Fair Grounds: My My My Maria goes from $7,500 claimer to Pan Zareta winner

Hodges Photography/ Lynn Roberts

My My My Maria, claimed for $7,500 on Nov. 1, takes the off-the-turf Pan Zareta under Brian Hernandez Jr.

Two of the sharpest $7,500 claims in the land reside in the same barn. On Friday at Fair Grounds, trainer Tim Glyshaw sent out Tiban to win a second-level allowance sprint, his sixth victory since being claimed in May. Saturday, My My My Maria took her turn, comfortably capturing the $75,000 Pan Zareta Stakes with a decisive move off the turn and into the homestretch.

Glyshaw and a owners’ partnership called Quarter Pole Club III claimed My My My Maria for $7,500 on Nov. 1 at Churchill, her 20th claiming start of an undistinguished career. Since then, My My My Maria has won a $10,000 starter-allowance, a second-level allowance, and the listed stakes Saturday.

“She’s turned a corner,” said winning rider Brian Hernandez Jr. “There’s no telling how good she’ll be.”

My My My Maria ($7.60) looked like a winner before Hernandez even let her run. Favored Starlite Starbrite - who would be eased under the wire and vanned off after the race  had been hard-used to make a narrow lead over Monono, setting splits of 22.66 seconds and 46.88 in a race rained from turf onto dirt. Midway around the turn, settled in fifth, there was My My My Maria -- in the clear, in hand, and ready to strike. Hernandez turned her loose before the quarter pole and My My My Maria whizzed past the four in front of her, going on to a 1 3/4- quarter length score over Monono, with Elusive One third. Winning time for f5 ½ furlongs on a fast track that might have slowed through the card was 1:05.22

“We didn’t have any intention of running in these kind of races when we claimed her,” said Glyshaw. “She got such a big number last time we decided to run her back here. She’s really improved. She’s very confident.”