Laurel park

Music Please wins $50,000 Squan Song Stakes

Mrs. J.W.Y. Martin Jr.'s Music Please won for the third time in three starts, this time capturing the $50,000 Squan Song Stakes, the feature offering Saturday afternoon at Laurel Park. Music Please was sent to post as the third choice in the field of six registered Maryland-bred fillies and mares, who were all in search of their first stakes victory. Under Eric Camacho, the homebred daughter of Bowman's Band rallied from last and was up in time to catch Heaven's Voice just two jumps before the finish line. Heaven's Voice, the post time favorite, had put away My Misty's Echo in mid-stretch and appeared to be on her way to victory but could not hold off the winner, losing by three-fourths of a length. My Misty's Echo finished third. Music Please, who stopped the timer in 1 minute 26.97 seconds for the seven-furlong distance, paid $9.80. This was her third straight win at seven furlongs for trainer Rodney Jenkins. "This filly has a lovely manner," Jenkins said. "The first time I ran her seven furlongs because three-quarters was just too short. The second time I ran her seven furlongs because I had this race in mind. I want to stretch her out but we'll stretch her out after this." "Today she just sprinted right by them the last 60 yards," Camach said. "We had a great pace going into it. I just got her to relax. I started to get after her around the turn. Her maturity has come a long way."

—From Sun staff and news services