Sheldon Russell rides all three stakes winners
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Jockey Sheldon Russell won all three stakes on the Laurel Park card Saturday, taking the $100,000 Concern with Prince Jericho, the $100,000 Laurel Dash with Fore Harp, and the $75,000 Jameela with Coconut Cake.
“When the overnight came out, I knew my agent got me on some very live mounts,” Russell said on the simulcast from Laurel. “Three stakes wins today – that’s a huge day. I’m very grateful.”
The first of the stakes was the Jameela for Maryland-bred and Maryland-sired fillies and mares. Coconut Cake ($13.80) shuttled up the rail for a three-quarter-length victory over last year’s winner, Spun Glass. She covered six furlongs on turf rated good in 1:12.28.
Coconut Cake could see them all early, as Can the Queen set fractions of 23.71 seconds for the opening quarter and 47.67 for the half-mile. Coconut Cake is a daughter of Bandbox who races for NRS Stable, James Chambers, and her trainer, Tim Keefe.
“At the eighth pole, I was hoping to get a piece of it,” Keefe said on the simulcast from Laurel. “She came through and she got it all.”
In the Laurel Dash, Russell guided Fore Harp ($11.60) to a wire-to-wire win in the six-furlong turf race for 3-year-olds and up.
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Fore Harp took the field through an opening quarter in 23.15 seconds and a half-mile in 47.06 before going on to a two-length win over Witty. The winner covered the distance in 1:11.29.
Butch Reid trains Fore Harp, a son of Weigelia, for LC Racing, James Bonner, and Wellesley Stable.
Bonner applauded the ride of Russell and the effort of Fore Harp during the simulcast from Laurel.
“He got to the front and stayed there,” said Bonner.
Prince of Jericho ($3.40) prompted the pace in the Concern and went on to a 4 3/4-length win over Coffeewithchris. The Concern was for 3-year-old over seven furlongs.
Following the race, it was announced the trainer and rider of Coffeewithchris claimed foul against the winner for alleged interference in the stretch. The stewards made no change to the order of finish.
Prince of Jericho pushed Coffeewithchris and Recruiter through an opening quarter in 22.59 seconds and a half-mile in 45.14 before going on to cover the distance on a fast track in 1:23.16.
Russell was aboard for his wife, trainer Brittany Russell.
Prince of Jericho is a son of Munnings who races for Michael Dubb and Morris Bailey.
“This race, we knew seven-eighths would be perfect for him,” Sheldon Russell said on the simulcast from Laurel.
Prince of Jerhico was winning his second career stakes in the Concern. Overall, he is 4 for 9 with earnings of $270,050.
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