Jockey McCarthy Enjoys Three-Win Afternoon

LAUREL, MD – No Guts No Glory Farm’s Anna’s Bandit, a three-time stakes winner in 2018, kicked off her 5-year-old season Thursday with a front-running five-length victory in the featured seventh race at Laurel Park.

With Xavier Perez up for breeder-trainer Jerry Robb, and narrowly favored at 2-1, Anna’s Bandit ($6.40) was timed in 1:20.28 for 5 ½ furlongs over a fast main track in the $47,000 third-level optional claiming allowance for fillies and mares 4 and up.

Laurel’s track record for 5 1/2 furlongs on dirt is 1:20.20, set by 6-year-old Siralfredthegreat Oct. 6, 2018.

Racing on the inside from her rail post, Anna’s Bandit outran I Still Miss You to the lead and was pressed by that rival through a quarter-mile in 22.44 seconds and a half in 45.09, straightening for home in front and extending her advantage through the stretch to snap a four-race losing streak.

I Still Miss You finished second, 1 1/2 lengths ahead of Adios Annie, followed by Enchanted Ghost, Reality Queen and She’s Quiet.

Anna’s Bandit has earned six of her eight career wins at Laurel, including the Conniver Stakes last March. She also won the Down Town Allen Stakes in April and Sadie Hawkins Stakes Sept. 22 at Charles Town, the latter her most recent victory.

Jockey McCarthy Enjoys Three-Win Afternoon

Trevor McCarthy, who captured Laurel’s 2018 calendar year-ending fall meet title in his full-time return to Maryland, had three wins and finished second three times on Thursday’s eight-race program.

McCarthy opened the card with a victory aboard Big Slick ($4) in Race 1, then followed up by winning Race 3 on Bobcat ($5) and Race 5 on Sir Rockport ($8.60). Bobcat and Sir Rockport are both trained by Jamie Ness.

In addition to his wins, McCarthy was second with Sound Off in Race 2 and I Still Miss You in Race 7, and was beaten a nose aboard Nick Papagiorgio in Race 6.

“Great day,” McCarthy said. “I’m just happy with my horses. They gave me everything I had today. Three wins and three seconds, you can’t beat a day like that.”

Notes: There will be a jackpot carryover of $5,630.36 in Friday’s 20-cent Rainbow 6 (Races 4-9) after going unsolved Thursday. Multiple tickets were sold with all six winners, each worth $1,123.28.