Awesome Banner ends victory drought with Fire Plug win

Awesome Banner put it all together Saturday at Laurel Park to break an 11-race losing streak in the $100,000 Fire Plug Stakes.

Owned and bred by the Jacks or Better Farm of Floridian Fred Brei, the 5-year-old son of Awesome of Course is based at Laurel with trainer Kenneth Decker.

Awesome Banner has had some trouble and bad racing luck in his most recent efforts, but ran straight and true Saturday for jockey J.D. Acosta. He pressed the early pace of even-money choice Favorite Tale, took the lead in upper stretch, then held off It's the Journey to win by a half-length.

It's the Journey tracked the two leaders to the stretch, rallied winningly but could not catch the winner. Something Awesome commenced a nice bid on the far turn, came four wide into the stretch, and lacked the needed closing kick while finishing a neck behind It's the Journey.

"My instructions were to get a good break, and keep close to Favorite Tale," Acosta said.

Awesome Banner paid $11.20 and was timed in a rapid 1:08.94 following splits of 22.40, 45.10, and 56.78.

Awesome Banner is now seven for 23 with $863,390 in earnings. The Fire plug was his first win since the Steel Valley Sprint at Mahoning Valley in November 2016.

"He's been running against some of the best horses in the country," Decker said. "We're glad he got the opportunity to get back to the winner's circle."

In his prior start, Awesome Banner was reluctant to load in the gate for the $200,000 Fabulous Strike Stakes at Penn National. He didn't show his usual speed in that race and had to come very wide into the stretch to avoid an injured horse. He finished fifth.

Two starts back, Awesome Banner got hooked up on the lead with the speedy Green Gratto in the Grade 3 Bold Ruler at Belmont Park and then tired to finish seventh.

Three starts ago, he was nailed on the wire after leading throughout in the Grade 2 Phoenix at Keeneland.

A field of seven went postward in the Fire Plug following five scratches.

Do Share, Life in Shambles, and Chief Lion were not allowed to race because of the continuing equine herpesvisrus quarantine at Belmont Park.

Flashy Kyem did not make the trip from Parx Racing because of the herpesvirus quarantine at Laurel.

Locally based Colonel Sharp also was scratched.