Laurel to Host Claiming Crown Preview Day Sunday, Oct. 10
LAUREL, MD – Stronach Stable Inc.’s homebred 3-year-old filly Belle of the North, whose dam is a half-sister to Hall of Fame mare Zenyatta, sat off the early pace before splitting horses in mid-stretch and drawing away to an impressive 5 ½-length maiden victory in Friday’s feature at Laurel Park.
Ridden by Horacio Karamanos for trainer Jose Corrales, Belle of the North ($10.20) was making her fourth career start in the seven-furlong maiden special weight for fillies age 3, 4 and 5. The winning time was 1:23.30 over a fast track.
“I got excited when I met her because … that’s Zenyatta’s niece,” Corrales said. “She’s nice. I hope she can go [on and be] good. I have to talk to the connections. When a horse runs like that, they get excited. We’ll see what happens.”
Beautiful Farewell, a bay daughter of Frosted sent off as the 2-1 favorite, was out front early and led through a quarter-mile in 22.74 seconds and a half in 46.06 pressed to her outside by Maggie’s Bid with By the Hour, a $350,000 2-year-old in training purchase last spring, tracking in third.
Belle of the North began to range up on the turn as the top three straightened for home. Karamanos nudged the daughter of Street Boss toward an opening between By the Hour on the outside and Maggie’s Bid and they surged through, opening up once clear under a hand ride.
“When I rode her the first time it was [going] long and she needed to run because she was so green. Then we ran back short, six furlongs at Pimlico, and she came flying at the end. She doesn’t break well and she was so far behind,” Karamanos said. “She got a better break today and she sat behind the speed, six or seven lengths behind, going easy all the way around. I just waited for a moment. I saw [By the Hour didn’t] have much horse so I came through between them and she passed them easily. I just asked her a little bit to come through the horses and then she did everything herself.”
Maggie’s Bid finished second, 1 ¼ lengths ahead of By the Hour. It was another 3 ¼ lengths back to Beautiful Farewell followed by Special Farewell, Some Is Nine and Ginamaya.
Belle of the North is out of the unraced Henrythenavigator mare Harley Rose, who fetched $1.5 million at Keeneland’s November 2011 Breeding Stock Sale.
“She was working good. I thought she was go into run better at the beginning but I knew she was slow out of the gate, that’s why I ran her the first time going a distance. It didn’t seem like she was fit enough for the distance so we ran her back three-quarters,” Corrales said. “It looks like it’s better. Seven-eighths I figured she would run better because last time I had to force her to get the three-quarters. This time she can sit back a little bit and finish better. She did finish a little better than I expected. I think she’s turned around and she’s going to be a nice filly.”
Laurel to Host Claiming Crown Preview Day Sunday, Oct. 10
In between next month’s Fall Festival of Racing and Maryland Million, Claiming Crown Preview Day is coming to Laurel Park Sunday, Oct. 10.
Claiming Crown Preview Day winners will earn an automatic berth to the 23rd Claiming Crown, to be held for the 10th consecutive year during Gulfstream Park’s Championship Meet.
In addition, winners that do make the trip to South Florida will receive up to $2,500 toward shipping costs and have their nomination fees paid.
Created by the National Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association in partnership with the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association, the Claiming Crown rewards and pays tribute to the horses that provided the foundation for day-to-day racing programs at racetracks throughout the country.
In 2016 Farfellow Farms, Ltd’s Marabea, trained by Lacey Gaudet, parlayed a win on Laurel’s Claiming Crown Preview Day to victory in the $125,000 Claiming Crown Tiara.
Laurel will host its Fall Festival of Racing featuring five turf stakes worth $600,000 in purses Saturday, Oct. 2. The 36th annual Jim McKay Maryland Million Day program is set for Saturday, Oct. 23.
Notes: Jockey Jorge Ruiz and trainer Dale Capuano teamed up for a pair of wins Friday with Prinecess Dior ($4.60) in Race 6 and Moquist ($5.60) in Race 8 … Mopo Racing’s Moquist, a 3-year-old daughter of Kentucky Derby (G1) winner Nyquist, improved to 2-0 with her front-running, four-length Maryland-bred/sired allowance triumph in 1:22.30 for seven furlongs. She was bred in Maryland by the late Robert Manfuso and trainer Katy Voss.
Laurel Park Press Release
Photo: Belle of The North ( Maryland Jockey Club Photo)
