Multiple Stakes Winners Among Noms to $125,000 Weber City Miss
Spring Stakes Spectacular Features Seven Stakes Worth $750,000
Saturday, April 20 Program Marks Opening of 2019 MATCH Series

LAUREL, MD – Runnymede Racing’s Alwaysmining, who extended his win streak to five races with his fourth consecutive stakes triumph last month, heads a list of 15 sophomores nominated to the $125,000 Xpressbet Federico Tesio Saturday, April 20 at Laurel Park.

The 38th running of the 1 1/8-mile Tesio for 3-year-olds, and the fourth renewal of the $125,000 Weber City Miss for 3-year-old fillies are among seven stakes worth $750,000 in purses on the Spring Stakes Spectacular program which highlights Laurel’s 19-day spring meet.

For the fourth straight year, the Tesio will serve as a ‘Win and In’ race for Triple Crown-nominated 3-year-olds to the 144th Preakness Stakes (G1) May 18, while the Weber City Miss is a ‘Win and In’ event for the 95th Black-Eyed Susan (G2) May 17, both at legendary Pimlico Race Course.

Alwaysmining, trained by Kelly Rubley, has been a front-running winner during each race of his streak, capped by a 6 ¾-length score in his two-turn debut in the Private Terms Stakes March 16 at Laurel, where he is six-for-eight lifetime. His other stakes wins have come in the Maryland Juvenile Futurity and Heft at 2 and the Miracle Wood to open his sophomore campaign.

Among the horses nominated to challenge Maryland-bred Alwaysmining are Tybalt, third in both the Miracle Wood and Private Terms; Sixie Drawl, fourth in the Private Terms in his stakes debut; Family Biz, third in the Jan. 19 Jerome at Aqueduct; Majid and Spun to Run, each on two-race win streaks; and multiple stakes-placed Pipes.

Robert Manfuso, Wayne Harrison and trainer Katy Voss’ Las Setas, winner of the Wide Country Stakes and Beyond the Wire Stakes in back-to-back starts at Laurel, the latter March 16, is prominent among 16 nominees to the Weber City Miss, contested at about 1 1/16 miles. Bred in Maryland by Manfuso and Voss, Las Setas will be making her first start beyond one mile.

Also nominated to the Weber City Miss are Money Fromheaven, unraced since capping her 2-year-old season with a victory in the Maryland Juvenile Filly Championship Dec. 8; Silverbulletday Stakes winner Needs Supervision; Pat’s No Fool, 16-1 upset winner of the Maddie May Stakes March 31 at Aqueduct; multiple stakes-placed Sweet Diane, most recently third in the Fair Grounds Oaks (G2) March 23, and Our Super Freak, second or third in four Laurel stakes since last fall.

The $100,000 Henry S. Clark Stakes presented by Fidelity First and James Blackwell Real Estate for 3-year-olds and up at one mile on the turf attracted 25 nominations, led by 2017 Fort Lauderdale (G2) winner Flatlined; 2017 Arlington Handicap (G2) winner Ghost Hunter; 2018 Nearctic (G2) winner Hembree; 2017 Commonwealth Derby (G2) winner Just Howard; two-time Maryland Million Turf winners Phlash Phelps and Talk Show Man; and Therapist, whose five stakes wins include the 2017 Laurel Futurity.

The Spring Stakes Spectacular also includes the first four races in the 2019 Mid-Atlantic Thoroughbred Championship (MATCH) Series – the $100,000 Frank Whiteley Jr. for 3-year-olds and up and $100,000 Primonetta for fillies and mares 3 and older, both at six furlongs; the $100,000 Dahlia for females 3 and up at one mile on the turf; and the inaugural $100,000 King T. Leatherbury presented by B & B Commercial Interiors for 3-year-olds and up sprinting 5 ½ furlongs on the grass.

Laki and Lewisfield, who finished 1-2 in the 3-year-old and up dirt sprint division in last year’s MATCH Series, are among 26 nominees to the Whiteley, along with graded-stakes winners Always Sunshine and Proforma; graded-stakes placed Fellowship and It’s the Journey; and stakes winners A Different Style, Colonel Sharp, Home Run Maker, Killybegs Captain, Mr. Brix, Old Time Revival and Struth.

Prominent among 29 Primonetta nominations are 2018 Barbara Fritchie (G2) winner Ms Locust Point, a March 26 allowance winner at Parx; Anna’s Bandit and S W Briar Rose, first and second, separated by a nose, in the Conniver Stakes March 16 at Laurel; graded-stakes placed Cairenn, Sower and Tomlin; Laurel-based multiple stakes winner Shimmering Aspen; and Citi Party, who ran her record to 3-0 with an easy allowance victory April 11 at Laurel.

Also drawing 29 nominations was the Leatherbury, honoring the Hall of Fame horseman stabled in Barn 1 at Laurel embarking on his 60th season as a Thoroughbred trainer. Among the horses are multiple stakes winner Pay Any Price, the world record-holder for 5 ½ furlongs on grass; and graded-stakes placed Pool Winner, Tricks To Doo and Vici.

Grade 3 winner Secret Message, Chilean Group 1 winner Princesa Coqueta, multiple graded-stakes placed Viva Vegas and stakes winners Elevated Vision, Enchanted Ghost, La Moneda, Peach of a Gal, Souper Striking and Timeless Curls are among 20 horses nominated to the Dahlia.

The MATCH Series continues with races June 1 at Penn National, July 13 at Delaware Park and Sept. 2 at Parx leading up to its Sept. 28 conclusion at Monmouth Park.