Laurel News & Notes: Smith Saddles Two in Selima; O’Connell, Trombetta Set for Futurity; Family Affair for Graham in Selima
Laurel News & Notes: Smith Saddles Two in Selima; O’Connell, Trombetta Set for Futurity; Family Affair for Graham in Selima
Smith Saddles Two in Selima
O’Connell, Trombetta Set for Futurity
Family Affair for Graham in Selima
LAUREL, MD - Trainer Hamilton Smith will send out a pair of 2-year-old fillies in the $75,000 Selima Stakes at 5 ½ furlongs on the turf Saturday in Azuma Mura and Table Jumper.
Both fillies broke their maidens in their career debuts at the Selima’s distance but on the main track. Azuma Mura, a daughter of Albertus Maximus, broke her maiden Aug. 14 while Table Jumper, a daughter of Jump Start, broke her maiden July 26.
The Selima, one of four turf stakes on Saturday’s Opening Day program at Laurel Park, drew 10 juvenile fillies including Colleen winner Ruby Notion from the barn of Wesley Ward, Fly Girl from the barn of Graham Motion, and Mr. Amore Stable’s Un Po Di Vino.
“It’s looks like it’s going to be a competitive race,” Smith said.
When asked about Table Jumper, owned by Kathleen Willier, Smith said: “We don’t know about the grass, but she acts like she likes the grass in her breezes. The Jump Start’s can run on anything and [broodmare sire] Great Notion is and up and coming sire.”
Smith believes Lee Christian’s Azuma Mura will “really like the grass.”
“She has galloped well on it and the exercise riders says she really gets over it well.”
Sheldon Russell has been named on Azuma Mura and Jevian Toledo has been named on Table Jumper.
O’Connell, Trombetta Set for Futurity
Kathleen O’Connell is turning the page when it comes to Formal Summation.
The 2-year-old colt by In Summation owned by Lynne Martin-Boutte lit up the tote board at Gulfstream Park July 12 when he wired 11 other juvenile colts going five furlongs and returned a whopping $152.60. But a month later at Monmouth Park, Formal Summation was pulled up on the turn going five furlongs on the turf.
“I’m throwing out his last race,” O’Connell said. “I don’t know what happened. Maybe he didn’t like the turn. He had been training like a rock star before and still is.”
Meanwhile trainer Michael Trombetta will saddle Harry and Tom Meyerhoff's Thunder Pass in the Futurity. A son of Street Sense bred by celebrity chef Bobby Flay, Thunder Pass broke his maiden across Laurel’s main track Aug. 1.
“Your choices are somewhat limited with where to go with 2-year-old winners,” Trombetta said. “He has enough grass pedigree there and I was happy with his work on the Laurel turf last week to take a shot here.”
Family Affair for Graham in Selima
Trainer Robin Graham, who saddles Look Who’s Talking in the Selima, has a little history to fall back on when saddling the daughter of Cape Blanco for Skeedattle Asscociates.
Graham trained the graded-stakes winner on turf Mr. O’Brien, a half-brother to Cape Blanco, and trained Look Who’s Talking’s grandmother, Gin Talking, Maryland’s 3-year-old champion in 2000.
“She’s a really nice filly,” said Graham of Look Who’s Talking, who won her debut on the turf at Laurel Aug. 15. “She didn’t have an easy time in her first race, but she overcame it all and won. It was no surprise because she handles everything in stride in the mornings. I’m sure she’ll want longer in the future.”
