Five Stakes, Holiday Festivities for Saturday’s Christmastide Day Program

LAUREL, MD – I Was Looking Up, a $425,000 daughter of 2003 Belmont Stakes (G1) winner Empire Maker, forged a short lead at the top of the stretch and powered through the lane for a 2 ¼-length maiden triumph Friday at Laurel Park.

The $40,000 maiden special weight for 2-year-old fillies was the fourth career start and second at Laurel following her Sept. 27 debut for I Was Looking Up ($7.20), owned by Paula Haughey’s PTK LLC. The winning time was 1:40.29 for one mile over a fast main track.

Purchased out of Keeneland’s September 2018 yearling sale, I Was Looking Up settled in third along the rail under jockey Grant Whitacre as Mary’s Song cruised through a quarter-mile in 24.47 seconds and a half in 49.72, pressed to her outside by Getonmy Good Side.

Whitacre tipped I Was Looking Up, the 5-2 second choice in a field of six, out to the three path leaving the backstretch, ranged up on the leaders around the turn, ran six furlongs in 1:15.27 and steadily edged clear down the stretch.

Tonal Verse, favored at 3-5, ran fifth early before rushing up on the leaders but having to steady and back off at the five-eighths pole, making a belated bid to be third, a half-length behind Mary’s Song and a neck ahead of Savedbythebelle.

I Was Looking Up made her first two starts on the grass, running eighth in debut for A.J. Hamilton Jr. – who also trains for PTK – and finishing 10th Oct. 18 at Keeneland for trainer Dane Kobiskie. Fourth in a 1 1/16-mile maiden special weight in her first try on dirt Nov. 22 at Churchill Downs, she returned to Laurel for her breakthrough win.

“It definitely feels good,” Whitacre said. “She was sharp in the paddock. Dane called me earlier and said I was going to have to ride her the whole way, but it was definitely the opposite. She was engaged the whole entire way. She was really sharp, and I just sat and enjoyed the ride.”

PTK, Hamilton and Whitacre also teamed up to win Friday’s seventh race, a one-mile maiden claimer for 2-year-olds, with first-time starter Cocktail Shaker ($19.60). The winner, who crossed the wire in 1:39.91, was claimed by trainer Jerry Robb for $10,000.

Other 2-year-old maiden winners Friday were Queen of Cause ($4.80) in Race 2, a one-mile maiden claimer for fillies; Leaveuwithasmile ($10) in Race 3, a starter optional claimer for fillies; Rock the Comet ($31.80) in Race 4 and Tastes Like Plaid ($20) in Race 5, both waiver maiden claimers; and Forfiftyfiverocket ($7.80) in Race 6.

In Friday’s feature, a $45,000 second-level optional claiming allowance for 3-year-olds and up, Robert D. Bone’s Musical America ($10.40) snapped a winless streak that dated back to last summer with a two-length triumph in 1:36.31 for one mile. Ridden by Victor Carrasco for trainer Rob Atras, Musical America had finished second or third nine times in 14 tries since August 2018.

Five Stakes, Holiday Festivities for Saturday’s Christmastide Day Program

Laurel Park will serve up five stakes worth $500,000 in purses as well as various holiday festivities as part of Saturday’s nine-race Christmastide Day program.

Doors will open at 11 a.m. with a first-race post time of 12:25 p.m.

Stakes action begins in Race 3 with the $100,000 Dave’s Friend for 3-year-olds and up going six furlongs, featuring two-time graded turf winner Isotherm and Home Run Maker, a stakes winner at Laurel making his first start since June.

The 20-cent Rainbow 6 will have a carryover jackpot of $6,259.80 for its sequence which begins in Race 4 and includes the remaining stakes – the $100,000 Gin Talking for 2-year-old fillies in Race 5, $100,000 Native Dancer for 3-year-olds and up in Race 6, $100,000 Heft for 2-year-olds in Race 7 and $100,000 Willa On the Move for fillies and mares 3 and older in Race 8.

Tickets with five of six winners in Friday’s Rainbow 6 each returned $792. There will also be a carryover of $1,459.19 in the $1 Super Hi-5.

In addition to live racing, Christmastide Day festivities include a stakes buffet, hot chocolate bar and hot cider cocktails. Reservations can be made by calling 301-725-0770. Click here to view the buffet menu.

Notes: Apprentice Victor Rosales posted a riding double Friday aboard Rock the Comet ($31.80) in Race 4 and Swing Step ($8.60) in Race 9.