Cintron takes two of the four stakes at Laurel

Jockey Alex Cintron won two of the four stakes run Saturday at Laurel Park, taking the $75,000 Geisha with Artful Splatter and the $100,000 Fire Plug with Honor the Fleet.

The card also included the $75,000 Jennings won by Alwaysmining and the $100,000 What a Summer captured by Victim of Love.

Artful Splatter ($18.80) withstood pace pressure, a stewards’ inquiry and objections from the trainer and jockey of 2-5 favorite Anna’s Bandit to win the Geisha by a half-length. Anna’s Bandit, who was seeking to win her seventh straight race, finished second, 2 1/4 lengths clear of third-place finisher Enchanted Ghost.

Artful Splatter set fractions of 23.96 seconds for the opening quarter, 47.77 for the half-mile and 1:12.75 for six furlongs in the one-turn mile run on a track rated good. Anna’s Bandit took after the leader into the stretch, and during the drive Artful Splatter drifted out sharply while Anna’s Bandit altered course, moving toward the rail as the pair made a mad dash to the wire. Artful Splatter covered the distance in 1:39.46.

“I feel like I had a ton of horse,” Cintron told publicity at Laurel. “My filly was moving very well. I hit her once, and when I went to hit her a second time she went out so quick and moved out a couple paths, but thank God we were clear enough to not bother the other horse. I know I crossed right in front of the other horse, but I don’t think I cost her momentum. As soon as she felt the other horse coming, she kept fighting.”

Following a more than 10 minute objection period, the stewards disallowed the foul claims.

“I knew my first stakes win would be difficult, but not this difficult,” winning owner James Wolf told Laurel publicity Saturday.

Artful Splatter – who has unusual markings in the area of her left hip - was winning her fourth straight race in the Geisha. The stakes was for fillies and mares who are Maryland-bred or Maryland-sired.

Kieron Magee trains Artful Splatter, who is a daughter of Bandbox.

In the Fire Plug, Honor the Fleet ($15.40) fought for a neck win over Threes Over Deuces. Honor the Fleet covered6 ½ furlongs on a good track in 1:17.09. Frank Demarco owns Honor the Fleet, who is trained by Louis Albertrani.

Grade 2 winner Still Having Fun was scratched from the Fire Plug.

Honor the Fleet is a son of To Honor and Serve.

Victim of Love was always prominent for a three and three-quarter length win over 3-5 favorite Needs Supervision in the $100,000 What a Summer for fillies and mares at 6 1/2furlongs.Victim of Love set fractions of 22.02 seconds for the opening quarter and 45.40 for the half-mile, then went on to cover the distance on a track rated good in 1:18.02. She paid $21.

“We’re tickled by the way she ran,” Todd Beattie, who trains Victim of Love for Tommy Town Thoroughbreds, told publicity at Laurel. “The filly just answered the bell.”

Jockey Weston Hamilton was aboard for his second recent win on the daughter of Speightstown.

“She’s always hard-knocking,” he said. “She always tries.”

Victim of Love is a full sister to Grade 2 winner Benner Island.

Alwaysmining, who won six straight races before his streak was halted in last year’s Preakness, was a 1 ¾-length winner over John Jones in the Jennings, a one-mile race restricted to Maryland-bred and Maryland-sired runners.

Alwaysmining tracked the pace set by Bustoff, who set fractions of 24.54 seconds for the opening quarter, 48.25 for the half-mile, and 1:13.08 for six furlongs. Alwaysmining took over in the stretch and went on to cover the one-turn mile in 1:37.75. Julian Pimentel was aboard for trainer Kelly Rubley. Alwaysmining paid $2.60.

Alwaysmining came into the Jennings off a runner-up finish in the $100,000 Native Dancer on Dec. 28 at Laurel. He is a son of Stay Thirsty who races for Runnymoore Racing.