LAUREL, Md.—Steve and Debbie Jackson’s homebred Dontmesawithme, a 5-year-old gelded son of Fast Anna trained by Flint Stites, shipped in from Penn National and took the money in the $100,000 Harrison E. Johnson, upsetting a field of seven at odds of 18-1.
Ridden by Abner Adorno, Dontmesawithme won for the seventh time in 20 career starts. His last seven starts were at Parx Racing. When asked why he shipped the gelding to Laurel for the Johnson, Stites replied; “It was a one-turn mile. He ran really well seven-eighths at Parx and I just thought he would like the one-turn mile.”
Breaking away cleanly, Dontmesawithme was on the lead past a :23.90 quarter mile. After relinquishing the lead to Whiskey and You around the turn, Adorno regained the lead an eighth of a mile from home and drove home in front of a game Workin On a Dream. Favored Galerio got up for the show.
“I didn’t expect he would be on the lead, but Abner was right there, spot-on,” Stites said.
“It’s a horse that is usually a closer but when he broke he was right on the lead and I was surprised where he was,” Adorno said. “I decided to wait as much as I could and when it was time to run he was ready for me. I’m just happy that the horse broke sharply today and it worked out good for him.”
Dontmesawithme returned $38.20.
The Harrison E. Johnson honors the Bowie-based trainer who died at age 45 in the crash of a plane he was piloting from Saratoga to Virginia. A native of Adelphi, Md., his best horse was 1973 Hopeful (G1) winner Gusty O’Shay, named that year’s Maryland-bred 2-year-old champion.
Maryland Jockey Club Press Release
Photo of Dontmesawithme by Maryland Jockey Club
