL 10000 | $7.80 |
| Yes It’s Dyna (ON), trained by L C Linder, Jr. and ridden by A S Arroyo | MCL 10000 | $4.80 |
| Zen Archer (PA), trained by K A Demasi and ridden by A R Rodriguez | MSW s | $8.40 |
