Laragh rebounds in Edgewood

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Making her first start of the year in the Grade 2 Comely Stakes at Aqueduct on April 11, nothing went Laragh's way. Heavy rain resulted in her catching a sloppy track for her main-track debut, and after chasing the speedy Dream Play, she grew discouraged and faded to fifth, beaten 17 lengths.

Conversely, everything fell into place for Laragh in Saturday's $115,300 Edgewood Stakes at Churchill Downs on Friday. She faced surprisingly no competition for the early lead, raced uncontested with modest fractions of 48.43 seconds and 1:13.04, and held on for a 1 1/4-length victory over Magical Affair in the 1 1/16-mile turf race.

"She's maturing naturally," trainer John Terranova of the headstrong Laragh. "She's big speed and she can carry it."

Carry it she did Friday, even over a good course. In her only prior start over wet ground, she had weakened to fifth over soft turf in the Grade 3 Natalma Stakes at Woodbine last fall.

Laragh, a daughter of Tapit owned by IEAH Stables, Gary Tolchin, and Pegasus Holding Group Stables, won her third stakes in the Edgewood, following stakes victories last year in the Jessamine on turf and the Grade 1 Hollywood Starlet over Cushion Track at Hollywood Park. She raced 1 1/16 miles under Edgar Prado in 1:43.88, paying $7.40.

Favored Magical Affair, ninth of 10 3-year-old fillies early after being bumped at the start, closed wide to narrow the gap on the winner in the stretch, finishing 3 1/4 lengths in front of third-place Banker's Choice.