Admirals War Chest hangs on to steal Maryland Million Classic

LAUREL, Md. – Trainer Corby Caiazzo never had won a stakes. Jockey Taylor Hole hadn't won a stakes since 2011. Together they teamed up to steal the $150,000 Maryland Million Classic on the lead with Admirals War Chest on Saturday at Laurel Park.

Admirals War Chest broke running in the 1 1/8-mile Classic, and Hole took a light grip. They were tracked by 6-1 Titan Alexander to the far turn. When Titan Alexander began to drop back, Hole continued to ride, and he and Admirals War Chest held about a six-length lead into the stretch.

Admirals War Chest still held a commanding advantage in midstretch, but he was visibly beginning to shorten stride as Bullheaded Boy, trained by Todd Pletcher, began to cut into his lead. At the wire, Admirals War Chest had just enough left and hung on to win by a neck.

"There wasn't much speed in the race, so Corby said to me, 'Catch me if you can,' " Hole said. "My job was to open up and run hard."

Admirals War Chest, a 4-year-old, came into the Classic off a first-level allowance win and with a 2-for-11 record. Caiazzo trains him off Murmur Farm for Sinatra Thoroughbred Racing and Breeding.

"We had been thinking about this spot for quite some time, but after his last win, we decided to go for it," Caiazzo said. "He can be kind of temperamental, and you have to play a give-and-take game with him."

Bullheaded Boy finished well for second and would have won with a little more ground. I'm Mr. Blue finished third, 10 1/2 lengths behind Bullheaded Boy and 1 1/4 lengths in front of the 5-2 favorite Talk Show Man.

Talk Show man had raced within early striking position while three wide. The stewards conducted an inquiry into the race, and Xavier Perez lodged an objection against Julian Pimentel aboard I'm Mr. Blue for coming outward on the far turn. After several minutes, the stewards let the results stand.

Admirals War Chest paid $11.40 as the third choice in the nine-horse field. He was timed in 1:51.49.

The Classic was a special win for owner Stephen Sinatra, who bred the horse and owns his sire, Elusive Charlie.

"We were going to sell Elusive Charlie at Keeneland, but we took him out of the sale,” he said. “All my Elusive Charlies want to go to the lead. All the jockeys were fighting with him, trying to get him to race the traditional way, but you saw what he did today."

Turf: Phlash Phelps extends streak

Phlash Phelps kept his perfect record for the year intact in the $125,000 Maryland Million Turf by re-rallying after being headed in the stretch by the tough old warrior Roadhog.

Phlash Phelps was unable to win at ages 2 and 3 but now is 4 for 4 this season. Trainer Rodney Jenkins gelded him over the winter, and he has come back a much more focused individual.

"I love the way he's fighting back now, and he didn't used to do that," Jenkins said.

Phlash Phelps has won a maiden race, an allowance, a restricted stakes, and the Turf in succession.

Jo Way Java sprinted clear at 90-1 and set the early pace in the one-mile Turf, clicking off fractions of 23.38 and 47.19. Jockey Victor Carrasco settled Phlash Phelps in second and made an aggressive move to the lead on the far turn.

Roadhog, an 8-year-old who won the Turf in 2013 and 2012, launched a strong bid outside Phlash Phelps in upper stretch and looked headed to victory, but Phlash Phelps turned him back and won by three-quarters of a length.

A P Elvis finished third, three lengths behind Roadhog.

Phlash Phelps paid $5.60 as the favorite in the 10-horse field. He completed the mile in 1:35.35, with his final furlong in just under 12 seconds.

The Turf was the first win for Carrasco since he returned to riding Oct 10 following an injury. He broke his hand Aug. 25 in a Delaware Park spill.

Distaff: Lionhearted Lady gets it done

Trainer Hamilton Smith cross-entered Lionhearted Lady in the Maryland Million Ladies and Distaff. He chose the seven-furlong Distaff, the public made her the 2-1 favorite, and Lionhearted Lady held up her end by taking over on the far turn and going on to win by two lengths.

"I made the right move. How about that?" Smith said. "She ran her race. Her last two were good and so was this one."

Lionhearted Lady moved up from her rail post to press the pace inside the longshot Nastar Medallist. She took control on the far turn under jockey Xavier Perez, who kept her under a drive in the stretch.

Second choice Aix En Provence stalked the early leaders, rallied willingly in the stretch but could not reach the winner. My Magician finished a hard-trying third, 1 1/4 lengths behind Aix En Provence. Miss Bullistic, also trained by Smith, finished fourth.

The $100,000 Distaff was Lionhearted Lady's first stakes win. She paid $6.60 and was timed in 1:24.36.

Ladies: Monster Sleeping makes it look easy

Monster Sleeping is an old pro. Coming into Saturday's $125,000 Maryland Million Ladies, the 6-year-old had won 8 of 45 starts.

She added another victory to her record Saturday and made it look easy under jockey Sheldon Russell, who gave her a smooth ride. Monster Sleeping also won the ladies in 2013.

The Ladies was the 11th Maryland Million victory for trainer Dale Capuano, breaking a tie with King Leatherbury for the most in Maryland Million history. Earlier on the card, Leatherbury was beaten a nose with Ben's Cat in the Sprint.

The Ladies also gave both Capuano brothers a Maryland Million win on the card. Dale's younger brother, Gary, won the Lassie with Lexington Street.

Monster Sleeping tracked the pacesetting Can't Explain early in the Ladies, a 1 1/8-mile turf race. She took the lead from the outside nearing the stretch, then widened when Russell put her under a drive in upper stretch. She won by 3 3/4 lengths.

"She relaxed nicely early," Russell said. "I was never really worried."

Monster Sleeping paid $6.40 as the second choice and was timed in 1:51.39. Lucy Boo finished second, 1 3/4 lengths ahead of Pauline's Pride. Can't Explain, the 11-10 favorite, tired to finish fifth after setting the pace.