LAUREL, MD. 11-10-12---The gate opened, Whiskey Romeo shot to the lead and essentially, the inaugural running of the $125,000 James F. Lewis III Stakes at Laurel Park was over.

Cruising under the finish line in 1:11.70 for the six furlong distance on the fast main track, the Tony Dutrow trainee was being gently geared down under jockey Stewart Elliott as he beat Amerigo Vespucci by 7-1/2 lengths, with Alpha Mike Foxtrot another 1-3/4 lengths back in third.

“It was very impressive,” Elliott said. “I let him run a little bit the last part but wrapped up on him at the end. I worked him a couple times and knew he has some talent. He looked like he was the speed of the race so the plan was to get to the front and he did it easy.”

Morris Bailey owns the two-year-old son of Forestry, who started the race as the 3-5 favorite off an impressive maiden victory at Parx Racing in late September.

Whiskey Romeo paid $3.20.

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.