Nimitz Class strongest in stretch of Manfuso Stakes

Nimitz Class rated in midpack behind a moderate pace, then wore down the leaders to take the Robert T. Manfuso for 3-year-olds and upward on Friday at Laurel Park.

The 1 1/16-mile Manfuso was one of six $100,000 stakes on the Christmastide program. Originally earmarked for Monday, the entire card was transferred to Friday after frigid temperatures forced cancellations throughout the Mid-Atlantic region.

There wasn’t a lot of speed in the Manfuso and favored Ournationonparade pressed Workin On a Dream from the rail after a first quarter clocked in 24.91 seconds. Ain’t Da Beer Cold joined the fray three wide following a half in 49.66.

Workin On a Dream was the first to back out, and Ournationonparade and Ain’t Da Beer Cold engaged in a spirited battle from the five-sixteenths pole into the stretch.

Ain’t Da Beer Cold, once again wearing a bar shoe, got the better of Ournationofparade, but was softened up sufficiently for Nimitz Class to take advantage. The winner scored by a half-length in 1:45.69 and returned $15.60 to win.

Ournationonparade finished another 3 1/4 lengths back in third. Then came Plot the Dots, Armando R, American d’Oro, and Workin On a Dream.

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Cordmaker, Eloquist, Monday Morning Qb, Ridin With Biden, and Southern District were scratched.

The sole 3-year-old in the field, Nimitz Class was jockey Jevian Toledo’s fourth winner on the card. Toledo picked up the mount when Angel Cruz’s first call, Ain’t Da Beer Cold, drew into the race from the also-eligible list.

In a post-race interview broadcast by Laurel Park, Toledo admitted that he was concerned about the slow fractions, but “turning into the stretch, I felt I could go by anytime because he was trying 100 percent.”

Trained by Bruce Kravets for owner Tom Coulter, Nimitz Class has won 6 of 12 starts for earnings of $234,480.

He previously won the statebred Danzig for 3-year-old sprinters at Penn National on June 3. In his most recent race, the City of Laurel at seven furlongs on Nov. 26, Nimitz Class finished a rallying fourth.

Dave’s Friend Stakes

Factor It In must be considered one of the area’s top sprinters after displaying a versatile running style in the Dave’s Friend for 3-year-olds and upward at six furlongs.

The 6-year-old gray horse, normally a midpack runner, broke on top under Angel Cruz, then snatched the lead and the rail after an opening quarter in 22.70 seconds.

It wasn’t an easy early advantage, however, as Jaxon Traveler, Divine Leader, and Kenny Had a Notion all were within a length of the winner. Favored Beren was briefly part of the pace, but soon opted to track from the inside pocket.

Factor It In traveled strongly after a half-mile in 46.04 and bid his primary pursuers goodbye at the quarter pole. Racing off the inside, he chugged home to deny rail-skimming Beren by 1 1/4 lengths in 1:10.65.

Late-kicking Savoy was another 6 1/4 lengths back in third. He was followed home by Karan’s Notion, Divine Leader, Kenny Had a Notion, Jaxon Traveler, and Showtime Cat. Going to the Lead, Threes Over Deuces and Wendell Fong were scratched.

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Factor It In returned $6. He has won 7 of 11 dirt races at Laurel.

“The plan was to sit off the pace,” Cruz admitted in a post-race interview broadcast by Laurel Park. “But he broke good, and I was right there easily. I said I’m not going to take back from here.”

Factor It In has won 7 of 17 starts for trainer Carlos Mancilla and owner Michael Scheffres after being claimed for $25,000 at Laurel on Nov. 17, 2019.

He began his current excellent run in stakes races when second via disqualification in Colonial’s Chesapeake on Aug. 16. Next came a rallying victory in Laurel’s Challedon for state-sired runners over sloppy going on Oct. 1.

Mancilla shipped Factor It In to New York for a pair of Grade 3 races, the Bold Ruler on Oct. 29, and the Fall Highweight on Nov. 26. Factor It In finished a close third in both starts.

Bred in Kentucky by Pope McLean, Marc McLean, Pope McLean, Jr. and Phil Hager, Factor It In has earned $430,120.

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