Commonwealth (G2) Runner-Up Top of Mind Classy Winner of Laurel Feature Saturday; Aiden’s Rag Doll Breaks Maiden; My Sister Caro, Grand Old Game Take Co-Features
Commonwealth (G2) Runner-Up Top of Mind Classy Winner of Laurel Feature Saturday; Aiden’s Rag Doll Breaks Maiden; My Sister Caro, Grand Old Game Take Co-Features
Aiden’s Rag Doll Breaks Maiden; My Sister Caro, Grand Old Game Take Co-Features
Jockey McCarthy Returns to Action with Riding Triple
Carryovers in Rainbow 6, Super Hi-5 for Sunday Program
Championship Round of MJC Players’ Challenge Contest Sunday
Premier Parlay Wager Offered on NFL Sundays
LAUREL, MD – Hillwood Stable’s Top of Mind, a tough-luck second in the Commonwealth Turf Cup (G2) last time out, rated on the inside before moving out wide and powering down the stretch to win Saturday’s featured 10th race at Laurel Park.
It was the third win in four starts for the gelded 4-year-old son of Hall of Famer Curlin, all since being switched to the turf by trainer Rodney Jenkins. Sent off as the 6-5 favorite in a field of eight older horses, Top of Mind ($4.40) ran 1 1/16 miles in 1:40.81 on a firm Fort Marcy Turf Course.
“It was just a mistake I made keeping him on dirt but he’d win or get second or third on it. He’s not the same horse on the dirt that he is on the turf. He’s super on the turf, I think,” Jenkins said. “[Today] went slow the first part and that doesn’t help a horse that closes like him; they’re not wearing anybody out. I was pleased.”
With regular rider Victor Carrasco back aboard, Top of Mind was unhurried settled along the rail as Find Stakes runner-up English Minister led through an easy quarter-mile in 25.16 seconds and a half in 49.10. English Minister was still in front rounding the far turn when Carrasco steered Top of Mind to the outside to launch their bid.
Top of Mind gained steadily down the stretch to take the lead in the final eighth of a mile and outrun a stubborn English Minister to win by a neck. Iconic Artist prompted the pace all the way around and held on for third.
“I saved some ground all the way around, but as soon as I passed the three-eighths pole and I put him on the outside he was waiting for me to ask him. As soon as I asked him, he was rolling,” Carrasco said. “When we got close to the eighth pole and took the lead, he just pricked his ears and was waiting for me to hit him. I said, ‘There’s no reason for me to hit you, just keep going.’ He’s just a nice horse.”
My Sister Caro ($8.20) avenged her neck loss in a similar spot Oct. 7 by holding off Lady Allegra through the final sixteenth of a mile and emerging from a photo finish in front in Race 7, a $42,000 entry-level allowance for fillies and mares 3 and up. The 4-year-old Bop filly ran 5 ½ furlongs in 1:01.60 on the Fort Marcy layout.
Grand Old Game ($50.40), making his first turf start in more than a year, swept to the front on the outside and charged down the center of the track for a 24-1 upset in Race 8, a $45,000 second-level optional claiming allowance for 3-year-olds and up. It was the 13th career win for the 8-year-old gelding, who covered 5 ½ furlongs in 1:02 over a firm Kelso Turf Course.
Third time was the charm for Aiden’s Rag Doll in Race 9, a $40,000 maiden special weight for 2-year-old fillies. The chestnut daughter of Grade 1 winner Union Rags edged away from a front-running pack of four to win in 1:12.65 on a fast main track.
Carryovers in Rainbow 6, Super Hi-5 for Sunday’s Program
There will be carryovers in the 20-cent Rainbow 6 and $1 Super Hi-5 on Sunday’s 11-race program that begins at 12:30 p.m.
No one had all six winners Saturday in the Rainbow 6, which saw the carryover jackpot grow to $4,599.30. Tickets with five of six winners were worth $56.26.
The Rainbow 6 carryover jackpot is only paid out when there is a single unique ticket sold with all six winners. On days when there is no unique ticket, 60 percent of that day’s pool goes back to those bettors holding tickets with the most winners while 40 percent is carried over to the jackpot pool.
Sunday’s Rainbow 6 spans Races 6-11. Highlighting the sequence is a $47,000 third-level optional claiming allowance set for 5 ½ furlongs on the Fort Marcy Turf Course in Race 10, which drew 15 entries. Pennsylvania Governor’s Cup Stakes winner Take Cover is the 3-1 program favorite from post 12. Grandiflora (9-2) returns just eight days after finishing third in the Maryland Million Turf, contested at one mile, her second straight show finish following the Sept. 10 Laurel Dash.
A Super Hi-5 carryover of $2,424.75 will be available for Sunday’s opener, a $40,000 maiden special weight for 2-year-old fillies at 1 1/16 miles on the main track.
In addition to live racing, Laurel will play host to the championship round of the weekly Maryland Jockey Club Players’ Challenge, which began on Sept. 11. A total of 14 players, including MJC racing analysts Gabby Gaudet and Stan Salter, earned a total of 28 entries into the finale of the eight-week event. There will be a guaranteed pot of $5,000 on the line with 65 percent going to the winner, 25 percent for second and 10 percent for third. For more information, visit https://www.laurelpark.com/handicapping/players-challenge.
Every Sunday during the NFL season, Laurel is offering a Premier Parlay for club members. For more information, visit https://www.laurelpark.com/events/premier-parlay.
Notes: Returning to action after taking Friday off following a spill the previous day at Keeneland, jockey Trevor McCarthy reestablished himself atop the standings with a riding triple, finishing first with Immunity ($6.20) in the third race, Golden Emperor ($5) in the fifth and My Sister Caro ($8.20) in the seventh.
Jockey Kevin Gomez made two trips to the winner’s circle aboard Dance N Denae ($9.40) in the first race and Liar’s Dice ($13.20) in the sixth. Trainer Mike Trombetta saddled Immunity as well as Grand Old Game ($50.40) in the eighth.
