Cinco Charlie converts good trip into Lewis Stakes win

LAUREL, Md. – Cinco Charlie made even money look fair as he pressed the early pace and drew off to win the $100,000 James F. Lewis III Stakes by 2 3/4 lengths.

Trained by Steve Asmussen and ridden by Ricardo Santana Jr., Cinco Charlie, a 2-year-old son of Indian Charlie, now has won 4 of 7 starts. In his start prior to the Lewis, he finished third, beaten a length by the undefeated Blofeld in the Grade 2 Futurity at Belmont Park.

“My horse broke well, and I had a lot of horse down the backstretch and around the turn,” Santana said. “I asked him to go at the top of the stretch, and he showed his class. I think he’s going to be a great sprinter next year.”

Majestc Affair, trained by Chad Brown, rallied to finish second, a length ahead of the third-place finisher Senor Grits.

Cinco Charlie paid $4.20 to win in the 11-horse field and was timed for the six furlongs in 1:09.74.

Smart Halo: Lake Sebago reels in E Dubai's Humor

Lake Sebago, last early, finished well with the addition of blinkers to wear down the second-favorite E Dubai's Humor and win the $100,000 Smart Halo by a half-length in the first race of the day.

The odds-on favorite Overprepared, trained by Todd Pletcher, was hemmed in along the rail in the second tier early, tried to come through an opening along the rail in upper stretch, but was put in tight quarters by the eventual fourth-place finisher Cursive and had to check. Overprepared then went outside and was up for third, 3 1/4 lengths behind E Dubai's Humor.

Lake Sebago, who now is 2 for 4, paid $56.40 in the six-horse field of 2-year-old fillies. She won her maiden at Laurel by 11 3/4 lengths in her second start and was second in a first-level optional claimer last time out.

Lake Sebago, ridden by Trevor McCarthy and trained by John Robb, was timed in 1:10.85. She was not listed as blinkers-on in the program, but the change was announced to the public.