Trainers Dylan Smith and Niall Saville saddled their first stakes winners Saturday at Laurel Park, an achievement that left one breathless and the other chatty.
In today’s RaceBrief, we recap a bevy of regional stakes, and more.
Turf, dirt, dry, slop — it’s all the same to ageless Ben’s Cat who dusted his rivals to win his third Jim McKay Turf Sprint in four years.
Onetime maiden claimer Kid Cruz won his second straight Maryland stake and may have punched his ticket to the Preakness.
Trainer King Leatherbury thinks he takes too much for granted. His focus Saturday was on appreciating the remarkable Ben’s Cat, who won his fifth Mister Diz.
Ben’s Cat opened his 2014 campaign on familiar turf, winning the Mister Diz Stakes at Pimlico for the fifth straight time.
Journeyman jock Julian Pimentel kicked off the Pimlico meet in style, with two wins on Thursday.
Trainer Larry Murray saved his St. Patrick’s Day tie for Saturday’s Conniver Stakes, and More Than a Cruise allowed him to flaunt it in the winner’s circle.
Second in the Conniver at Laurel a year ago, More Than a Cruise proved easily best in today’s 46th running of the event.
Once nearly 20 lengths back, former claimer Kid Cruz arrived with a worst-to-first rally to take the Private Terms Stakes at Laurel Park.