Pimlico: Royal Descent rules at 24-1

Royal Descent and jockey Erick Rodriquez took advantage of a fierce pace duel between favorites Somethinaboutbetty and Christmas Stocking to score a 24-1 upset in the $75,000 Pearl Necklace Stakes at Pimlico.

Royal Descent, coming off a maiden victory in her turf debut, didn't appear to be in the same class as Somethinaboutbetty or Christmas Stocking, both stakes winners. But when Harry Vega gunned Christmas Stocking alongside Somethinaboutbetty and Jose Velez Jr. going into the first turn of the 1 1/16-mile turf race, everything changed. Christmas Stocking spurted clear down the backstretch and set fractions of 22.75 and 47.05 seconds, a taxing pace over yielding turf. Somethinaboutbetty caught her in the stretch, but by then both were staggering.

Royal Descent swooped into contention turning for home and wore down Somethinaboutbetty for a three-quarter-length victory. Keep on Talking finished third in a field of five Maryland-bred 3-year-old fillies.

For Royal Descent, a Bishop Northcraft filly owned by M K Stable and trained by Mark Kohlheim, it was her second straight upset. She went off at 49-1 in her maiden score, which also came over yielding turf at Pimlico, and paid $50.60 in the

Pearl Necklace. She covered the 1 1/16 miles in 149.89.