Regal Solo broke slow, but that said nothing about his performance in the 25th Jim McKay Maryland Million Classic Saturday afternoon at Laurel Park.
The 5-year-old gelded son of 1996 Preakness winner Louis Quatorze ran in the pack with the other five entries for most of the race, but after enduring dirt in his face for most of the 1 1/8th mile course, his jockey Sheldon Russell (a three-time winner Saturday) swung Regal Solo wide for room and he came running down the stretch to a 1 1/4th-length victory over Hot Abroad. Regal Warrior was third and favorite In the Juice ran fourth.
Regal Solo ($13.40, $5.40, $3.80) finished the course in 1:51.43.
The Classic field was reduced to six horses prior to the start, as two horses defected to other races — Northpoint Costas, who won the Starter Handicap earlier in the day, and Eighttofasttocatch, who ran third in the Turf race won by Pocket Patch.
"We weren't sure how this race was going to set up," said trainer Damon Dilodovico. "But it probably couldn't have been any better. He's not always an easy horse to rate, so being behind the field for that time was probably a good thing. It enabled Sheldon to hold him back until it was time on the front stretch."
Dilodovico was also happy trainer Dale Capuano had decided to run Northpoint Costas in the Starter Handicap instead of the Classic.
"I'm glad Dale didn't stick around," he said. "It was a tough field and it's good to dodge one when you can."
Dilodovico said he had also dodged Ben's Cat in a race at Delaware earlier this year, but after seeing him run yesterday said he anticipates seeing more of him.
"That's a very nice horse," he said.
The big black beauty called Ben's Cat put on what might have been the highlight performance of the day for the crowd of 23,367, as he won the Turf Sprint laughing. The green grass felt cool and inspiring under his hooves and his jockey, Julian Pimentel, had little to do but hold the gelded son of Parker's Storm Cat in check until it was time to go.
"At the start he broke and was gone," said Pimentel, who was riding his second winner of the day. "I held him back most of the way and then at the eighth pole I let him go. He was doing it so easy. At the end he was just looking around."
He might have been looking around for the rest of the field as the King Leatherbury owned and trained 4-year-old crossed the finish line 4 1/2-lenghts ahead of If Not for Lust. It was his sixth win in six starts and left everyone associated with him starry-eyed.
Ben's Cat ($4.60, $3.40, $3.00) ran the Turf Sprint's 5 1/2-furlongs in 1:05.54 without breaking a sweat. Mike Pons, who owns Country Life Farm where Ben's Cat was bred lamented the horse had come from the last group of mares bred to Parker's Storm Cat at his farm.
"I wish it had been the first crop," said Pons, who sold the stallion to a farm in Washington State.
Leatherbury, who ran the horse twice in claiming races before realizing how good he could be, accepted the race trophy with a smile and a little shake of his head.
"You know, horse trainers used to tell all their owners, 'There's no telling how good this horse can be,'" said Leatherbury, whose horse has now won $149,460. "In this case it's true. He hasn't reached his peak yet."
It was Leatherbury's 6,304th career win and his eighth Maryland Million Day victory.
Ben's Cat was one of just four favorites who came home the winner, joining Steady Warrior in the Nursery, Northpoint Costas, and Silver Heart in the Distaff Starter Handicap.
Upsets were in play most of the day, with prohibitive favorite Twelve Park Shelly being the first to lose to upset-minded, 10-to-1 underdog Doing Great, also ridden by Pimentel.
Twelve Park Shelly, the 1-5 favorite, broke in the lead but was pushed every step of the way by Doing Great, who put his nose ahead down the front stretch and sprinted to a half-length victory in 1:12.06.
"Julian's instructions were if no one entertains the filly (Twelve Pack Shelly) that was his job," said trainer Mike Trombetta, who notched his third Maryland Million day victory with the Great Notion filly owned by R. Larry Johnson. "We knew if (Twelve Pack Shelly) had an easy lead there was no chance for us."
