LAUREL, MD. 11-16-13---While the betting favorites broke a little tardily, Michael A. Foster’s Bacopa Breeze was quick from the gate. That start was enough of an advantage that she could hold on and win the $100,000 Smart Halo Stakes for 2-year old fillies.

Erick Rodriguez rode the daughter of Visionaire, who covered the six furlong distance in 1:12.34. Post-time favorite Co Cola suffered a wide trip throughout and could not reach the winner in time, while second betting favorite Who’s In Town bobbled at the start, closed through traffic but could only get as close as third.

Bacopa Breeze won by three-quarters of a length and paid $15.60.

“This is the first time I have been on this horse,” said Rodriguez. “The trainer told me to take it from the break and see what happens. My horse broke sharp and I didn’t want to take back so I stayed close to the front and let him be. My horse got the lead easy turning for home and I kept him busy to the finish.”

“We bought her October 22, last year, and she was broken in three weeks,” said the owner. “She has great tactical speed and she just plays with the other horses. There’s a little stakes race at Tampa December 7^th. She’s been a very sound horse and I want to run her a year and then work a deal for her as a brood mare.”

Bacopa Breeze is based at Beulah Park in Ohio and had raced at Presque Isle and Mountaineer Park prior to this start. This was her first stakes win.
 

About Laurel Park

Laurel Park is a Stronach Group company, North America’s leading Thoroughbred racetrack owner/operator. The Stronach Group racetracks include Santa Anita Park, Gulfstream Park & Casino, Golden Gate Fields, Portland Meadows, Laurel Park and Pimlico Race Course, home of the world-famous Preakness. The company owns and operates the Palm Meadows Training Center in Florida and is one of North America's top race horse breeders through its award-winning Adena Springs operation. The Stronach Group is one of the world's largest suppliers of pari-mutuel wagering systems, technologies and services. Its companies include AmTote, a global leader in wagering technology; Xpressbet, an Internet and telephone account wagering service; and Monarch Content Management, which acts as a simulcast purchase and sales agent of horseracing content for numerous North American racetracks and wagering outlets. The Stronach Group is also a major producer of televised horse racing programming through its HRTV cable and satellite network and is North America's premier supplier of virtual online horse racing games, as well as a leading producer of social media content for the horseracing industry.