Jump Sucker Stable's Blacktype ran his winning streak to three races with a record-setting performance, settling early and finding room along the inside down the stretch to capture the $200,000 Commonwealth Turf Cup (Grade 2) on Saturday at Laurel Park.
The 1-mile Turf Cup for 3-year-olds and up was the fourth of eight stakes worth $850,000 in purse money and second of three graded stakes on the 11-race Commonwealth Day program. Given an ideal trip by jockey Trevor McCarthy for New York-based trainer Christophe Clement, Blacktype ($9.40) hit the wire in 1 minute, 33.43 seconds over a firm All Along Turf Course, breaking the mark of 1:34.23 set by 4-year-old Cozy Gain in April 2006.
Two's Company stormed through the stretch to beat Zanclus by a head in the $25,000 Brown Advisory Legacy Chase on Saturday at Shawan Downs in Hunt Valley.
Sent off as the third choice in a field of 11 at 7-2, the 5-year-old Blacktype won by a half-length over 25-1 long shot Top of Mind with Grade 1 winner Force the Pass, the 3-2 favorite, another neck behind in third.
Blacktype settled near the back of the field under McCarthy, saving ground ahead of two horses as 80-1 long shot Heiko – who set Laurel's 1 1/16-mile Bowl Game Turf Course record July 24 – ran a quarter-mile in 23.26 seconds and a half in 46.43, with Macagone and Mister Brightside in close pursuit.
Heiko held on to finish fourth, a half-length ahead of multiple stakes winner Phlash Phelps. Farhaan, Mister Brightside, Flatlined, Reporting Star, Macagone and El Jefe Grande completed the order of finish.
The Turf Cup was Blacktype's first start since winning the Oceanport (G3) July 31 at Monmouth Park, which was four weeks after his victory in a one-mile optional claiming allowance at Belmont Park. He has seven wins and $471,665 in purse earnings from 20 career races.
— In other graded stakes races, Deeply Undervalued boosted his stock in the 3-year-old turf division by rallying with a strong stretch run to capture the $200,000 Commonwealth Derby (G2) and My Impression found her footing over a firm turf course, surging to a 31/4-length victory in the $150,000 Commonwealth Oaks (G3). Turning for home, the 6-1 fourth betting choice was taken five wide for the stretch drive and the Kentucky-bred colt responded with a strong kick to the finish. The winning time was 1:46.63.
— Stuart Janney III's My Impression found her footing over a firm turf course, surging to a 3 1/4-length victory in the $150,000 Commonwealth Oaks (G3). The Shug McGaughey-trained daughter of Sky Mesa, who finished troubled sixth in the Lake Placid (G2) at Saratoga Aug. 21, rebounded to add graded-stakes credentials to her resume in the 1 1/8-mile turf race for 3-year-old fillies presented by the Virginia Equine Alliance. The winning time was 1:46.57.