Anna's Bandit takes Politely Stakes for sixth straight win

Anna’s Bandit has developed into an amazing race horse the past several years for owner-trainer-breeder Jerry Robb. On Saturday at Laurel Park, she concluded her 5-year-old season by winning the $75,000 Politely Stakes. The victory is her sixth in a row and makes her 9 for 11 on the year and 16 for 32 in her career.

Anna’s Bandit is a West Virginia-bred daughter of Maryland’s leading sire Great Notion out of Onearmedbandit, an earner of more than $300,000 whom Robb owned and trained. Anna’s Bandit showed talent from the start but sustained a serious injury after three starts at 2 and went to the sidelines for 14 months. She has steadily gotten better and better since her return.

In the Politely, Anna’s Bandit overcame a tricky trip under Xavier Perez, Robb’s go-to rider who has ridden Anna’s Bandit in 27 straight races.

Las Setas went to the lead as expected in the six-furlong race for Maryland-restricted fillies and mares. She was initially pressed by 1-2 favorite Anna’s Bandit and 2-1 second choice Majestic Reason, but the complexion of the race changed on the far turn when Phantom Shot and Three Hawk, the early trailers in the five-horse field, made early moves to challenge Las Setas. Anna’s Bandit and Majestic Reason were shuffled back to fourth and fifth.

In upper stretch a seam opened between horses for Anna’s Bandit and she ran through it and went on to win by a length. Majestic Reason also regrouped and outfinished Three Hawk for second by a head. Las Setas flattened out to finish fifth.

Anna’s Bandit paid $3 and was timed in 1:10.38. The $45,000 she earned pushed her career bankroll to $703,715.

Following the race, Robb hinted Anna’s Bandit will likely be back for a 6-year-old campaign.

“As long as she’s sound and wants to stay here, we’ll let her run,” he said.