Malibu Beauty impressive in the $100K Carousel (MJC)
Maryland Jockey Club Press Release
LAUREL, Md.— ZWP Stable, Inc. and Non Stop Stable’s Malibu Beauty flashed her multiple stakes-winning form Friday at Laurel Park, romping to a front-running 7 ¾-length victory in the $100,000 Carousel.
A 4-year-old homebred trained by Gary Capuano, Malibu Beauty ($7) ran 1 1/8 miles over a fast main track in 1:53.70 to give jockey Jaime Rodriguez his second stakes win of the afternoon following Coffeewithchris in the $100,000 Heft for 2-year-olds.
It was the fourth career stakes win for the 4-year-old Malibu Beauty and third this year, most recently having won the George Rosenberger Memorial by eight lengths Oct. 1 at Delaware Park. She ran second in the Maryland Million Distaff Oct. 22 and fourth in the Thirty Eight Go Go Nov. 12, both at Laurel.
Malibu Beauty broke well and immediately found herself comfortably in front, going the opening quarter-mile in 24.93 seconds with 35-1 long shot Champagne Toast second and multiple stakes winner Hybrid Eclipse racing in the clear in third. The half went in 49.08 seconds as Hybrid Eclipse rolled up to launch a bid on the turn, but Malibu Beauty gained separation once straightened for home and drew off for her eighth career win.
“That was definitely the plan. Speed’s been holding very well today,” co-owner Dave Picarello said. “She’s usually awesome out of the gate. I think last race we outcoached ourselves and tried to rate her a little bit and she didn’t want any part of that. Once she made the lead into the turn, I felt like she would be the horse to get it done.”
Grade 3-placed Cover Version, who had been racing in California this year, closed to edge Hybrid Eclipse by three-quarters of a length for second with 80-1 long shot Runaway Money fourth. Berate, Champagne Toast, Go Big Blue Nation and Out of Sorts completed the order of finish. Classic Colors, Ninetypercentbrynn and Intrepid Dream were scratched.
Inaugurated in 1985, the Carousel carried Grade 3 status from 1988 to 1997 and ran through 2002 before returning to the Maryland stakes calendar in 2021. Maryland-bred Squan Song, a three-time Grade 3 winner that was retired in 1987 with 18 victories and nearly $900,000 in purses from 36 starts, won the first two runnings.
