Laurel: Art of the Hunt finds room to take Squan Song

Art of the Hunt, fifth at the top of the stretch, rallied to overtake Lily Quatorze by a half-length in Saturday’s $60,000 Squan Song Stakes for Maryland-bred fillies and mares at Laurel Park.

An improving 3-year filly trained by Frannie Campitelli for Rosalee Davison, Art of the Hunt ($9.60) was cutting back slightly in distance for the seven-furlong Squan Song after a fourth in the Maryland Million Oaks and a runner-up finish in the Twixt, both at one mile.

Jockey Luis Garcia had to swing Art of the Hunt six wide to find racing room. Despite switching to her left lead in deep stretch, Art of the Hunt managed to get past 5-2 favorite Lily Quatorze in the final yards to secure her first stakes win.

“She was just waiting for me to ask,” Garcia said. “I knew I had a lot of horse but needed to find a hole because the wire was getting closer and closer. It opened at the right time and we got there.”

Art of the Hunt, now 4 for 12 with earnings of $114,870, completed the distance on a fast track in 1:25.33.

Lily Quatorze, favored on the basis of her loss by just 1 1/2 lengths in the seven-furlong Maryland Million Distaff Handicap two starts ago, held second by 1 1/2 lengths. Campaign Vows got third by a neck over Profit.