LAUREL, MD. 01-12-13---Charles Reed & Mike Zanella’s Bold Affair made short work of her seven filly and mare rivals when she galloped to victory in today’s feature at Laurel Park, the $105,000 What A Summer Stakes.

Before the start of the race, Bold Affair was reluctant to load and needed the help of several members of the gate crew.  Out quickly at the start to engage the pacesetters in the six-furlong test, Bold Affair sat outside Dance to Bristol and Silver Heart before pushing to the front around the turn and pulling away through the stretch to win by 4-1/2 lengths in 1:10.61. Dance to Bristol finished a comfortable second, while Enchante rallied to take the show spot away from Silver Heart.

“She has a little attitude sometimes. It happened to me before at Pimlico but as soon as we started rolling I knew we would be okay,” said Abel Castellano, who rode the winner. “She was feeling comfortable and got to the lead whenever she wanted. Once she switched leads, she took off.”

Howard Wolfendale trains Bold Affair, who paid $3.40 as the overwhelming 3-5 favorite. The daughter of Two Punch won five stakes in Maryland last year (Conniver, Primonetta, Skipat, Maryland Million Distaff and Geisha).

Wolfendale indicated his star, who has now earned $599,540, would run next in the $250,000 Barbara Fritchie Handicap (G2) here next month. The seven-furlong test is scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 16.

Castellano, Maryland’s leading rider a year ago, made national and local news yesterday by helping capture Bullet Catcher, a horse which got loose from the Laurel stable area and ended up more than a mile and a half away on U.S. Route 1. During the chase, the 29-year-old shot video of the adventure on his cell phone.

“Yesterday was crazy,” Castellano said. “I think I got my 15 minutes of fame. I got a lot of phone calls from the press and did a bunch of interviews. My family enjoyed all the attention.”

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.