Alwaysmining notches first stakes win in Maryland Juvenile Futurity

Alwaysmining proved to be the diamond in the rough in the $100,000 Maryland Juvenile Futurity, as favorites were shut out in the three stakes for Maryland-bred or Maryland-sired runners on Saturday at Laurel Park.

Alwaysmining ($8.80), who was sent away as the third choice behind stakes winners Scrap Copper and Our Braintrust in the Futurity, took command early and set honest fractions of 22.83 seconds for the quarter and 45.34 seconds for the half on a fast track. Roused at the quarter pole by jockey Daniel Centeno, he was never seriously threatened down the lane, and held sway by 2 1/2 lengths, finishing the seven furlongs in 1:21.91.

Our Braintrust, making his first start since winning the Tremont Stakes in June, was a clear second, with James F. Lewis III Stakes winner Scrap Copper, the favorite, 2 1/4 lengths back.

Alwaysmining, a Stay Thirsty gelding trained by Kelly Rubley, earned his first stakes victory and is now 3 for 8 overall. After finishing seventh in the Laurel Futurity on turf in September, he won an allowance optional claiming race at Laurel last out in preparation for another stakes try.

Later on the card, Money Fromheaven edged favored No Mo Lady by a neck to spring the upset in the filly counterpart, the $100,000 Maryland Juvenile Filly Championship Stakes.

Sixth with three furlongs remaining, Money Fromheaven ($49.80) swung five wide into the lane under Victor Carrasco and was up late as No Mo Lady rallied in tandem inside of her. It was another length back to second choice Belial in third.

The final time for the seven furlongs was 1:24.18.

Money Fromheaven, who is trained by Hamilton Smith, came into her stakes debut off a victory in a waiver maiden claiming event in October at Laurel. She has now won twice from seven starts lifetime.

Rounding out the day's stakes action, Laki affirmed his quality in the $75,000 Howard and Sondra Bender Memorial Stakes for older sprinters. The gelding drove to the lead past favorite and pacesetter Lewisfield in the stretch, then held away by a half-length over a rallying Rockinn On Bye. Lewisfield wound up a length back in third.

Laki, who had Horacio Karamanos aboard for trainer Damon Dilodovico, stopped the clock in 1:07.99 for the six furlongs – just missing the track mark of 1:07.95 established by Richter Scale in July 2000.

This was the second stakes victory of the year for Laki. After winning the Polynesian Stakes in August at Laurel, the gelding finished second in the Grade 3 Frank J. De Francis Memorial Dash last out.