Irish Jasper, Carmouche team for Miss Preakness win

BALTIMORE – Irish Jasper is at her best as a late-running sprinter, even more so with Kendrick Carmouche on her back, and they teamed on Friday at Pimlico to win their biggest race to date, the $100,000 Miss Preakness Stakes.

Irish Jasper overcame a spot of trouble on the turn to rally for the victory in the Grade 3 race for 3-year-old fillies. Irish Jasper ($12) knifed between horses in upper stretch, dived inside, and kept motoring to get up and defeat Huasca by 1 1/2 lengths, with Coco’s Wildcat another 2 1/2 lengths back in third.

The Miss Preakness field was depleted by the scratches of Enchanting Lady, Miss Ella, and Regina Christina. Graham Motion, the trainer of Miss Ella, said she would await the Grade 1 Acorn at Belmont on June 6.

Even with some of the initial speed out of the line-up, the pace was still quick, as Super Saks and Windy Forecast went 22.66 seconds for the opening quarter and 45.70 seconds for a half-mile at a track where there’s minimal run-up at six furlongs. Irish Jasper completed six furlongs on the fast main track in 1:10.78.

Carmouche said he had to wait on the turn when John Velazquez aboard Huasca started to move inward.

“He started in, and I said, ‘Johnny, Johnny, Johnny,’ and he angled right back out,” Carmouche said. “I had to check when Johnny came in. It slowed us down, but put us in a better position.”

Derek Ryan trains and owns Irish Jasper, a daughter of First Defence who has now won five times in eight starts. She is 4 for 4 with Carmouche, and 2 for 2 since blinkers were removed.

“She was fussy in the gate with the blinkers,” Carmouche said. “She’s not anymore.”