LAUREL, Md. – Madaket Stables, Ten Strike Racing, Michael Kisber and BTR Racing Inc.’s Whereshetoldmetogo reeled in stubborn pacesetter and fellow multiple stakes winner Jaxon Traveler in mid-stretch and edged past nearing the wire to defend his title in Saturday’s $75,000 Not For Love at Laurel Park.
The six-furlong Not For Love for 4-year-olds and was the second of two stakes restricted to Maryland-bred/sired horses on the St. Patrick’s Day weekend program, preceded by the $75,000 Conniver for fillies and mares 4 and older sprinting seven furlongs.
Older horses were also featured in the $100,000 Harrison E. Johnson Memorial going one mile. Co-headlining five stakes worth $450,000 in purses were the $100,000 Private Terms for 3-year-olds and $100,000 Beyond the Wire for 3-year-old fillies.
Given a patient trip from winter meet-leading rider Jevian Toledo, Whereshetoldmetogo ($8.20) won by three-quarters of a length in 1:10.97 over a fast main track for his 14th lifetime, 11th in a stakes, seven of them coming over his home course of Laurel.
“He’s an older horse and he owes no one anything at this rate,” winning trainer Brittany Russell said. “He’s still showing up on the day so the fact that we can do it the way we are, it’s nice. It’s rewarding, and he deserves it.”
In his first race since finishing a troubled fifth, beaten two lengths, in the Dave’s Friend Dec. 26 at Laurel to snap a two-race win streak, Whereshetoldmetogo settled in third as Jaxon Traveler – the Maryland-bred 2-year-old champion of 2020 and 3-year-old champion of 2021 – was hustled to the front from his far outside post.
Jaxon Traveler raced through an opening quarter-mile in 22.53 seconds and a half in 45.62 with 2021 Maryland Million Sprint winner Air Token on his heels. Toledo tipped Whereshetoldmetogo into the clear leaving the backstretch and they moved up on the leaders rounding the turn.
“He broke OK. I saw the horses on the outside went for the lead and I just let them go and sat right behind them,” Toledo said. “I put my horse on the outside of horses in the clear and when I asked him to go home, he just did his job like he always does. He’s a nice horse.”
Once straightened for home, Whereshetoldmetogo came with a steady run down the center of the track to get on even terms with a determined Jaxon Traveler before nudging past. Jaxon Traveler was 1 ½ lengths ahead of Air Token, who edged Youngest of Five by a neck for third. The Wolfman, Big Engine and Karan’s Notion completed the order of finish.
The victory pushed Whereshetoldmetogo’s career bankroll to $792,791 from 33 starts and improved him to seven-for-10 at Laurel.
“It set up really well for him today. We love this horse,” Russell said. “The clients are great and let us be patient, and we can do the right thing by him. It shows on a day like today when he can get the job done.”
A son of Mr. Prospector, the late Not For Love was named Maryland’s champion stallion a record 13 times and was the first stallion in Maryland history to surpass $6 million in progeny earnings in a single year (2008). As a broodmare sire, he is represented by two-time Horse of the Year California Chrome. He died at age 26 in 2016.
Maryland Jockey Club Press Release
Photo of Whereshetoldmetogo by Maryland Jockey Club
