LAUREL, MD. 10-27-12---John Davison’s Mystic Love broke next to last, gradually settled into stride, then accelerated around the far turn and swept past the field of 2-year old fillies to be up in time to win the $150,000 Selima Stakes, the first of six stakes on the Fall Festival of Racing card at Laurel Park.

Contested at 5 ½ furlongs over the firm turf, the Selima attracted twelve starters including the dark bay daughter of Not For Love, who carried Elvis Trujillo to victory in 1:02.23.

Frannie Campitelli trains Mystic Love, who was bred in Maryland by Dark Hollow Farm. The filly had won her racing debut over the firm turf at Laurel on Sept. 14, then ran an even fifth in the Maryland Million Lassie on the main track.

“This is a very nice, very aggressive horse on grass,” said Trujillo. “The owner and trainer told me last race she didn’t like getting dirt on her face. In this race there were a bunch of horses in front so I had to swing out a little bit and then she got going. She really likes the outside and finished up well.”

Mystic Love beat Jewel of the Cat by three-quarters of a length with Hold Our Destiny finishing another length back in third.

“We were disappointed in our Maryland Million race because she trained so well on the dirt and always has,” Campitelli said. “Even though the Maryland Million was a restricted race, I thought we would try it anyway because we thought she could hit the board. Just this morning the girl that gets on her every day (Molly Moran) told me that now that she thinks about it, she is much happier on the turf. We worked her on the turf last week and had her out on it today. She just loves it.”

Mystic Love paid $11.20 and headed a $71.20 exacta and a $220.40 triple.

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.