LAUREL, MD. 03-02-13---Trainer Ignacio Correas saddled Walkwithapurpose and Listen Boy in today’s $150,000 Caesar’s Wish Stakes and saw them run first and second in the one mile test for 3-year old fillies today at Laurel Park.

Both fillies are Sagamore Farm home-breds, the winner by Candy Ride (ARG), the runner-up by After Market.

“It’s a great day for Sagamore,” Correas said.

Walkwithapurpose was the prohibitive 2-5 favorite under Jeremy Rose and won off by 9-1/2 lengths in 1:38.38. Listen Boy, a 45-1 longshot, rallied under Horacio Karamanos  and beat Sense of Reality and three others to the finish line.

“The plan was to break sharp and if they wanted to go fast enough to clear us they’d have to be fast and they weren’t quite fast enough,” Rose said. “I was happy to see she got pressure and still respond. I think she has more there. I thought this was the most impressive performance because she was pressured.  She responded with a lot of class.”

Walkwithapurpose has now won five straight races including three stakes, all at Laurel Park. Prior to the Caesar’s Wish she captured the Maryland Juvenile Filly Championship (December 31) and the Wide Country Stakes (February 2).

“She is amazing,” said Correas. “I really don’t know how good she can be. I remember the first time I worked her in company and she was awesome, so I wasn’t worried that she was pressured today. That morning she destroyed the other horse. She is very competitive though I don’t like my horses on the lead. I would rather be chasing.”

Listen Boy was making her first stakes attempt and completed a $50 exacta.

“I always thought she was good enough but she’ll be even better on the turf,” added Correas. “We gave her a chance to get some black-type and it worked out well.”

Correas indicated he would likely use the Twixt Stakes on April 6 at Pimlico Race Course for Maryland-breds as Walkwithapurpose’s prep race for the $500,000 Black-Eyed Susan Stakes (G2) on May 17.

“That would give us more than 40 days between that race and the Black-Eyed Susan, which I really like,” said Correas.

Walkwithapurpose, who paid $2.80, improves to 5-of-6 lifetime with earnings of $272,210.

McCARTHY SERVING RIDING SUSPENSION

Promising apprentice Trevor McCarthy began serving a four-day suspension Friday for a riding infraction that occurred February 22 at Laurel Park. The 18-year-old will serve the days March 1-2-6-7 but is allowed to ride at other tracks when Laurel does not conduct live racing.

McCarthy won 25 races in February, which included eight multiple win days, and ranks second in the winter meeting standings with 38 victories, three fewer than fellow bug rider Yomar Ortiz.
 

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.