Full Fields for Saturday, Sunday Turf Race
Full Fields for Saturday, Sunday Turf Race
Triple Burner Sizzles in Friday Feature Win at Laurel
Daniel Le Deux Runs Wins Streak to Two in Co-Feature
Jockey Pimentel Makes Successful Return from Injury
Rainbow 6, Super Hi-5 Carryovers for Saturday
LAUREL, MD – Blue Streak Stable’s Triple Burner, back in allowance company after a pair of failed stakes bids, outdueled 2-1 favorite Take Cover the length of the stretch before edging clear to a front-running three-quarter-length triumph in Friday’s featured eighth race at Laurel Park.
Ridden by Yomar Ortiz for trainer Linda Albert, Triple Burner ($8) won for the fifth time from 12 lifetime starts at Laurel with two seconds and two thirds, including a troubled runner-up finish behind Mosler in the Laurel Dash Sept. 10.
Friday’s victory in the $47,000 third-level optional claiming allowance for 3-year-olds and up came just six days after his eighth-place finish in the Belmont Turf Sprint at Belmont Park.
“I was pretty excited about running him in this race,” Albert said. “I don’t think the owner was thrilled but there might not be another race this year for him so we took one more chance.”
Triple Burner outran Rapid Dan for the lead through a quarter-mile in 22.77 seconds and remained in front after a half in 45.12 as Take Cover moved up to a stalking spot outside. The top two straightened for home after going five furlongs in 56.30 and raced together down the lane before Triple Burner inched away late.
A gelded 4-year-old son of Roaring Fever, Triple Burner ran 5 ½ furlongs in 1:02.30 over a firm Exceller Turf Course. Take Cover stayed up for second, with Jrock third.
“Yomar kind of kept easing him out to him to let [Take Cover] know he was there and he did great. It was nice. I was hoping for the best,” Albert said. “That was a three-other-than, so I don’t know what else he could do this year. He might be looking at some time off. He’s earned it. He’s had a good year.”
Daniel Le Deux emerged from a tight pack through an opening on the inside and outran Swellelegent to the wire to capture Friday’s co-featured seventh race, a $42,000 entry-level allowance for 3-year-olds and up.
The win was the second straight for Richard Blue’s 4-year-old Maryland homebred gelding Daniel Le Deux ($24.40) after going 1-for-12 to open his career. Winning time was 1:42.20 over a firm Bowl Game Turf Course.
Glen Hill Farm homebred Compelled, stretched out to the longest distance of her young career, gained the lead in upper stretch and pulled away to a one-length victory in the fifth race, a $40,000 maiden special weight for 2-year-old fillies at 1 1/16 miles on the Exceller layout.
Favored at 4-5 in a field of 12 off a pair of narrow third-place finishes in New York, the 2-year-old daughter of War Front ran 1:44.47 over the firm turf ahead of pacesetting Follow No One in second.
Jockey Pimentel Makes Successful Return from Injury
Jockey Julian Pimentel won with the last of his three mounts on Friday’s program, marking his return from a hand injury that had sidelined him since late August.
Pimentel finished first in the ninth-race finale with Tizadoozi ($9.60), a 4-year-old Bullsbay filly bred, owned and trained in Maryland by Nancy Heil. Pimentel picked up the mount as a late replacement for Carol Cedeno.
Consistently one of Maryland’s leading riders over the past decade, the 35-year-old Pimentel also missed time in the spring with a foot injury. He last rode on Aug. 29 at Delaware Park.
Friday was Pimentel’s fall meet debut at Laurel. He also finished second by a nose aboard 15-1 long shot Swellelegent behind Daniel Le Deux in the co-featured seventh race, and was off the board with Grecian Prince in the third.
“I just tried to keep fit by running and working out, things like that. I went to the gym and did some exercises, and working in the mornings,” Pimentel said. “It’s an unbelievable feeling. I’ve been sitting at home. First I hurt my foot, then I came back and I hurt my hand. I’m very happy to be back.”
Full Fields for Saturday, Sunday Turf Races
There will be full fields for a dozen races over Laurel Park’s world-class turf course on Saturday and Sunday.
First race post time each day is 12:30 p.m.
Saturday’s 10-race program includes three races apiece over the Bowl Game and Exceller turf courses which drew a total of 72 entries, an average of 12 starters per race.
The ninth-race feature is a $42,000 second-level allowance for 3-year-olds and up at 5 ½ furlongs on the main track where Moon River and Nye share the topweight assignment of 124 pounds in a field of nine.
Of Sunday’s nine races, three each are scheduled over the Bowl Game and Exceller layouts attracting 67 entries for an average of 11.1 starters per race.
There will be a jackpot carryover of $1,652.52 in Saturday’s 20-cent Rainbow 6, which spans Races 5-10. Tickets with four of six winners returned $40.92.
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.
The $1 Super Hi-5 will offer a carryover of $462.73 for Saturday’s opener, a $40,000 maiden special weight for 2-year-old fillies set for 5 ½ furlongs on the Bowl Game Turf Course.
Note: Jockey Jevian Toledo rode back-to-back winners Friday aboard Classic Wildcat ($12.40) in the sixth race and Daniel Le Deux ($24.40) in the seventh … Laurel hosts the Maryland Million 5K, a fundraiser for Special Olympics Maryland, starting Saturday at 8:30 a.m. and a one-mile fun run at 8:45. Race day registration begins at 7:30 a.m.
