LAUREL, MD. 11-03-12---Lighthouse Bay sat off the dueling leaders and then edged a 64-1 shot by a nose to win the $100,000 Smart Halo Stakes for 2-year-old fillies at Laurel Park Saturday afternoon.

Jockey Kendrick Carmouche was content on sitting behind front runners Baby J and Jax and Jill before gaining the lead in upper stretch. By midstretch Laurel Park-based Ek Haseena challenged Lighthouse Bay and the two bumped and brushed several times in the final furlong before the winner put a nose in front at the wire.

“The race set up well for us. It was a good scenario that Baby J went with Jax and Jill,” Carmouche said. “On paper the first five fillies on the program (Baby J, Jax and Jill, Flattering Bea, Forest Diva and Lighthouse Bay) looked like the best runners in the race but the filly who ran second was game.”

Ek Haseena’s jockey Kevin Navarro filed an objection that was not allowed by the stewards.

“We came together but every time I was able to straightened her back up,” added Carmouche. “We bumped a couple times but I thought it was 50-50 situation and the stewards probably saw the same thing, which is why they left it official.”

The winner, who is trained by George Weaver, paid $6.60 as the second betting choice and topped a $232.60 exacta.

The daughter of Speightstown completed the 6-furlong distance in 1:12.11.

Jax and Jill, who came into the race a perfect 4-for-4, finished sixth, beating only 40-1 shot Forest Diva.

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.