Nellie Cashman, Talk Show Man score turf stakes victories by a nose

Nearly two years have passed since Nellie Cashman came off a maiden victory at Penn National to upset the Grade 3 Virginia Oaks at 19-1. The now 5-year-old Nellie Cashman finally earned her second stakes win in Saturday's $100,000 Dahlia at Pimlico.

Ridden by Forest Boyce, who has won the last three runnings of the Dahlia, a one-mile turf race for fillies and mares, Nellie Cashman ($12.60) won a head bob to get up by a nose at the wire over the Shug McGaughey-trained Run of the River. The winning time was 1:35.05.

“We were able to get good position throughout the race, although I had to take the lead a bit earlier than I had planned to, and I'm glad that I did. We just had enough.” Boyce said.

Last season, Nellie Cashman’s best race against stakes company was a third in the Grade 2 Ballston Spa at Saratoga. In her lone previous race this year, she was sixth behind Sandiva in the Grade 3 Suwannee River at Gulfstream Park.

“When you get third at Saratoga in a Grade 2, you feel really good,” winning trainer Tres Abbott said. “But this winter in Florida she was in some awfully tough company. When Sandiva went to the Honey Ryder, I thought that we should go home and regroup. Hopefully our plan will be ascending the rest of the year. I kind of hope we go back to Saratoga because she really likes to run there."

Fasnacloich finished third at 12-1. Istanford was fourth as the pacesetter and 9-5 favorite.

Talk Show Man by nose in Henry Clark

Talk Show Man, the 7-5 favorite under Xavier Perez, nosed out deep closer Paris Vegas in the $100,000 Henry Clark Stakes.

Paris Vegas, trying to go from last to first in the field of eight older horses going a mile on turf, made a big move to reach contention in midstretch, but lost a bob at the wire to the 5-year-old Talk Show Man, who re-rallied along the rail during the stretch run.

“"He definitely made it pretty exciting,” winning trainer Hamilton Smith said. “Usually he puts his run in outside but today he kind of got forced down to the inside but our boy got him up anyway. I'm very excited about that. That six horse [Paris Vegas] really put in a big one at the end. We were very lucky to beat him. The pace wasn't extremely fast early but a lot of the races today didn't go all that fast early, either.”

Smith said that Talk Show Man will be pointed to the Grade 2 Dixie on the Preakness undercard.

Switching from dirt to turf following a career-best 102 Beyer Speed Figure in his season debut on March 26, Talk Show Man covered the distance on firm turf in 1:36.09.

Special Envoy finished third at 5-2 and North Star Boy checked in fourth at 6-1.

Galiana upsets Primonetta at 8-1

Galiana, an 11-time winner at racetracks in Delaware, Florida, and New Jersey but winless in Maryland, improved her career record to 12 for 24 by upsetting the $100,000 Primonetta for female sprinters.

Making her first start since finishing fifth in the Minaret at Tampa Bay Downs in February, the 5-year-old Galiana ($18) scored by 2 3/4 lengths over 2-1 favorite She’s Ordained after running six furlongs in 1:11.27 under Abel Leczcano. It was the fifth career stakes victory for Galiana, trained by Rodolfo Romero for Triple H Stables.

“Our only concern coming into this race today was that she may not like the track. She’s never run here before, and she can be picky,” Romero said. “Happily, she took to the track today and Lezcano rode her well.”

Romero said Galiana will be pointed to the $100,000 Skipat on the Black-Eyed Susan undercard on May 15.

Lady Shipman takes fourth straight in Stormy Blues

Heavily favored Lady Shipman romped to her fourth consecutive victory in Saturday's $100,000 Stormy Blues for 3-year-old fillies.

Under Eduardo Nunez, Lady Shipman ($3) took over from early pacesetter Justlookatmenow and drew clear by five lengths in the five-furlong turf sprint, run in 56.65 seconds. Her only loss in five starts for trainer Kathleen O'Connell came in her career debut on dirt last October. She is 3 for 3 on grass and 1 for 1 on the synthetic surface at the Ocala Training Center.

Comforter, making his turf debut, beat out Harlan’s Honor for second by a neck.

Brenda’s Way romps in Geisha

The 5-year-old mare Brenda’s Way cruised to an easy front-running victory in the $75,000 Geisha for Maryland-bred fillies and mares.

Ridden by Jevian Toledo for trainer Damon Dilodovico, Brenda's Way ($4.80) reeled off fractions of 46.46 seconds for a half-mile and 1:11.79 for six furlongs and jogged to the wire completing 1 1/16 miles in 1:46.78.

Bazinga B, claimed for $15,000 two starts ago, finished second at 7-1 with defending Geisha champion Celtic Katie checking in third at 12-1.

The disappointment in the race was Eddy Gourmet, who chased Brenda's Way from second early before fading to last as the 3-5 favorite in the field of five.