Rominski. (Jim McCue/MJC)
David Joseph/Maryland Jockey Club
BALTIMORE, Md. – Tim Hopkins’ 5-year-old gelding Rominski, whose lone stakes attempt in 19 prior starts came in mid-March, proved no match for his seven rivals – six of them stakes winners – in a popular front-running four-length victory in Saturday’s co-feature at historic Pimlico Race Course.
Ridden by Horacio Karamanos for trainer Kieron Magee, Rominski ($5.80) ran his win streak to three straight in the third-level optional claiming allowance for 3-year-olds and up, covering six furlongs in 1:10.89 over a fast main track.
One of three horses in for a $55,000 tag including his Magee-trained stablemate, Grade 3 winner Classier, Rominski was hustled to the front from Post 5 by Karamanos and went the opening quarter-mile in 23.58 seconds pressed to his outside by Exculpatory, among four multiple stakes winners in the field.
Rominski maintained a comfortable advantage after going a half-mile in 46.89, then opened up once straightened for home in registering his ninth career win and sixth in nine starts since being claimed by Magee last March. Fourth in the March 16 Not For Love against fellow Maryland-bred/sired horses, he was claimed out of Saturday’s win by The Elkstone Group and trainer Brittany Russell.
Factor It In, a three-time stakes winner that is twice Grade 3-placed, closed to edge Classier for second. They were followed by Exculpatory, Don’t Wait Up, three-time stakes winner Alwaysinahurry, 2020 Maryland Million Sprint winner Karan’s Notion and 2021 Timonium Juvenile winner Cynergy’s Star.
Classier was claimed by Walter Doggett III and trainer Ferris Allen.
In the Race 9 co-feature, a third-level optional claiming allowance for fillies and mares 3 and up, Anonymously ($25.20) came through an opening on the inside and held off My Flicker by a head to win in 1:12.28 for six furlongs. Mystic Seaport, the 2-5 favorite, finished last of five. It is the 11th win from 42 lifetime starts for Diane Balsamo’s Anonymously, who dropped in class after finishing third in the April 13 Primonetta at Laurel Park and May 18 Skipat on the Preakness (G1) undercard at Pimlico.
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Race 3 Sunday is a six-furlong maiden special weight for 3-year-old fillies. Shining Spirit looks to break through for trainer Mike Gorham after three seconds and a third from six starts between 5 ½ furlongs and 1 1/16 miles. Extremely Gruntled will make her 10th start and first since moving to Ricardo Ramirez from Ken McPeek, trainer of Kentucky Derby (G1) winner and Preakness (G1) runner-up Mystik Dan …
R. Larry Johnson’s Virginia homebred Noquestionaboutit ($6.60), a first-time starter by Great Notion, sprinted to an early lead and held off a pair of closers to capture her unveiling Saturday in Race 3, a 4 ½-furlong maiden special weight for 2-year-old fillies. The winning time was 53.73 seconds over a fast main track …
Noquestionaboutit was the first of back-to-back winners for trainer Michael Trombetta, followed by Clouds of White ($9.40) in Race 4 …
Clouds of White and Rominski ($5.80) in Race 7 were both ridden by Horacio Karamanos.
