Lewisfield prevails in Not For Love Stakes

The $75,000 Not For Love Stakes at Laurel Park on Saturday turned into a dogfight as Lewisfield and Struth went at it tooth and nail in the six-furlong race before Lewisfield gained the upper hand nearing the sixteenth pole. Lewisfield edged away to win by a length, with late-running It's the Journey getting up for second in deep stretch.

Struth defeated Lewisfield by 4 1/4 lengths in the Howard Bender Memorial Stakes at Laurel Park in December. When the gates opened Saturday, it became clear their riders were not going to let the other win without a battle.

Lewisfield went to the front but Struth, with Jorge Vargas Jr. up, bulled his way up between horses to challenge for the lead. Lewisfield's rider Arnaldo Bocachica went to a left-handed whip coming to the quarter pole and the two fought hard until Lewisfield got the upper hand.

It's the Journey picked up the pieces to beat Struth for second by a length.

Lewisfield paid $5 as the favorite in the race for Maryland-restricted runners. He was timed in a rapid 1:09.13 after splits of 22.67 seconds, 45.06, and 56.70.

"He won't let horses go by him," Bocachica said. "He's a nice horse. I'm glad he got the job done."

Lewisfield is based at Charles Town with trainer Jeff Runco.

"He's really coming into himself," Runco said. "He's game and always gives it his all."

Runco said Lewisfield would "get a little break now." A Maryland-bred son of Great Notion, he is owned and was bred by Linda Zang, the widow of longtime Maryland owner and breeder James F. Lewis III.

Harrison Johnson Memorial: Something Awesome impressive winner

Something Awesome has been reborn since being sent to trainer Jose Corrales last fall and he won his fourth race from five starts in Maryland on Saturday in the $100,000 Harrison Johnson Memorial.

A 7-year-old son of Awesome Again bred and owned by the Stronach family, Something Awesome won the Grade 3 General George at Laurel in his prior start, giving Corrales the first graded win of his career. On Saturday, he successfully stretched out around two turns in 1 1/8-mile Johnson Memorial.

Something Awesome raced on turf and Tapeta at his former home of Woodbine, but the switch to a dirt main track has obviously helped him up his game.

With Hall of Famer Edgar Prado up, Something Awesome saved ground while unhurried early. He readily took the lead from front-running Doyouknowsomething on the far turn, drew well clear, and then held Zanotti safe by 2 1/4 lengths under confident handling by Hall of Famer Edgar Prado.

"I had a good break and that let me put my horse in good position," Prado said. "I had so much horse."

Something Awesome paid $6.60 to win and covered nine furlongs in 1:50.86.

Zanotti tried hard in the stretch, but Something Awesome was already long gone. It was 3 1/4 lengths back to Discreet Lover in third. Admiral Blue finished fourth.

Something Awesome is 8 for 23 in his career and judging by his current form could be headed to graded stakes company in the near future.