Doing Great paid $23.60 to win.
This was Twelve Park Shelly's first loss in four races, and her first at Laurel since she debuted April 8 and shattered the track record at 4 1/2 furlongs.
"She ran good today," said her trainer/owner John Salzman Jr. "She just got second. I have no excuse."
Steady Warrior wins Nursery
Steady Warrior, a 2-year-old chestnut son of Cherokee's Boy, looked a lot like his daddy in the afternoon sun. His coat glowed red in the winner's circle after completing the 6-furlong race his sire won in 2002.
Steady Warrior won in a romp for trainer Gary Capuano.
"It was as easy as I wanted it to be," said winning jockey Travis Dunkelberger. "When we were in the second turn, he turned his head to look at his barn and I had to tap him to keep his attention. He tends to wait for the other horses, but I kept after him and I think if any of them had come after us he would have won by another 10 lengths."
As it was Steady Warrior, owned by ZWP Stable, Inc. & Non Stop Stable, won by 7 1/4-length in 1:11.18 and paid $2.20 to win. Skip the Trial was second with Lovetofinishfirst third, another three-lengths back.
Capuano family keeps it going
Immediately after Gary Capuano's Steady Warrior rolled home, his brother Dale Capuano' Northpoint Costas won the Starter Handicap. Scratched from the Classic in favor of this race, Northpoint Costas, a son of Bowman's Band, won by an easy three lengths.
Owned by Rob Ry Farm and Jayne Marie Slysz, the gelded chestnut went off as the even-money favorite and completed the mile in 1:38.91 to give Dale Capuano his ninth Million win. The victory moved him in to first place among Maryland Million trainers, displacing Bill Boniface.
Blind Date rallies to win
Blind Date, a strapping 4-year-old filly sired by Not for Love, passed Love That Dance, the 3-10 favorite, at the finish line to win the Million Distaff. It was a satisfying victory for trainer Hamilton Smith, who had seen Love That Dance beat Blind Date here last year in the Oaks. She paid $13 after completing the 7-furlongs in 1:28.82.
"Jack" outflanks favorite
Jack On the Rocks, a 5-year-old son of Outflanker, fell behind late in the stretch drive but came back to win the Million Sprint over the veteran Celtic Innis by half-a-length on the 6-furlong course. "The horse who ran second tried his heart out, gave his all, and I almost had a heart attack," said trainer Gary Gullo.
Pocket Patch relaxes for victory
The 5-year-old son of Partner's Hero hadn't won in his past six races, but yesterday Pocket Patch under the guidance of Jonathan Joyce took the lead down the stretch and won the 1 1/8-mile Turf race by 3 1/2-lengths in 1:52.30 over Ham and Ernie. Pocket patch paid $14 and trainer Flint Stites praised Joyce for relaxing the horse and getting him out of the gate on time.
Three straight for Baltimore Belle
Baltimore Belle was the life of the Oaks party. Squeezing through the tiniest of holes along the rail, she came through for her third straight win. The daughter of Bowman's Band, trained by John Secor and owned by Robert Gerczak & Kaygar Stable beat favorite Lil Klara by 3 1/4-lengths, completing the mile course in 1:38.35. "My filly has a lot of confidence to squeeze through that tight hole," said jockey Vladimir Diaz.
My Sweet Nenana, sweet indeed
A 50-to-1 shot, My Sweet Nenana led wire-to-wire to win the 1 1/8th mile Ladies, run on the Laurel grass. Ridden by Christopher Ho, the daughter of Jazz Club won her second career race and the first in her last four races.
Silver Heart catches break
Jockey Ricardo Chiappe stood up in his stirrups before Serenadia reached the proper finish line and possibly cost his horse the race. That was no problem for Silver Heart, the favorite and 5-year-old daughter of Lion Heart who won for owner Nancy Terhune and Trainer Gary Capuano.
sandra.mckee@baltsun.com