Meadowood stays unbeaten with Chick Lang victory

BALTIMORE – Three starts at three racetracks have produced three victories for the 3-year-old colt Meadowood, who remained unbeaten winning the $100,000 Chick Lang Stakes by three lengths over favored Brewing.

Meadowood won – and won well – for his second trainer, Derek Ryan, who was sent the horse this past January after Meadowood had scored a debut win last summer at Monmouth for trainer Todd Pletcher.

Meadowood, by Harlan’s Holiday, is one of three horses Ryan trains for owners Stonestreet Stables and George Bolton, with whom Ryan formed a working relationship two winters ago.

“He’s a very classy horse,” said Ryan, who sent Musket Man out to a third-place finish in the 2009 Preakness. “He does everything you want him to do.”

Meadowood didn’t race between June and March 12, when he won a first-level allowance race at Tampa Bay Downs by two lengths, after which Ryan began seeking a suitable stakes spot.

“We were shopping around," he said. "This race came up and it looked like a good spot."

As favored Brewing set moderate splits of 23.45 and 46.66 seconds in the six-furlong race, Javier Castellano gave Meadowood ($12.20) a fine rail-skimming ride after breaking from post 4. Past the three-sixteenths pole, Castellano guided Meadowood outside to take aim at Brewing, and Meadowood went past with little trouble, getting his last quarter-mile in about 23 seconds to stop the timer in 1:10.11 for six furlongs on a fast track.

“Everything went perfect, according to plan,” said Ryan.

Brewing, the 7-5 choice, set a comfortable pace but had little fight when challenged by the winner.

“He made the lead and he tried to wait for another horse,” said jockey Luis Saez. “The other horse passed me very easily.”

Prudhoe Bay finished third, while 2-1 second choice Extrasexyhippzster never got untracked and checked in last of seven. Ground Control and Elevated were scratched.