Play Bingo last to first in Classic

Play Bingo, winless in six starts since November 2004, suddenly turned everything around on Saturday at Laurel Park, scoring a last-to-first triumph in the 20th running of the $250,000 .

Trailing the leaders by about 18 lengths in the opening half-mile of the 1 3/16-mile race, Play Bingo, swung wide into the stretch under Ryan Fogelsonger, shot to the lead, and drew clear. Aggadan, finished well for second, a length behind Play Bingo and two lengths ahead of Five Steps in third.

Play Bingo, trained by John Fisher and owned by Erdenheim Farm, was timed in 1:59.08 and paid $12.

Presidential Affair, the even-money favorite and defending champ, led for three-quarters of a mile, but his six-length lead evaporated in the stretch and he finished fourth in the field of six.

The Classic capped the Maryland Million Day card - 12 races, restricted to horses by Maryland sires, worth a total $1.48 million in purses.

Surf Light, ridden by Rodney Soodeen, pulled off the biggest upset, in the $150,000 Ladies for fillies and mares, beating 11-1 longshot Sassy Love by 1 3/4 lengths. Surf Light ran the 1 1/8 miles on good turf in 1:51.95 and paid $35.60.

Presidential Affair was one of six horses on the Million Day card looking to repeat victories of a year ago, but only one succeeded - Dixie Colony, who took the $50,000 Starter Handicap for 3-year-olds and up. Dixie Colony ran the 1 1/8 miles in 1:54.09 on a fast track and paid $5.60 as the favorite.

Other noteworthy Maryland Million winners and losers were:

- La Reine's Terms ($13), in the $150,000, 1 1/8-mile Turf, by three-quarters of a length over Dr Detroit, with Rubi Echo a neck back in third. Dr Detroit was the defending champ.

- Saay Mi Name, the 8-5 favorite, by 1 1/4 lengths over 5-2 second-choice Cherokee's Boy in the $150,000 Sprint. Defending champ My Poker Player, outrun for a half-mile, closed fast but finished fifth, beaten six lengths at 7-1.

- Sarah's Prospect ($3.60) in the $100,000 Turf Sprint Stakes, by 8 3/4 lengths over 20-1 Love Antics, with 10-1 Mr Mutter another length back in third. Sarah's Prospect ran the five furlongs on good turf in 56.63 seconds. Defending champ Namequest, 7-1, ran a nonthreatening sixth.

- Foxs Gold Digger ($3.40) in the $30,000 Sprint Starter Handicap. Defending champ Drum Roll Please set the pace and tired, finishing last of eight at 14-1.

- Creve Coeur ($4) by disqualification over X Marks the Spot in the $125,000 Nursery for 2-year-olds. X Marks the Spot finished first by 1 3/4 lengths but drifted in while rallying in the stretch, causing Creve Coeur to steady. Both horses flew by front-runner Preferred Lender in deep stretch, with Preferred Lender finishing a head behind Creve Coeur.

- Smart and Fancy ($4.20) in the $125,000 Lassie for 2-year-old fillies, by 1 1/2 lengths over Racing Bridgett, who was disqualified from second to fifth for interference in the stretch. Who Was, 40-1, was moved up from third to second and Swear to It, 26-1, from fourth to third.

- Sticky ($3.60), by a head over 2-1 Lexi Star in the $150,000 Oaks at 1 1/8 miles on dirt.

- Valley of the Gods ($4.40), by a half-length over 27-1 Blind Canyon, in the $150,000 Distaff for fillies and mares.