No Dozing Outclasses Rivals Saturday in $75,000 Concern
No Dozing Outclasses Rivals Saturday in $75,000 Concern
Talk Show Man Ends Drought in One-Mile Turf Allowance Feature
Rainbow 6, Super Hi-5 Carryovers for Sunday’s Program
LAUREL, MD – An old track and some new equipment proved to be a winning combination for Lael Stables’ homebred No Dozing, who was able to overcome an awkward break, an off track and a formidable challenge on the far turn to capture Saturday’s $75,000 Concern at Laurel Park.
The seven-furlong Concern for 3-year-olds is named for Robert E. Meyerhoff’s Maryland-bred multi-millionaire whose four career graded stakes wins for late trainer Dickie Small included the 1994 Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) and 1995 Californian (G1).
Trained by Fair Hill-based Arnaud Delacour, No Dozing ($3.60) had not reached the winner’s circle in six tries after an entry-level optional claiming allowance victory last September, his only previous trip to Laurel. It was also the last time the son of 2012 Belmont Stakes (G1) winner Union Rags had raced shorter than a mile.
Heavily favored at 1-2 and fitted with blinkers for the first time, No Dozing was rushed up to the lead from his rail post by jockey Daniel Centeno and was in front after going a quarter-mile in 23.14 seconds while pressed by Honor the Fleet to his outside. The top two entered the far turn together where Honor the Fleet appeared to stick a head in front following a half in 45.89.
“He always runs a little bit the same way. On the turns, you think that he’s done and when he gets balanced, he finds another gear, and he did today,” Delacour said. “He’s done it before all the time and that’s why we try to put aggressive jockeys on him, because he needs a lot of solicitation. I was very happy with it.”
Honor the Fleet looked poised to spring an upset as the leaders straightened for home but Centeno set No Dozing down for the drive and he sprinted clear down the stretch to win by four lengths in 1:22.85 over a muddy and sealed main track. Two-time stakes winner Proforma was third and Alex Again fourth.
“He put blinkers on today to try and make a little progress. The one-hole didn’t help at all or the track today,” Centeno said. “We tried to put him right in the race and he took the lead really comfortable. Right on the turn I got a little worried when I saw [Honor the Fleet] right next to me sitting on him, but when he switched leads in the stretch he was able to re-break and open up.”
Talk Show Man Ends Drought in One-Mile Turf Allowance Feature
Michael J. Harrison’s Talk Show Man, narrowly beaten as a long shot in the Mister Diz last time out, came with a relentless run on the extreme outside to catch Marengo Road and win Saturday’s eighth race by a neck.
The open $50,000 allowance for 3-year-olds and up was the first win for Talk Show Man ($6.60) since a nose victory in the 2015 Henry S. Clark at Pimlico. Favored at 2-1 in a field of eight older horses that included five stakes winners, Talk Show Man ran one mile in 1:37.13 over an All Along Turf Course rated good.
“He ran his race today. He got carried way wide and made it exciting,” winning trainer Hamilton Smith said. “It’s a nice horse he beat, too. I’m glad to get this race for him; it leads up to the next one and everything. His last two races have been very good.”
Unbridled Lion, a 45-1 long shot also trained by Smith, was keen in his first race since last September and was in front after posting fractions of 24.39 and 48.32 seconds and six furlongs in 1:12.72. Franklin Towers kept pace to his outside with Furyofthenorsemen and Eyeplayeveryday in the second flight as Talk Show Man settled behind.
Marengo Road, a stakes winner on turf and dirt, began to sweep up on the leaders around the far turn and forged a short lead after straightening for home but was unable to hold off the steady advance of Talk Show Man to his outside. It was 2 ¾ lengths back to Eyeplayeveryday in third, followed by Furyofthenorsemen, Grandiflora, Franklin Towers, Unbridled Lion and Bodhisattva.
Smith said the $75,000 Find for 3-year-old and up Maryland-bred/sired horses Aug. 19 at Laurel is the next target for Talk Show Man.
Rainbow 6, Super Hi-5 Carryovers for Sunday
There will be carryovers in the 20-cent Rainbow 6 and $1 Super Hi-5 for Sunday’s 10-race program that begins at 1:10 p.m.
No single bettor solved the Rainbow 6 Saturday, growing the jackpot carryover to $6,154.41. Multiple tickets with all six winners were sold, each worth $213.54.
Sunday’s Rainbow 6 spans Races 5-10 and includes the co-featured sixth, a $40,000 maiden special weight for fillies and mares 3 and older at 1 1/16 miles over the Dahlia Turf Course.
A Super Hi-5 carryover of $911.97 will be available in Sunday’s opener, a $40,000 maiden special weight females 3 and up at six furlongs on the main track.
Notes: Jockey Victor Carrasco added to his meet-leading totals by winning three consecutive races Saturday aboard Six Tonsafun ($15.40) in the fourth, Proud Maid Marian ($11.20) in the fifth and My Enigma ($6.80) in the sixth. Jevian Toledo rode back-to-back winners in the seventh with Enasoit ($4.80) and in the eighth with Talk Show Man ($6.60), and Daniel Centeno swept the late double on No Dozing ($3.60) in the $75,000 Concern and Keep Your Distance ($5.40) in the 10th.
