Safe Trust placed first by disqualification in Beyond the Wire

LAUREL, MD – Within 30 minutes at Laurel Park on Saturday, trainer Michael Gorham suffered the agony of defeat and enjoyed the thrill of victory.

Following the Beyond the Wire Stakes, Gorham cradled the trophy in the winner’s circle after Moon Cache finished first by a hard-fought nose. Several moments later, the stewards stripped it away after they judged that Moon Cache interfered with second-place finisher Safe Trust in the shadow of the wire.

“Tough beat,” a disappointed Gorham said as he trudged back to the paddock to saddle Pay Billy in the co-featured $100,000 Private Terms for 3-year-olds at 1 1/16 miles.

Pay Billy salvaged the day for Gorham and jockey Raul Mena with an authoritative 3 ½ length victory over some of the better 3-year-olds in Maryland.

“It’s the ups and downs of the game,” Gorham said. “It’s a cruel game at times. Then, you’re right back in action and get it done in the next race.”

Pay Billy, sent away the 19-10 second choice in the five-horse field, broke from the far outside post under Mena and settled three-wide off Tony Eclipse and Baby Dukes as they rattled off fractions of 23.88, and 47.43 seconds.

“I got the best position in the race,” Mena said. “I was the pressure on the speeds. It was perfect. I sat behind, and he took a perfect trip. He got more relaxed than the last race when he was on the lead and a little bit aggressive and sharp.”

When Mena “made a noise at the three-pole,” Pay Billy responded with a three-wide bid to strong contention after a six-furlong clocking in 1:12.05. Soon, Pay Billy was in front.

“He was there for me and made it really easy,” Mena continued. “In the last quarter, when he stayed by himself, he wants to reduce his speed to see if anyone else is coming. He’s a really good horse, a big talent.”

Sacred Thunder finished second, 1 ¾ lengths ahead of Baby Dukes. Then came Crab Daddy and favored Tony Eclipse. Change My World, Superpower, and Global Steve scratched.

Pay Billy polished off the distance in 1:44.93 over the fast track and paid $5.80 to win.

“He’s just getting better all the time,” Gorham added. “A big, strong horse that’s way more relaxed now. He does everything perfect. He works good, he acts good, he feels good in the barn. He’s just happy to be here and wants to do more.”

Pay Billy was bred in Kentucky by WinStar Farm. A $38,000 yearling purchase, the bay colt was purchased by RKTN Racing for $60,000 at last April’s OBS Juvenile auction.

An Improbable half-brother to stakes-winning sprinter Espionage out of Grade 3-winning sprinter Harlington’s Rose, Pay Billy’s second and third dams were also stakes winners.

A maiden winner at six furlongs in his fourth and final start at two, Pay Billy next wired a first-level allowance field by five lengths on Jan. 25 before finishing second, beaten a nose, in Laurel’s Miracle Wood on Feb. 22.

Pay Billy has now won three of seven starts and earned $144,475.

Gorham mentioned Laurel’s $150,000 Federico Tesio Stakes at 1 1/8 miles on April 19 as a possible next race for Pay Billy. Any Triple Crown-nominated runner that wins the Federico Tesio will automatically earn a spot in the starting gate for the Grade 1 Preakness Stakes, the Middle Jewel of the Triple Crown, to be run May 17 at Pimlico Race Course.

“It’s a stepping stone to the Preakness,” Gorham noted. “If he makes that step, he’s possible for the Preakness.”

Safe Trust placed first via disqualification in Beyond the Wire

Gorham’s Beyond the Wire disappointment was trainer Jose Corrales’s gain as Safe Trust ($7.60) was promoted to first by disqualification in the $100,000 stakes race for 3-year-old fillies at one mile.

Quadruple stakes-placed leading into the Beyond the Wire, Safe Trust landed her first stakes victory after she and Moon Cache finished noses apart in 1:38.59.

Central Casting and Burner Account blazed the trail through hot splits of 22.69 and 45.31 seconds as Safe Trust settled back in a perfect position eight lengths off the lead under jockey Denis Araujo.

Moon Cache, who rated off the early leaders in third, gave a decisive turn challenge to confront Central Casting after six furlongs in 1:10.54. Ridden by Mena, Moon Cache turned for home with a clear lead, but Araujo wheeled Safe Trust to the far outside, and they gathered momentum through the long stretch.

Moon Cache dug in gamely but drifted out under Mena’s left-handed urging, and she bumped Safe Trust in the shadow of the wire while narrowly besting that foe.

Burner Account stayed on for third, 4 ¼ lengths behind the top two finishers. Central Casting, Onyx Ten, My Charm, and Beautiful Blome completed the order of finish. Ourdaydreaminggirl scratched.

“She’s getting there,” Corrales said. “She needed to improve, little by little, and is doing well. I think she can come from behind and be a better horse at a longer distance.”

Corrales felt Safe Trust would have won outright had she not been bumped by Moon Cache.

“I had it won already,” Corrales said. “I didn’t even see the bump because I was looking at the [pan shot]. I’m so glad the stewards saw [the head-on], and they put the inquiry up.”

Foaled in Maryland, Safe Trust is a homebred owned by Barak Farm. She is by Mosler from the family of Grade 1 winner See How She Runs.

Safe Trust won for the third time in ten starts for earnings of $200,525. She captured a first-level allowance in her seasonal debut at six furlongs on Feb. 7, then finished second behind Onyx Ten, beaten a length, in the Wide Country at seven furlongs 15 days later.

Corrales plans to point Safe Trust to the $150,000 Weber City Miss Stakes racing 1 1/16 miles at Laurel on April 19. The winner of the Weber City Miss receives an automatic berth in the Grade 2 Black-Eyed Susan Stakes at Pimlico on May 16.