Vouch Goes the Distance in Career Debut at Laurel Monday; Rainbow 6 Carryover $18,372 for Return of Live Racing Friday, Nov. 3
Vouch Goes the Distance in Career Debut at Laurel Monday; Rainbow 6 Carryover $18,372 for Return of Live Racing Friday, Nov. 3
Juvenile Yes It’s True Colt Routs Fellow Maidens by 8 ¼ Lengths
Prince Lucky May Be Headed to Triple Crown Trail After Allowance Win
Multiple Stakes-Placed Flash McCaul Ends Long Drought
Rainbow 6 Carryover $18,372 for Return of Live Racing Friday, Nov. 3
LAUREL, MD – Lael Stables and Three Chimneys Farm’s Vouch went straight to the lead and never looked back for an impressive front-running 8 ¼-length romp in his career debut Monday at Laurel Park.
A 2-year-old son of 1999 Frank J. De Francis Memorial Dash (G1) winner Yes It’s True, Vouch ($4.20) ran 1 1/16 miles in 1:47.23 over a fast main track in the $40,000 maiden special weight for juveniles that kicked off the nine-race program.
Vouch, purchased for $230,000 at Keeneland’s November 2015 breeding stock sale, had been training steadily since early July at Fair Hill for his unveiling including four straight bullet workouts. He went off as the even-money favorite in the field of six.
It is the fourth maiden winner of the fall meet for Delacour following 3-year-old filly Bloody Point Oct. 28, 2-year-old colt Tricks to Doo Oct. 27 and 2-year-old filly Madame Milan Oct. 13.
“We’ve liked him. He didn’t really have the speed to go six furlongs first time out so we just decided to get him a little bit fitter, breeze him a few more times and try to go long,” trainer Arnaud Delacour said. “I’m glad it worked out. Obviously he was pretty fit. He’s a lovely horse, big stride. He was a little bit green but there’s always room for improvement. I think he’s a very nice horse.”
Vouch set leisurely fractions of 25.12 and 49.88 seconds and 1:14.97 with only mild pressure from Salt Air to his outside before leaving his rivals behind after straightening for home. Zestful came on late to pass Salt Air for second.
“He’s a really nice horse. He got a good break so he picked it up good in front and he was on the bit all the way around,” Karamanos said. “I just let him run just at the top of the stretch. He was a little bit green but he can run. He gave me a nice kick at the end.”
Daniel McConnell’s Larry Jones-trained homebred Prince Lucky ($3) bounced back from a third-place effort in the First State Dash Sept. 30 at Delaware Park, taking the lead at the top of the stretch and sprinting clear to win a $42,000 entry-level allowance for 2-year-olds in Race 5. The winning time for six furlongs was 1:10.78.
“This horse can run a lot. He’s got a lot of natural talent and he’s learning what he’s doing. We’ve got big plans for him,” Jones said. “We’ll see how far he can go along and maybe point toward the Triple Crown trail.”
Country Life Farm’s Flash McCaul ($22.20), sixth in the Maryland Million Classic nine days earlier, went last-to-first with a steady drive down the center of the track to snap a 14-race losing streak dating back to Feb. 7, 2016 in Race 8, a $45,000 second-level optional claiming allowance for 3-year-olds and up. Originally carded for the grass, it was moved to the main track where the multiple stakes-placed 4-year-old ran one mile in 1:37.69.
“He just didn’t get a great trip in the Classic. He got away bad. For some reason he doesn’t leave the gate really sharp and he ran his race,” trainer Mike Trombetta said. “When the opportunity came with the rain and the weather and going in as an MTO, I jumped on it and put him in. He’s been doing good, that’s why we did it. This was good.”
Rainbow 6 Carryover $18,372 for Return of Live Racing Friday, Nov. 3
The 20-cent Rainbow 6 will have a jackpot carryover of $18,372.40 when live racing returns to Laurel with an 11-race program Friday, Nov. 3.
One horse, Dominic’s Pride, was live to take down the jackpot heading into Monday’s ninth-race finale, won by 4-5 favorite Star Too ($3.60). Multiple tickets were sold with all six winners worth $860.20.
The Rainbow 6 has gone unsolved for 13 consecutive programs since being hit for $10,342 on Oct. 8. A total of $12,544 was wagered into the Rainbow 6 pool Monday.
Friday’s Rainbow 6 covers Races 6-11. First race post time is 12:30 p.m.
There will also be a carryover of $3,260.75 in the $1 Super Hi-5 for Friday’s opener.
