Dontletsweetfoolya leads gate to wire in Willa On the Move

Earlier in the week, trainer Lacey Gaudet expressed concern about drawing the inside post with Dontletsweetfoolya in the six-furlong $100,000 Willa On the Move Stakes for fillies and mares at Laurel Park.

It turns out her anxiety was unfounded as Dontletsweetfoolya ($4.20) went gate to wire for the fifth consecutive time. "Ever since we drew the one-hole, we were kind of dreading it," Gaudet said in a post-race interview broadcast by Laurel. "We knew she was going to be pressed pretty hard and she just keeps coming back at them."

On paper, there was plenty of other speed in the Willa On the Move with Malibu Mischief, riding the crest of her own six-race win streak - all in front-running fashion - stepping up into the stakes ranks for the first time.

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Dontletsweetfoolya was just too fast.

The 3-year-old Stay Thirsty filly broke best and took some heat from Malibu Mischief through solid fractions of 22.40 and 44.81. Dontletsweetfoolya shrugged off her pace rival in upper stretch, then kept on trucking in the stretch to prevail by 2 1/4 lengths over late-running Hibiscus Punch in 1:09.47. Malibu Mischief held third by a neck over Club Car. Elegant de Domino scratched.

Dontletsweetfoolya was purchased for $1,500 as a weanling at the 2017 Keeneland November Breeding sale before being bought for $160,000 at last year's OBS June 2-Year-Olds and Horses of Racing Age auction. Owned by Five Hellions Farm, Dontletsweetfoolya previously captured the $100,000 Primonetta Stakes at Laurel on November 28.

Whereshetoldmetogo rolls in Dave's Friend

Whereshetoldmetogo stamped himself as one of the best sprinters in the region with another big effort in the $100,000 Dave's Friend Stakes at six furlongs.

Coming off a victory in the Frank Y. Whiteley Stakes at Laurel on November 28, the Maryland-bred gelding settled near the back of the pack as Charge to Victory and Penguin Power sparred through lively fractions of 22.13 and 44.63 seconds.

Jevian Toledo, subbing for Sheldon Russell aboard Whereshetoldmetogo ($6), split rivals three wide early on the turn before angling widest for the stretch drive. Whereshetoldmetogo's late kick was too much for runner-up Taco Supream, who saved ground before moving between foes in upper stretch.

Whereshetoldmetogo completed the trip in 1:08.55, while three-quarters of a length better than Taco Supream. Penguin Power ran very well to be third as the only part of the pace hanging around at the wire. Favored Laki was hard-ridden early, ended up in tight between horses in upper stretch, but lacked a strong finishing burst and finished fourth. Sombeyay and Share the Ride scratched.

Trained by Brittany Russell, Whereshetoldmetogo won for the ninth time in 24 starts. His other stakes victories include the First State Dash at Delaware, and the Concern and Star De Naskra Stakes at Laurel.

Harpers First Ride wins Native Dancer

To say that Harpers First Ride has enjoyed a productive 2020 is an understatement as the 4-year-old gelding won for the seventh time in 11 starts this year with a comfortable victory in the $100,000 Native Dancer Stakes at 1 1/8 miles.

Trained by Claudio Gonzalez, Harpers First Ride settled just off 47-to-1 pacesetter Saratoga Jack as that one set manageable fractions of 24.61 and 48.39. Harpers First Ride and Cordmaker moved to command on the far turn and, for a moment, it appeared that Cordmaker had the momentum.

Jockey Angel Cruz then asked his mount for his best and Harpers First Ride, the 125-pound highweight in the field of seven, was going, going gone. The Maryland-bred son of Paynter disdainfully dispatched Cordmaker and strode home confidently to defeat late-kicking Forewarned by 3 1/2 lengths in 1:48.56. An exhausted Cordmaker finished third.

Claimed for $30,000 by Gonzalez on behalf of MCA Racing Stable LLC on Sept. 14, 2019, Harpers First Ride has now won four stakes races including the Grade 3 Pimlico Special on October 2.