LAUREL, MD. 01-03-15---Pearl Bloodstock, Ltd.’s Star Pearl hounded the pacesetter to the top of the lane before wresting command and drawing away to victory in the 1-1/16^th mile, $100,000 Nellie Morse Stakes, the third of four $100,000 stakes races Saturday afternoon at Laurel Park.

Before You Know It had blasted to the front down the backstretch but Star Pearl, with jockey Sheldon Russell, stayed on her heels. The two separated from the rest and the race came down to which would have the most in the tank. The Graham Motion trainee, a daughter of Tapit, proved to be best, winning by 3-1/4 lengths, while another Motion trainee, Zucchini Flower, finished third.

“Graham had mentioned that she hadn’t really run well on an off track before. Recently they have liked her morning workouts,” said Russell, who rode Star Pearl once previously. “She has really matured over the last year. She is very easy to ride. She broke nicely and put me in great spot going into the first turn. The race set up perfect. I was able to sit off the speed and when I asked her to go she dug in and finished up well.”

Star Pearl, who won three-of-six a year ago including a stakes race at Presque Isle Downs, paid $10.40.

The winning time for the Nellie Morse was 1:46.33 over the sloppy going.

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.