Cordmaker first in Manfuso, Miss Leslie triumphs in Carousel

Hard-knocking Cordmaker is all racehorse, and the 6-year-old gelding captured his eighth stakes victory Sunday with a facile triumph in Laurel Park’s $100,000 Robert T. Manfuso Stakes for 3-year-olds and upward.

Sent away the 6-5 favorite in the six-horse field, Cordmaker broke from the rail post under Victor Carrasco and was forced to race pocketed on the deeper inside footing as Alwaysmining and Workin On a Dream forced fractions of 23.47 and 47.38 seconds.

Alwaysmining was the first to pack it in as Shackqueenking, who tracked the leaders in third, made a bid for command on the second turn. Carrasco was in a bit of a tight spot with Cordmaker, but he angled the gelding sharply to the outside for clear sailing into the stretch.

From there, it was all Cordmaker, who drew away to win by 3 1/2 lengths over a game Workin On a Dream. Shackqueenking was a half-length behind the runner-up, followed by Plot the Dots, McElmore Avenue and Alwaysmining.

Cordmaker returned $4.40 to win and finished the distance in 1:44.22.

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Bobby G and Doubleoseven scratched. Everett’s Song also withdrew and is expected to run Tuesday at Parx Racing in the Kris Kringle Stakes.

“Drawing that one-hole had me nervous,” trainer Rodney Jenkins admitted in a phone interview after the Manfuso. “He’s a good, good horse and he tries hard. He has these mannerisms where he gets very good when something competes with him.”

Cordmaker, a Maryland-bred son of Curlin, has won 12 of 34 starts for lifetime earnings of $794,640. When asked how he’s been able to stay consistently good for such a long period, Jenkins said, “I doesn’t usually wait until three or four weeks out before I ask him for any speed. I jog him, I gallop out, and knock-on-wood, he’s never taken a lame step.”

Cordmaker was bred in partnership by Robert Manfuso, a longtime owner and breeder and former owner of both Laurel and Pimlico. Manfuso died in 2020.

“This did a lot of good for a lot of people,” Jenkins said when asked if this victory had any special meaning. He mentioned co-breeder Katie Voss as being “really happy” for Cordmaker.

*With the victory, Cordmaker clinched the older male long dirt division and overall MATCH (Mid-Atlantic Thoroughbred Championships) Series championship. The MATCH Series began May 14 at Pimlico. The schedule featured 24 stakes - 20 of them in Maryland and four at Colonial Downs in Virginia - are valued at $2.75 million.

Miss Leslie wins Carousel Stakes

Although widest and giving ground to her seven rivals throughout, Miss Leslie raced on the best part of the track and was simply too good in the $100,000 Carousel Stakes for fillies and mares at 1 1/8 miles.

Trained by Claudio Gonzalez for BB Horses, Miss Leslie broke from the far outside post in the Carousel and settled outside and off the pace as Scatrattleandroll set fractions of 24.58 and 49.11 seconds while prompted by Artful Splatter.

Favored Miss Leslie advanced under Angel Cruz on the second turn to confront Artful Splatter turning into the stretch and they bounded away to win by 3 3/4 lengths.

Artful Splatter finished second, 1 3/4 lengths ahead of Kiss the Girl, with Belle of the North another neck behind in forth. Villanelle, Scatrattleandroll, Lookin Dynamic and Smooth With a Kick were next.

"Today, all the horses come from outside," Gonzalez said in a phone interview after the Carousel. "Angel did a very good job staying outside all the way and she had a clear trip with nothing bothering her. She ran big."

Bred in Kentucky by Maxis Stables, Miss Leslie is a 3-year-old daughter of Paynter and was claimed by Gonzalez for $25,000 on Nov. 13, 2020. The Carousel was her fourth stakes victory, and she has now won three straight races since being partnered with Cruz.

Although Miss Leslie has won two sprint races, Gonzalez maintains that longer distances are the filly's forte. She is expected to race next year.