Nominations released for March 22 stakes
LAUREL, MD – Sheriff Ronnie won for the third time in his last four starts when he took Sunday’s featured eighth race at Laurel Park, a second-level allowance with a $40,000 claiming option for 4-year-olds and upward at six furlongs.
Trained by Tim Kreiser for Mason Dixon Stable, Sheriff Ronnie prompted the pace while four wide through an opening quarter in 22.35 seconds. Classic Joke backed off the early battle to settle for the pocket position, leaving Sheriff Ronnie and jockey Carlos Lopez three wide and on the move on the turn.
Racing for the $40,000 claiming option, Sheriff Ronnie confronted pacesetters Tenebris and Bernie’s Mitts after a half in 45.33, assumed the lead in the upper stretch, and held firm to best Tenebris by 1 ½ lengths. Classic Joke finished another nose behind in third with Don’t Wait Up, Whiskey and You and Bernie’s Mitts completing the order of finish.
Favored Sheriff Ronnie returned $5.20 to win and raced the distance in 1:11.06 over the fast track.
“I tried to have a good break,” Lopez said. “I kept him outside so he had no dirt on his face. The outside position helped me a lot. He was very comfortable.”
Bred in Kentucky by William Graham, Sheriff Ronnie is a 5-year-old gelding by Tale of Ekati. A half-brother to stakes-winning synthetic sprinter Crumlin Spirit and stakes-placed dirt sprinter Henny’s Heart, Sheriff Ronnie sold for $7,500 as a short yearling. His second dam, Fantasy Lake, was a multiple stakes-winner on dirt.
Sheriff Ronnie didn’t earn his first victory until his twelfth start, but he came to hand after being claimed by Kreiser for $20,000 last summer. Sheriff Ronnie boasts four wins, one second, and one-third in seven starts for Kreiser.
Overall, Sheriff Ronnie has won nine times from 31 starts for earnings of $300,651.
Nominations released for March 22 stakes
Nominations were released Sunday for two $100,000 stakes races for 3-year-olds on March 22.
Twenty-seven sophomores were nominated to the Private Terms at 1 1/16 miles, led by Barbadian Runner, who swept through the Spectacular Bid Stakes at seven furlongs on Jan. 25 and the Miracle Wood Stakes at one mile on Feb. 28. Barbadian Runner is trained by Henry Walters for AJ Will Win Stables.
The nominations include stakes-winners Baby Dukes, Crab Daddy, Global Steve, It’s Hammertime, Sacred Thunder, and Tony Eclipse.
Multiple stakes-winner Onyx Ten is one of 28 nominations to the Beyond the Wire for 3-year-old fillies at one mile. Trained by Gary Capuano for Frank Sample, Onyx Ten is unbeaten from two starts this year with victories in the six-furlong Xtra Heat Stakes on Jan. 25 and the seven-furlong Wide Country Stakes on Feb. 22.
Stakes-winners Beautiful Blome, Burner Account, Hollywood Beauty, Pure Majestic and Shkhara Fire also were nominated.
Around the track:
Omaha Omaha, entered in Saturday’s $500,000 Virginia Derby and nominated to the Private Terms, breezed a half-mile in 51 flat for trainer Michael Gorham, who worked stakes-placed 3-year-old Pay Billy, also a Private Terms nominee, four furlongs in 49.80…Celtic Contender, entered in Friday’s $150,000 Boston Handicap at Colonial Downs, went a half-mile in 50 flat for trainer Hammy Smith… Stakes winner Vance Scholars breezed three-eighths in 37 flat on Saturday morning for trainer Phil Capuano… Multiple stakes-placed Safe Trust went in 52 flat for trainer Jose Corrales…Just a Fair Shake, most recently third in the Laurel Futurity on Sept. 28 and nominated to the Private Terms, breezed five furlongs in 1:01.80 for Daniel McKenzie…Sunday’s work tab was led by Virginia Derby entrant and Private Terms nominee Studlydoright, who breezed five-eighths in a bullet 1:01.20 for trainer Jerry Robb…Brittany Russell’s Grade 3 winner Apple Picker worked three-eighths in 37 flat.
