Pure Majestic Makes It Two Straight in $150,000 Selima
G3 Winner Dean Martini Rolls in $100,000 Japan Turf Cup
LAUREL, MD – West Point Thoroughbreds, Jimmy Kahig Racing Stables, CJ Stables and Edwin Barker’s Pascaline, making just his second career start, swept to the lead at the top of the stretch and turned back a bevy of challengers late to register a two-length victory in Saturday’s $150,000 Laurel Futurity.
The 98th running of the Futurity for 2-year-olds was the last of three stakes on a 10-race program, following Pure Majestic’s front-running score in the $150,000 Selima for 2-year-old fillies and Dean Martini’s romp in the $100,000 Japan Turf Cup.
Pascaline ($10) was entered for main track only and drew into the race when it was rained off the Dahlia turf course by the remnants of Hurricane Helene and shortened from 1 1/16 miles to one mile. Ridden by Victor Carrasco, he covered the distance in 1:38.87 over a main track rated good.
It was the second straight Laurel Futurity win for trainer Arnaud Delacour, who captured the last year’s race with Air Recruit.
“That’s great. Both races were exciting to me, so it’s been a good race,” Delacour said. “Obviously a one-turn mile is a bit of a testing distance for just his second race, but I thought he handled everything well. He just sat quietly there and came with a run at the right time.”
Notmyfirstrodeo, a 35-1 longshot that was an off-the-turf maiden winner at Delaware Park two starts back, broke alertly and went the opening quarter-mile in 23.72 seconds pressed by Kitty’s Son to his outside. Hard Circle raced in third while Carrasco settled Pascaline in the clear in fourth.
Hard Circle passed Notmyfirstrodeo to assume the top spot after a half-mile in 47.68 as Carrasco moved to within striking position three wide midway around the turn. Pascaline forged a short lead once straightened for home and was set down for a drive to the wire as Grade 3-placed stakes winner and 2-1 favorite Studlydoright and Just a Fair Shake rallied late.
“Today was one of those times that you’re watching the race and other than you’re hoping that nothing gets through on the rail, he just looked in command all the way,” West Point executive vice president Tom Bellhouse said. “When Studlydoright started to come out on his flank, Victor let him go. Just a super professional race and so exciting.”
Studlydoright edged Just a Fair Shake by a head for second. It was a neck back to Reggie Runs Rogue, unbeaten in his previous two starts, followed by Surfside Moon, Kitty’s Son, Hard Circle, Notmyfirstrodeo and Gotta Have a Guy. Stormy Flight, Soleil Volant, Academy, Jus Too Fly and Lazlo were scratched.
Based at the Fair Hill Training Center in Elkton, Md., Pascaline fetched $40,000 as a yearling last fall. He was a rallying winner of his lone prior start, a 6 ½-furlong maiden special weight Aug. 24 at Colonial Downs, where he split horses and drew off by 1 ¾ lengths.
The Futurity has a rich history dating back to 1921 inaugural winner Morvich, who would go on to win the 1922 Kentucky Derby. The Futurity has also been won by Triple Crown champions Affirmed, Citation and Secretariat along with Barbaro, In Reality, Honest Pleasure, Quadrangle, Riva Ridge, Spectacular Bid and Tapit.
Pure Majestic Makes It Two Straight in $150,000 Selima
After needing six starts to break her maiden, No Guts No Glory Farm’s Pure Majestic registered her second straight win and first in a stakes with a front-running 1 ¼-length triumph in the $150,000 Selima for 2-year-old fillies.
Ridden by Jevian Toledo for trainer John ‘Jerry’ Robb, Pure Majestic ($17.40) crossed the wire in 1:40.50 over a muddy and sealed main track after the race was rained off the Dahlia turf course and shortened from 1 1/16 miles to one mile.
A gray or roan daughter of Grade 1 winner Tapit, Pure Majestic broke alertly and found herself leading a field of six through a quarter-mile in 23.23 seconds with My Charm second followed by the trio of Sail Theseven Seas on the rail, 5-2 favorite Strong Like Sara three wide and 25-1 longshot Burner Account between horses.
Pure Majestic was still in front after a half in 46.73 and straightened for home in command, extending her advantage when My Charm moved up to challenge in mid-stretch before finishing second, 2 ½ lengths ahead of Sail Theseven Seas. Strong Like Sara, Burner Account and Swan House completed the order of finish.
“There was a lot of speed in there,” Robb said. “I never thought she’d be on the lead, but I told [Toledo] to ride the race as it comes up. She broke like a rocket and he didn’t want to take her back, so it worked out. She’s a pretty cool filly.”
Pure Majestic was the most experienced horse in the Selima with six prior starts and has now finished third or better in six of her seven races. Her first four came sprinting on the dirt before stretching out to a mile on the grass in each of her previous two, including a gate-to-wire maiden special weight triumph Sept. 5 at Colonial Downs.
“She just needed some ground,” Robb said. “Those early races were all too short for her.”
First run in 1926, the Selima is named for the great English race mare who was imported to the U.S. in the 1750s by Benjamin Tasker Jr., manager of the famed Belair Farm in Prince George’s County. The daughter of the Godolphin Arabian, considered ‘Queen of the Turf,’ also gained fame as a broodmare.
G3 Winner Dean Martini Rolls in $100,000 Japan Turf Cup
David Bernsen’s Dean Martini, four years remove from his victory in the Ohio Derby (G3), made a triumphant return to the main track with a 6 ½-length romp in the $100,000 Japan Turf Cup.
Rained off the All Along turf course and shortened from 1 ½ to 1 ¼ miles, Dean Martini ($12.60) finished up in 2:04.94 over a main track rated good in his first dirt race since the Cougar II (G3) in July 2022 at Del Mar.
“He won the Ohio Derby before he came to me so he can run on the dirt. It had just been a long time,” winning trainer Peter Eurton said by phone from California. “The owner picked this spot out, so I have to give him credit.”
Jockey Jevian Toledo, who earlier on the program won the $150,000 Selima for 2-year-old fillies with Pure Majestic, hustled Dean Martini to the lead from their outside post and was in front after a quarter-mile in 24.44 seconds and a half in 49.40, tracked by 2021 Japan Turf Cup winner Tide of the Sea. Max Swagger, sent off at 50-1, settled in third with defending champion Yamato fourth.
Dean Martini maintained his advantage entering the stretch and responded when challenged by Yamato, making his first start in 12 months since winning last year’s Japan Turf Cup, and opened up over the final eighth of a mile. Hay Chief made a late run to edge a tiring Yamato by a length for third, followed by 4-5 favorite Irish Cork, Max Swagger and Tide of the Sea.
California Frolic, Dataman, Lord Flintshire and Dripping Gold were scratched.
“That’s what he likes best. He likes to be in front, where he gets comfy and cozy. If he has to track somebody it’s usually not a good deal” Eurton said. “He does defend, I’ll tell you what. If he gets his way for about a half-mile then he’s like, ‘This is my territory,’” Eurton said.