Laurel: Plot the Dots, Award Wanted win Md-bred stakes
Frank Vespe- January 21, 2023
In a pair of Maryland-bred stakes Saturday at Laurel Park, upsets were the order of the day, as well-bet favorites labored home third.
In the $75,000 Jennings Stakes for four-year-olds and up going a mile, Plot the Dots powered to an impressive five-length score, with even-money choice Ournationonparade, who led with a quarter-mile to go, fading to third. One race later, Award Wanted parlayed a perfect trip into a dominant win in the Geisha, while 2-5 Malibu Beauty settled for third.
Here’s what happened:
HOW IT HAPPENED
Under jockey Jevian Toledo, Plot the Dots powered to a five-length victory in the $75,000 Jennings Stakes for horses bred or sired in Maryland. Running time for the one-turn mile was 1:39.27 over a fast main track.
Plot the Dots was wide and off a speed duel in the early going. Toledo gave the six-year-old Uncle Mo gelding his cue midway on the turn, and Plot the Dots quickly moved up to engage leader Ournationonparade nearing the eighth pole before drawing away to win easily. Galerio rallied for second, while Ournationonparade, the even-money favorite, settled for third.
NOTABLE
Trainer Norman “Lynn” Cash filled out the exacta as the owner and trainer of both Plot the Dots and Galerio. He’d paid $40,000 to claim the former and $50,000 for the latter… Plot the Dots paid $12.00 to win, and with 16-1 Galerio underneath, the exacta $77.90 for a buck… Plot the Dots had scoped with mucus following his last race, a sixth-place finish in the Queens County at Aqueduct… It was the first stakes win for Plot the Dots, who now has eight wins and $436,000 in earnings from 33 starts…
QUOTABLE
“It was only two weeks rest [from his prior start], but to me that’s full rest. We sent him out and did a few treatments on him. We shipped him to the farm to do treatments every day, the salt room to help clean up the mucus that he had after the last race… I’m excited about Galerio, too. He was one that we claimed a long time ago. He was on the shelf while we cleaned up his knees. First time out, he didn’t run well, he needed the race, but this was a good race.”
Owner-trainer Norman “Lynn” Cash
CONNECTIONS
Plot the Dots
- Trainer Norman Cash
- Jockey Jevian Toledo
- Owner Built Wright Stables, LLC.
- Breeder The Elkstone Group LLC, bred in MD
Award Wanted scores in Geisha
HOW IT HAPPENED
Award Wanted parlayed a heady ride from jockey Angel Cruz and a perfect trip into a dominant, 5 3/4-length triumph in the $75,000 Geisha Stakes for state-bred or -sired fillies and mares. Running time was 1:40.76 for the one-turn mile.
Cruz positioned Award Wanted a couple of length back and tucked in at the rail wihle favorite Malibu Beauty (2-5) and longshot Bourbon Wildcat slugged it out up front. Turning for home, Award Wanted was able to slip through inside of those rivals and romp home well clear. Bourbon Wildcat held second, and Malibu Beauty was third.
NOTABLE
The win was one of two stakes wins on the day for both trainer Jerry Robb and jockey Cruz… Robb claimed the now-six-year-old Award Wanted on behalf of his and wife Gina’s No Guts No Glory Farm and Erica Upton for $16,000 in February 2021. The daughter of Macho Uno now has nine wins and $350,000 in earnings from 31 outings… Award Wanted paid $11.40 to win; with 22-1 Bourbon Wildcat in second, the exact was good for $87.80 on a one-dollar bet… The win was the first stakes win for owner Erica Upton…
QUOTABLE
“She was worth the $16,000 all day long when we claimed her – nothing special… She’s always run good. She’s just getting better and better.”
Trainer Jerry Robb
“As soon as she broke through [to the rail], I was like, ‘She’s going for it.’ And, I mean, it was a fight there at the end, but she fought for it, and she got it. Things just lined up — it’s incredible.”
Co-owner Erica Upton
CONNECTIONS
Award Wanted
- Trainer John J. Robb
- Jockey Angel Cruz
- Breeder Dr. Alexandro Rubim Dias
- Owners No Guts No Glory Farm & Erica Upton, bred in MD
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