Motion has formidable duo with Pao Alto, Royal Patronage in Prince George's County
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With Pao Alto and Royal Patronage, trainer Graham Motion sends out two strong contenders in Saturday’s Prince George’s County Stakes for 3-year-olds and upward traveling 1 1/8 miles on the Laurel Park turf.
The Prince George’s County shares top billing on the nine-race program with two other $100,000 stakes. The Big Dreyfus is for fillies and mares at 1 1/8 miles on turf and the Caesar’s Wish is for fillies and mares racing a one-turn mile on dirt.
A Group 3 winner in France and a Group 2 winner in Qatar, Pao Alto placed in two stakes last year for Motion. In his only start of 2023, Motion stretched him all the way out to 1 1/2 miles in the Grade 3 W. L. McKnight at Gulfstream on Jan. 28, when he finished a well-beaten eighth.
“We freshened him up in Ocala because he had been running all year, and in some tough spots,” Motion said. “I tried to get him in a couple of allowance races, but this is a good spot to bring him back in.”
A Group 2 winner in England at 2 in 2021, Royal Patronage was imported last summer. He failed to crack the top three in three graded races last year but benefited from a class drop to secure an April 20 third-level allowance victory at Keeneland. In his most recent appearance, Royal Patronage finished fifth in the Grade 3 Arlington at Churchill.
“The turf course at Churchill is very firm,” Motion said. “I don’t think he particularly cared for it. I hope there’s a little give in the ground, and that will help him.”
Beacon Hill returns from a 231-day layoff to make his 6-year-old debut in the Prince George’s County. Thrice stakes-placed, Beacon Hill hopes to snap a nine-race losing streak dating back to the summer of 2021.
“We tried to get an allowance race for him, but it didn’t go,” said trainer Michael Matz. “We just want to get him back started. Our main goal is to get him back running 1 1/2 miles.”
Eons placed first in this race last year via disqualification. The beaten favorite in his last two starts, both high-level allowances at Laurel, Eons kicks from the back.
The versatile Sky’s Not Falling has won at distances ranging from five furlongs to 1 1/16 miles. He captured the Maryland Million Turf Sprint last fall at Laurel.
Stakes-placed Royne completes the field. Both Camp Hope and Tiz the Bomb will scratch, per trainer Kenny McPeek.
Big Dreyfus
Atomic Blonde kept strong company in her first three North American starts and is the 9-5 program favorite in the Big Dreyfus.
Trained by Christophe Clement, Atomic Blonde, a Group 3 winner in Italy last year, placed in two graded stakes to kick off her 2023 campaign. She then finished second to Grade 2 winner Skims in a quality third-level allowance at Belmont.
Motion counters with Sparkle Blue and Candy Light. The former was pinballed at the start of the 12-furlong Keertana at Churchill on May 27, but still rallied for third.
“I don’t know for sure that’s what she wants to do,” Motion commented. “I think this is a better distance for her.”
Candy Light won the Tropical Park Oaks over Gulfstream’s Tapeta surface to close out her 2022 season. She ran fifth in her first start this year, a third-level allowance at Churchill, then finished second in a similar spot at Ellis Park on June 15.
“In her first race, I thought she was a little compromised coming out of the gate,” Motion said. “She ran well the other day. It was hard to make up ground.”
The honest Deciding Vote finished second in this race last year. Like Candy Light, she makes her third start of 2023 after a runner-up effort.
Maryland-bred Coconut Cake stretches out after two sprints, but is proven at this distance, and enters in good form after rallying to win the Jameela for state-sired performers two weeks ago.
Community Adjusted steps up sharp; Cupid’s Strike might be the pacesetter; and stakes-placed Lady Puchi also starts.
Caesar’s Wish
Award Wanted upset graded winner Morning Matcha to grab Delaware’s Obeah by the tip of her nose on May 27. She’ll be a much shorter price when she tackles five others in the Caesar’s Wish.
A 10-time winner trained by Jerry Robb, Award Wanted hit the board in her last nine races. While she scored on the lead in the Obeah, she is just as comfortable from off the pace.
Hybrid Eclipse, a three-time stakes-winner, could be the main danger. Third in the Obeah, she didn’t have pace to attack in that race and might get a better flow.
Intrepid Daydream stretches out in distance for her second start following a lengthy layoff and should be close to the lead.
Misty Mauve, Cashing Big Checks, and Deco Strong also entered.
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