Laurel: Celestial Legend still unbeaten

Celestial Legend ran her record to 4 for 4, winning the $50,000 Toddler Stakes at Laurel by three lengths, largely unchallenged through the stretch.

Ridden by Ryan Fogelsonger in the seven-furlong Toddler for 2-year-old fillies, Celestial Legend sat off the early quarter-mile pace of 44-1 Ardmore Prospect, had a head in front after a half-mile, then took control. Sea Pines, the only horse close to Celestial Legend in the stretch, finished second, 7 1/2 lengths in front of third-place Painted Rose.

Celestial Legend, a City Zip filly trained by Dale Capuano, paid $3 as the favorite and covered the distance in 1:25.73 over a fast track.

* In the co-featured $53,500 H. Steward Mitchell Stakes for 2-year-olds, 10-1 Nine Best took over from the pacesetting Preferred Lender after a half-mile and drove home to a 2 1/2-length victory over Dancehall Fever. The 9-5 favorite, Creve Coeur, caught in tight quarters at the top of the stretch, came up late to be a length back in third, edging fourth-place Crafty Tricker by a nose.

Nine Best ($22.60), a gelded son of Crafty Friend, earned his third victory in five starts, with two second-place finishes thrown in. Ridden as he has been in all his starts by Rodney Soodeen for trainer Flint Stites, he finished the seven furlongs on the fast track in 1:26.45.