Kaylasaurus wins Willa On the Move, Threes Over Deuces takes Dave's Friend

Kaylasaurus, making her first start since being claimed for $25,000 at Penn National, roared down the center of the track to collar Princess Kokachin in Sunday's $100,000 Willa On the Move Stakes for fillies and mares traveling six furlongs at Laurel Park.

On paper, the Willa On the Move looked to be a rematch between Princess Kokachin and Hello Beautiful, the one-two finishers of the Politely Stakes at Laurel on Nov. 26. They are considered the two best filly sprinters on the circuit.

Princess Kokachin, riding a five-race win streak, immediately went to the lead under Xavier Perez, but faced strong pressure from eight-time stakes winner Hello Beautiful. They went fast for the opening quarter mile - 22.30 seconds - as Kaylasaurus and jockey Horacio Karamanos settled 8 1/2 lengths back of the leader in last.

Favored Hello Beautiful came under pressure with no response on the turn as Princess Kokachin blasted away to a clear lead following a half-mile in 45.77. Princess Kokachin looked home free at the eighth pole, but Kaylasaurus uncorked a powerful stretch rally down the center of the track to win going away by 2 1/4 lengths.

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Trained by Tim Kreiser, Kaylasaurus polished off the distance in 1:11.74 and paid $13 to win as the fourth choice in the wagering. Princess Kokachin was two lengths clear of third finisher Paisley Singing. Dontletsweetfoolya was next and Hello Beautiful faded to last.

Jakarta and Miss Mosaic scratched and are expected to compete in Tuesday's Mrs. Claus Stakes at Parx Racing. Call On Mischief was withdrawn earlier in the week when trainer Kelly Breen told Daily Racing Form that the mare was retired and will be mated with Charlatan in 2022.

Bred in Pennsylvania by Arrowwood Farm, Kaylasaurus made her first 18 starts for owner Tom Coulter before being claimed on Nov. 30 in a two-way shake by owners Bush Racing Stable and Liberty House Stable. The Willa On the Move was the first stakes win for both Bryan Bushey’s Bush Racing and Jim Rice’s Liberty House.

"As a Pennsylvania-bred, worse case for us at Penn National, we could wheel her back at the same level and we thought she would tower over the competition," said David Bushey, Stable Manager for Bush Racing. "As soon as we got her, we thought we probably shouldn't go straight back in for the tag right away. Let's see what we got first."

Kaylasaurus was also cross entered in the Mrs. Claus. "We were 6 to 1 there. We were 12 to 1 morning line here," Bushey said. "The more we kept looking at this race, we thought the pace had to fall apart."

A 5-year-old mare by Munnings out of stakes-winning sprinter Five Diamonds, Kaylasaurus is nominated to the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Winter Mixed Sale in early February. "We're a claiming stable and don't breed," Bushey said. "I've got some decisions to make now."

Threes Over Deuces wins Dave’s Friend Stakes

A change of tactics worked perfectly for Threes Over Deuces in the $100,000 Dave's Friend Stakes at six furlongs.

The pacesetter in his prior two races, a third in the New Castle Stakes at Delaware on Sept. 25, and a runner-up effort in a salty allowance at Laurel on Nov. 14, Threes Over Deuces was taken off the pace after an awkward start in the Dave's Friend.

"The plan was to take him back," winning rider Victor Rosales said in a post-race interview broadcast by Laurel Park. "In the earlier races today, speed didn't hold on, so we tried to bring him from behind this time."

Newbomb was very aggressive leaving the stalls and made a clear lead down the backstretch after fractions of 22.94 and 46.26 seconds. Meanwhile, Threes Over Deuces settled into a stalking position while four paths off the rail.

Newbomb was under siege on the turn with Penguin Power, favored Whereshetoldmetogo and Threes Over Deuces stacked up to his outside, and Air Token tracking nearer to the rail.

Penguin Power assumed a short lead in midstretch, but Threes Over Deuces and a late-kicking Youngest of Five hounded him with strong stretch runs.

Threes Over Deuces headed Penguin Power in a thrilling stretch finish with Youngest of Five another nose back in third. They were followed by Air Token, Whereshetoldmetogo, Karan's Notion, and Newbomb. Laki scratched. The winner returned $26.60 as the sixth choice in the wagering.

Threes Over Deuces is a 6-year-old gelding bred in Kentucky by Machmer Hall & Montese LLC. Purchased for $30,000 as a yearling, he has earned $458,587 for trainer Gary Capuano and owner Pocket 3's Racing. The Dave's Friend was his first victory since being promoted via disqualification in the New Castle Stakes at Delaware on Sept. 26, 2020.