Cordmaker takes Jennings Stakes; Kiss the Girl wins Geisha
Cordmaker retained his spot at the top of the local handicap division Saturday with a hard-fought victory over Hanalei's Houdini in Laurel Park’s Jennings Stakes for Maryland-bred or -sired older horses over a one-turn mile.
Trained by Rodney Jenkins for Hillwood Stable, heavily favored Cordmaker ($2.80) settled just off the pace as Bustoff set fractions of 24.11 and 47.73 seconds. Cordmaker advanced on the leader in tandem with a three-wide Galerio and those three were involved in a pitched battle turning into the long Laurel stretch.
Cordmaker eventually got the better of Bustoff and Galerio, but then faced a strong stretch challenge from Hanalei's Houdini, who bobbled at the start, but worked out a good ground-saving trip from the back of the pack before angling four-wide turning for home.
:: For the first time ever, our premium past performances are free! Get free Formulator now!
Hanalei's Houdini loomed large, but Cordmaker wouldn't let him pass. Cordmaker prevailed by a neck over the fast track in 1:39.70 seconds. It was 1 3/4 lengths back to Galerio in third. Bustoff finished another 10 lengths behind. He was followed by The Poser and Doubleoseven. Ain't Da Beer Cold scratched.
"Once the horse [Hanalei's Houdini] collared him, I thought it was going to be a horse race, which it was," Jennings said in a telephone interview after the Jennings. "I know he tried, that's the main thing."
A 7-year-old gelded son of Curlin bred by the late Robert T. Manfuso and Kathie Voss, Cordmaker has won four of his last five starts, including three straight stakes. For his career, he's scored in 13 of 35 races for lifetime earnings of $839,640. The Jennings was the ninth stakes victory in his career.
Jenkins gives Cordmaker most of the credit for his longevity and consistency. "He keeps himself pretty fit, so I don't have to do a lot with him," Jenkins said. "We ride him a lot. We walk him, we jog him, we don't really work him a lot for his races."
Kiss the Girl wins Geisha
Kiss the Girl received a beautiful trip and ride from Victor Carrasco to score a popular victory in the $75,000 Geisha for Maryland-bred or -sired fillies and mares at one mile.
Trained by Michael Trombetta, Kiss the Girl ($4) tracked the pace along the inside as longshots Paisley Singing and Double Fireball sparred through opening fractions of 24.59 and 48.99 seconds.
Artful Splatter, laying third on the outside, brushed to the lead late on the far turn under confident handling, but Carrasco maneuvered Kiss the Girl outside a tiring Paisley Singing, slipped through inside Artful Splatter and strode clear under a drive.
Kiss the Girl captured the Geisha, her third stakes victory, by 4 1/2 lengths in 1:40.69. It was another 3 lengths back to Coconut Cake. Then came Lookin Dynamic, Good Life Cider, Double Fireball and Paisley Singing.
"Victor did a very good job of steering her through all the stuff that he did to get a fair run through the stretch," Trombetta said via telephone from Gulfstream Park.
Kiss the Girl was entered in the Keeneland January Horses of All Ages sale, but Trombetta persuaded Kirk Wycoff, owner of Three Diamonds Farm, to withdraw the mare and give her some more chances in stakes races. Three days after the sale, Kiss the Girl finished a close third in the Ladies Stakes at Aqueduct.
"I just got off the phone with Kirk," Trombetta said. "I told him her ovaries aren't that old, so don't sweat it."
Kiss the Girl is a 5-year-old mare by multiple-time champion sire Into Mischief. Bred by Classic Thoroughbred XII, she has won 7 of 22 races for earnings of $396,686
Trombetta said that Wycoff will make the decision as to whether Kiss the Girl continues her campaign or will be retired as a broodmare. "When they're in good form, it's hard to stop on them," Trombetta said.