LAUREL, MD. 11-9-13---Mrs. Frank P. Wright’s Lady Sabelia, an impressive maiden winner in her previous start, proved that effort was not a fluke when she out-stepped ten other fillies in today’s $100,000 Safely Kept Stakes.

Trainer Robin Graham sent the daughter of Majestic Warrior to a front-running, 12-3/4 length victory on October 2 under Horacio Karamanos off of a ten month layoff. Today the filly pressed the early pace, swept to the lead around the turn and galloped away to win by 1-3/4 lengths in 1:23.97 for the seven furlong distance.  Flattering Bea closed rapidly from last to take second away from post time favorite Crazy About Me.

“She really impressed me when she broke her maiden,” said Karamanos. “I didn’t know about this one because she had to improve a lot. It’s the first time she went any distance. I kept close to the favorite and then let her go. She got a little tired but she really tried hard to the wire. I knew my horse could win if she could get the distance.”

“She has a lot of class,” said Graham. “She had to get a little bit tired jumping up in class and distance but she’s all right. Last fall her shins were bothering her so we stopped. Obviously we didn’t want to take this long to come back but it took this long to get her shins right. It just worked out. With the breaking of the maiden in her last start we decided to skip the allowance to go in this spot, since it was the last three year old filly stakes left here.”

Lady Sabelia paid $16.20.

About Laurel Park

Laurel Park is a Stronach Group company, North America’s leading Thoroughbred racetrack owner/operator. The Stronach Group racetracks include Santa Anita Park, Gulfstream Park & Casino, Golden Gate Fields, Portland Meadows, Laurel Park and Pimlico Race Course, home of the world-famous Preakness. The company owns and operates the Palm Meadows Training Center in Florida and is one of North America's top race horse breeders through its award-winning Adena Springs operation. The Stronach Group is one of the world's largest suppliers of pari-mutuel wagering systems, technologies and services. Its companies include AmTote, a global leader in wagering technology; Xpressbet, an Internet and telephone account wagering service; and Monarch Content Management, which acts as a simulcast purchase and sales agent of horseracing content for numerous North American racetracks and wagering outlets. The Stronach Group is also a major producer of televised horse racing programming through its HRTV cable and satellite network and is North America's premier supplier of virtual online horse racing games, as well as a leading producer of social media content for the horseracing industry.