Pimlico: Suzzona holds on in The Very One

BALTIMORE – Local female turf sprint star Suzzona won for the 14th time in 23 grass sprints when holding off a late bid from Supreme to take the $75,000 The Very One Stakes by a diminishing neck Friday at Pimlico.

Rose Catherine, the 4-5 favorite, was a distant third, another 4 1/4 lengths back, over a yielding course on which she seemed to struggle.

Suzzona ($9.80) needed 1:00.41 to complete five furlongs on a deep, tiring course that horses slogged through all afternoon.

Julian Pimentel rode Suzzona, who surged to the lead entering the stretch and had just enough left to prevail. She is trained by Ben Feliciano.

Suzzona, 7, has won 18 of 40 lifetime starts and is 3 for 4 at Pimlico.