Feargal Lynch Rides Four Winners Saturday
Feargal Lynch Rides Four Winners Saturday
Jockey Russell Finishes Second in Saturday Return
Sallal, Vicky Ticky Tavie Win Saturday Co-Features
Rainbow 6, Super Hi-5 Carryovers for Sunday
Sunday Kids Zone Cancelled Due to Hot Forecast
LAUREL, MD – Rub the Rock ($14.20) powered down the center of the stretch to catch front-running Amain and win Saturday’s ninth-race finale, giving jockey Feargal Lynch his fourth victory of the card.
A former champion apprentice in England riding in just his second full meet in Maryland, Lynch posted earlier wins on Futile ($4.60) in the third race, Terp Love ($22.40) in the fifth and Sallal ($9.80) in the co-featured seventh.
“It was a great day,” Lynch said. “Everything’s going great in Maryland. I love it here. My family’s happy, I’m happy, I’m riding for nice owners and nice trainers and getting on good horses. Scotty Silver is doing a great job as my agent.”
After struggling during the Championship Meet over the winter at Gulfstream Park, Lynch arrived in Maryland and finished fourth during the Preakness Meet at Pimlico, a title race that went down to the final day.
“It’s like anything. When you’re riding winners your confidence is up and winners will come,” he said. “If you’re trying to hard and you hit a soft patch and you just can’t ride a winner, you’ve got to keep doing the same things.”
Jockey Russell Finishes Second in Saturday Return
Riding his first race in nearly nine months, jockey Sheldon Russell closed with a flourish aboard Praise the Moon but came up a neck short of the winner Futile in Saturday’s third race at Laurel Park.
It was the lone mount of the day for the 28-year-old Russell, Maryland’s leading rider in 2011 and a six-time meet champion at Laurel and Pimlico Race Course who tore his labrum and fractured his shoulder in two places in a Nov. 9, 2015 training accident. He is named on three horses Sunday.
“It feels good. I’m tired for once. I’ll probably sleep good tonight. I didn’t get a whole lot of sleep last night,” Russell said. “Thanks to everyone that supported me. Without the trainers supporting me I wouldn’t have gotten so fit so quickly in the mornings. I’m just very humbled. It’s an emotional comeback.”
Russell rated Praise the Moon, a 3-year-old Mailbu Moon filly trained by Niall Saville for Richard Harris, in fourth as Concordia’s Way, Futile and Goodluckjohnathan dueled through an opening quarter-mile of 22.31 seconds. Futile edged away following a 45.60 half and remained in front after six furlongs in 1:11.68, and the 6-5 favorite had enough left as Russell and Praise the Moon made up steady ground down the center of the track.
Winning time for seven furlongs over a fast main track was 1:25.50.
“I’m just extremely excited. Obviously that’s a tough way to lose. The horse gave me everything. Huge credit to Niall for fiving me my first ride back. I know if I was a trainer and I had a live horse I wouldn’t want to use somebody coming off eight and half months [off], but he’s been a huge supporter of mine since I began [my comeback],” Russell said.
“I got the chance to work him on Sunday and I know Niall was really excited. He just ran huge,” he added. “I felt like I gave it my best chance and I’m just happy to be back.”
Sallal, Vicky Ticky Tavie Win Saturday Co-Features
Al Shaqab Racing’s Sallal made a successful North American debut in his first start in 10 months, passing stakes winner Two Notch Road in mid-stretch and going on to win Saturday’s co-featured seventh race, a $47,000 optional claiming allowance for 3-year-olds and up.
Ridden by Feargal Lynch for trainer Graham Motion, Sallal ($9.80) ran 5 ½ furlongs on a firm Fort Marcy Turf Course in 1:01.34. Two Notch Road, winner of the White Oak Farm Stakes June 25 at Pimlico, was second with Qualify third.
One Lucky Step and Chief Exchanger dueled through a quarter-mile in 22.06 seconds and half in 44.39, with Two Notch Road and Sallal racing side-by-side right behind. Two Notch Road and Sallal swept to the lead on the outside around the turn with Sallal edging away in the final furlong.
It was the fourth career win for the English-bred Sallal after making his first seven starts in France.
In Saturday’s co-featured eighth race, a $45,000 optional claiming allowance for females 3 and up, Vicky Ticky Tavie came flying on the outside to get his nose down on the wire and emerge from a three-horse photo finish with his first victory in 18 months.
Vicky Ticky Tavie ($15) was unhurried early rating in midpack before being swung seven wide by jockey Angel Cruz for the stretch drive, catching Secret Or Not and Babe’s Ruler in the final jump. Winning time for 1 1/16 miles on the Bowl Game Turf Course was 1:41.24.
Trained by Hamilton Smith for Mrs. Arturo Peralta-Ramos, the 6-year-old Eddington mare snapped an 11-race winless streak dating back to a Jan. 15, 2015 victory going seven furlongs on dirt at Laurel.
Rainbow 6, Super Hi-5 Carryovers for Sunday
There will be carryovers in both the 20-cent Rainbow 6 and $1 Super Hi-5 wagers for Sunday’s nine-race program.
First race post time is 1:25 p.m.
No one had all six winners in the Rainbow 6, growing the carryover jackpot to $4,309.07. Tickets with five of six winners returned $175.46.
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 covers Races 4-9 and is kicked off by a $42,000 allowance for fillies and mares 3 and up at six furlongs on the main track where the 2-1 program favorite is Fox Hill Farms’ Southern Girl making her first start since last October.
Also in the sequence are a $45,000 optional claiming allowance for 3-year-olds and up on the main track in Race 7 that includes stakes-placed Service for Ten and Gursky and recent Pimlico allowance winner Blu Moon Ace; and a $42,000 turf sprint allowance for females 3 and up in Race 8 topped by 7-2 program favorite Elusive Joni.
There will be a carryover of $1,050.18 in the Super Hi-5 for Sunday’s opener.
With temperatures expected to reach 95 degrees Sunday, the weekly Kids Zone featuring pony rides and petting zoo has been cancelled. It will return next Sunday, July 31. Brunch remains available at $22 for adults, $11 for kids under 12 and free for children under 6, with bottomless Mimosas and Bloody Marys available for another $12.
Notes: Trainers Tim Keefe and Hamilton Smith each saddled a pair of winners Sunday. Keefe extended his lead atop the standings with Kremlin ($6.80) in the third race and Terp Love ($22.40) in the fourth. Smith swept the late daily double with Vicky Ticky Tavie ($15) in the eighth and Rub the Rock ($14.20) in the ninth.
