Stewart Nickel looked at the odds board at Laurel Park yesterday and couldn't believe what he was seeing.
"8-1," he said, referring to the odds of his filly, Smart 'n Noble, who was about to make her 11th stakes start in the Barbara Fritchie Handicap, richest of the track's races for fillies and mares.
"Respect. That is what this race is all about. No matter how many races this filly wins, she never seems to get the respect she deserves," Nickel said.
Smart 'n Noble went a long way toward correcting that oversight by winning the Fritchie Handicap by a neck over long shot Dust Bucket.
Previously, Smart 'n Noble, who has never raced outside of Maryland, had won four lesser Laurel stakes and a pair of other added-money races at Pimlico, but had never tried graded company.
Nickel, who owns the horse with his brother, Steve, and mom, Pat, said he was nervous.
But if the owners were tense, Smart 'n Noble was not. Under regular jockey Mario Pino, the filly turned in her usual professional performance, despite the appearance of some well-regarded out-of-town horses, Lottsa Talc and Triumph At Dawn.
In a race that turned out to be full of surprises, Smart n' Noble was her usual consistent self.
Pino saved ground with her along the rail, about four lengths off the pace set by expected front-runner, Queen Suite. Then approaching the final turn, Pino angled the filly out, rallied four horses wide and turned back long shot Gooni Goo Hoo in the final furlong.
Dust Bucket made a valiant late rally, but fell a neck short of defeating Smart 'n Noble.
Smart n' Noble raced the seven furlongs in 1 minute 24 seconds, giving Pino his second Fritchie victory in four years. He also won in 1992 with Wood So.
The three horses that were favored to win yesterday's race turned in disappointing efforts. Lottsa Talc raced wide after breaking from the 10-post and never made a convincing run. She finished fifth.
Triumph At Dawn raced forwardly behind Queen Suite, but faltered at the top of the stretch and ended up last.
Queen Suite set a moderate pace, but couldn't sustain it and finished eighth, the worst finish in her 10-race career.
The victory by Smart n' Noble was the richest in the 26-year career of her trainer Dick Delp, the older brother of Bud Delp, who trained former Horse of the Year Spectacular Bid.
Smart 'n Noble, in addition to gaining the respect coveted by Stewart Nickel, earned $120,000.
Dick Delp has formerly trained such male stakes horses as Willard Scott and Smart Alec, but Smart 'n Noble is the best filly to come from his barn. Delp had been worried that racing secretary, Tommy Baker, had assigned Smart 'n Noble too much weight, but yesterday Delp said "Tommy was right."
The Nickels, who are from Timonium, have been in the racing business about 4 1/2 years. They started out with one claimer and have expanded the operation after the success of such horses as Have You Testified, Two Eyes Fer You and now Smart 'N Noble. The Nickels currently have about a dozen horses, including three broodmares and their young offspring.
Delp said he plans to keep Smart 'n Noble racing in Maryland company, but added that after yesterday's Grade II victory, "we might step her up in class."
NOTES: Ellen Moyer, mother of trainer Steve Moyer, has replaced Ordell Braase as a member of the Maryland Racing Commission. Current board Member John H. "Jack" Mosner Jr. has been reappointed to another term by Gov. Parris Glendening. . . . Total betting on yesterday's Fritchie card exceeded $4 million, best handle so far this year in Maryland. The total bet in the state was $3.1 million. Nearly another $1 million was bet on the Laurel live card at out-of-state outlets.