Kendama Graduates with Sharp Performance in Second Career Start
Rainbow 6 Carryover of $5,517 for Saturday’s 11-Race Program

LAUREL, MD – Vivian E Rall’s homebred Epic Idea, a 4-year-old daughter of Maryland’s leading sire Great Notion, wore down Glittering Judy through the stretch and edged clear to a one-length triumph in Friday’s featured eighth race at Laurel Park.

Ridden by Daniel Centeno, his second victory of the afternoon, Epic Idea ($15.60) was making her second start off an eight-month layoff for trainer Ann Merryman in the open allowance for fillies and mares 3 and up. The winning time was 1:02.01 over a firm Dahlia turf course layout.

“I just thought in the first race back for some reason she didn’t look to me like she got a hold of the track, so we changed a few things on her,” Merryman said. “There was a lot of speed in here. She’s a nice filly. We like her.”

Centeno settled Epic Idea in second along the rail as Glittering Judy posted brisk fractions of 22.23 and 44.42 seconds through a half-mile. Centeno, who beat the Merryman-trained Little Skiff with Beantown Baby July 3 at Laurel, tipped Epic Idea to the middle of the track once straightened for home and took aim at the leader.

“He beat us the other day, so I was like the next time I’m gonna ride that guy,” Merryman said.

Favored at 2-1 in the field of 11, Midship Lady got up to be second, a head in front of 40-1 long shot Market Money. China Silk was fifth.

Great Notion, who stands at Northview Stallion Station in Chesapeake City, Md. has sired such prominent horses as multiple stakes winners Anna’s Bandit, Crabcakes, Lewisfield, Phlash Phelps and Talk Show Man and graded-stakes winners Havelock and Ruby Notion.

Kendama Graduates with Sharp Performance in Second Career Start

Audley Farm Stable’s Kendama, a homebred son of champion Uncle Mo racing for the second time, drew on the experience of his debut to outrun longshot Super E through the stretch for a sharp maiden special weight triumph in Friday’s third race at Laurel Park.

Given a patient ride by journeyman Feargal Lynch, Kendama ($7.80) ran 1 1/16 miles over a firm All Along turf course layout in 1:42.90 to edge Super E (29-1) by a neck. It was another half-length back to Call Me Plucky in third while even-money favorite Prayer Hope wound up seventh after forcing the pace in the $40,000 event for 3-year-olds and up.

Man Up Dude went the first quarter-mile in 23.48 seconds with an eager 5-year-old first-time gelding Prayer Hope – a $700,000 yearling of 2016 making just his third career start, second on the flat and first in 14 months following a maiden triumph over jumps last May – tugging jockey Forest Boyce to the lead after a half in 46.62.

Sixth in a similar spot for his unveiling June 1 at Laurel, Kendama raced in mid-pack down the backstretch before Lynch swung the gelding five wide entering the stretch, then worked back to the rail for the drive home. Super E followed Kendama’s move and engaged the leader on his outside as they approached the wire, but could not get past.

“We always thought that he was going to need the race the last time. I think he did well but he ran like a very green horse, and I thought he’d improve quite a few lengths for having the race and he proved it today. It was great,” winning trainer Arnaud Delacour said. “Feargal rode a great race. He never panicked; that’s one of his qualities, and he did a great job to get him to settle, let the pace go and catch them later.”

Notes: Jockeys Daniel Centeno and Horacio Karamanos each visited the winner’s circle twice Friday. Centeno won on Chicken Dinner ($4) in Race 2 and Epic Idea ($15.60) in Race 8, and Karamanos was first with Victory Given ($4.60) in Race 7 and In Him With Him ($5.40) in Race 11. Apprentice Victor Rosales added wins aboard B Determined ($52.40) in Race 6 and Bath and Tennis ($19.80) in Race 10. Trainer Jose Corrales won twice with Indian Ghost ($11.20) in Race 1 and Victory Given. Both Suzysellsseashells ($8.60) in Race 5 and In Him With Him are trained by Damon Dilodovico … There will be a jackpot carryover of $5,517.14 in the 20-cent Rainbow 6 (Races 6-11) for Saturday’s program, which begins at 12:40 p.m. Tickets with five of six winners Friday each returned $2,294.88.