LAUREL, MD. 10-25-14---It was a mad scramble at the top of the lane with eight of the 13 fillies and mares in the field poised to win, but Mrs. Arturo Peralta Ramos’s Vicky Ticky Tavie was the one who separated herself from the rest and galloped to victory in today’s 10^th race at Laurel Park, the $45,000 optional allowance feature.

The Hamilton Smith trainee was winning on the grass at Laurel for the second time in a row, once again carrying Jevian Toledo to victory, this time in 1:49.24 for the mile and one sixteenth distance over the good turf. War Relic nipped 113-1 longshot Mayourneen to take second.

“On paper this was a tough race,” Smith said. “This filly has been training better than ever the last month. She ran two huge races this month, especially this one where she beat some really good fillies.”

It was the second win of the afternoon for Smith, who earlier on the 11-race card scored with Don’t Be Fooled ($11.60-race 6). The 69-year-old is tied with Jamie Ness for second place in the fall standings with 14 victories. Seven of the wins have been on the turf with an average mutual of $22.46.

“It is a great way to start the meet,” added Smith, who trails Mike Trombetta by one victory. “I am going to ride this while I can because there are so many ups and downs in this business.”

Vicky Ticky Tavie paid $57.80 and topped a $50,004.20 trifecta.

Two races earlier, El Seventyseven won for the first time in 54 weeks beating a group of allowance runners in the $47,000 co-feature. The 6-year-old was a driving winner of the 5 ½ furlong test on the turf course. The son of Stormy Atlantic and jockey Abel Castellano stopped the clock in 1:04.65. A P Elvis beat Night Officer and Bye Bye Bernie in a three-way photo for second.

“He broke well and we found ourselves in the lead,” Castellano said. “I let him go and he was galloping nicely on the lead. When I asked him at the top of the stretch, he took off. When we hit the sixteenth pole, I knew we had it.”

El Seventyseven paid $13. He had not visited the winners’ circle since October 6, 2013 when Castellano guided the gelding to victory at Parx Racing.

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.