Pimlico: Debt Ceiling rallies to win Rollicking Stakes

BALTIMORE – Debt Ceiling used new tactics Saturday, when he remained perfect in two starts with his off-the-pace win in the $100,000 Rollicking. The five-furlong race for 2-year-olds was the first of seven stakes on the Preakness card at Pimlico Race Course.

Debt Ceiling wired the field in his career debut March 30 at Laurel, increasing his advantage at every call for a 4 1/2-length win in a maiden special weight.

In his stakes debut Saturday, he raced in next-to-last place behind Silvertonguedtommy, who blazed through fractions of 21.81 seconds for the opening quarter-mile and 46.35 for the half-mile, pushed along by 2-5 favorite and filly Sweet Emma Rose. Debt Ceiling ($12.20) put in his bid down the middle of the track and won by 2 1/2 lengths over Silvertonguedtommy.

“I didn’t intend being that far back,” said Eric Camacho, who rode the winner. “Every time I’ve ridden that horse, he’s broken sharp. I work him out of the gate, he works sharp.

“I really didn’t intend to be that far back, but I knew as far back as I was, I knew the pace was pretty hot, and these 2-year-olds, they don’t tend to carry their speed so much this early in the year. So, I knew they had to come back to me, and when I got into my horse, he really responded.”

[PREAKNESS STAKES: Race replays and reactions from Pimlico]

New Zone was third, with Sweet Emma Rose ending up fourth.

Debt Ceiling, a son of Discreet Cat, races for Tim E. O’Donohue. John Robb trains the horse and said he will look at the stakes programs in Delaware and New York for Debt Ceiling’s next start.