LAUREL, MD. 11-22-12---Charles Reed & Mike Zanella’s Bold Affair went to the lead, galloped along within herself and came home a driving winner in the Thanksgiving day feature at Laurel Park, the $100,000 Geisha Stakes.

Racing one mile under Abel Castellano, Bold Affair completed the distance in 1:38.81 over the fast main track and finished four lengths ahead of Catch a Thief, who had to chase the winner throughout. Plum rallied for third.

“When I handicapped the race it looked like we were the lone speed so I wanted to get to the lead and settle,” Castellano said. “I am glad it worked out the way we drew it up.”

Howard Wolfendale trains the 4-year-old daughter of Two Punch, a six-time stakes winner from fifteen starts including the Conniver, Primonetta, Skipat Stakes and the Maryland Million Distaff, all this year.

“On the backside she relaxed pretty good and I was ready when we turned for home,” added Castellano. “When I asked her to run she started kicking on, the only thing when she passed the first wire she thought she was done but I said, ‘no, baby we have another furlong to go’. I was very happy the way she ran.”

Castellano rode three winners on the card to move ahead of Sheldon Russell in the Laurel fall meeting jockey standings. The 29-year-old has 37 victories, two more than Russell.

Bold Affair paid $3.20 as the 3-5 betting favorite.

Reed indicated his star would run next in the $125,000 Thirty Eight Go Go Stakes here on Dec. 22.

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.