Laurel: Ideal setup for Headsandtales

A rabbit whose job was to soften up front-running favorite Forty Crowns accomplished his assignment. The main beneficiary, however, was not the rabbit's stablemate but Headsandtales.

The second longest shot in a field of nine Maryland-bred turf runners, Headsandtales ($52) got a perfect inside trip under jockey Jonathan Joyce and drew off to a 1 3/4-length victory in the $50,000 Find Handicap at Laurel Park.

A 4-year-old son of Tale of the Cat trained by Robin Graham, Headsandtales sat fourth as Nashly's Runner, part of a coupled entry with Foufa's Warrior, pressured the 4-5 favorite, Forty Crowns, through fractions of 47.24 for a half-mile and 1:11.93 for six furlongs.

"We got lucky because someone went with him," Joyce said. "We just tracked them a little bit and made our move when I thought it was time."

Headsandtales, third coming into the stretch, surged to the front along the rail when the co-leaders drifted a bit wide and was able to easily hold off a late rally by Foufa's Warrior, who finished a half-length ahead of 9-1 shot Easy Red.

Forty Crowns, coming off an impressive win in the Maryland Million Turf, faded to fifth.

The final time for 1 1/8 miles on firm turf was 1:49.92.

Headsandtales, whose last victory came in a second-level allowance in early September, is now 4 for 11 lifetime on turf and 5 for 21 overall.