Spartianos wires Maryland Million Turf, Ladies goes to Mysistersledge

Spartianos began his 2017 season with a victory on the Laurel turf course. He came back to the same course to bookend the season with his first win since, setting the pace and holding on in a furious blanket finish to win the $125,000 Maryland Million Turf on Saturday.

Spartianos ($7.60), a 5-year-old Pennsylvania-bred gelding by late Maryland stalwart Not For Love, had finished second in the 2016 Maryland Million Turf to Phlash Phelps. This was the first career stakes victory for the Mike Pino trainee.

Spartianos, under Nik Juarez, quickly recovered from an awkward break to assume a two-length lead, comfortably taking the field through an opening quarter of 25.05 and half of 49.91 seconds.

"I knew he was [stretching out] from five furlongs," Juarez said. "He broke and came right back into my hands. I just got him to settle and relax."

Behind the leader, Grandiflora, who finished third in this race last year, and Somekindofmagician, coming off an allowance win at Belmont, raced heads apart in second and third. Rounding the far turn, Somekindofmagician was the first to apply pressure to Spartianos, who kicked on when asked. Meanwhile, Grandiflora was tipping out to take aim at those two outside, and favored Talk Show Man, who was hung up five wide on the turn, was rallying farthest out of all as the field came into the final furlong. Spartianos held gamely as those challengers came to him.

At the wire, six members of the seven-horse field finished within a length of each other, led by Spartianos, who held on to win by a head over Somekindofmagician. The latter nosed out the rallying Talk Show Man for the placing. After the favorite, it was a neck back to Grandiflora, who finished a head up on fifth-place Dothat Dance. It was a half-length to No More Talk in sixth, and another 1 1/4 lengths to All Alone bringing up the rear.

"Honestly, no," Juarez said when asked if he knew who won. "We were all galloping out together, and Alex [Cintron, on Somekindofmagician] and Danny [Centeno, on Talk Show Man] and I, none of us knew who got it. I saw Talk Show Man in the last jump, and didn't know if he got me."

The final time for the mile on turf rated firm was 1:36.84.

One race later, My Sistersledge prevailed in another tight finish, coming through on the inside to nose out favored Great Soul in the $125,000 Maryland Million Ladies on the turf.

This was the first career stakes victory for John and Cheryl Banner's homebred, a 3-year-old Maryland-born daughter of Etched. Her only previous victory came in a maiden claiming race at Gulfstream, but she had placed in three consecutive races at Laurel coming into Saturday, including a third in the Pearl Necklace Stakes.

"The Banners were good enough to send us this filly from Florida," trainer Mike Trombetta said. "This was kind of the plan – as everyone understands, that doesn't always work out, but today, it did."

My Sistersledge ($13.20) and Julian Pimentel raced in third and on the inside of defending race winner Devilish Love as favored Great Soul took them both through an opening half in 48.32 seconds. Devilish Love began turning up the pressure on the leader at that point, and remained on her flank around the far turn, at which point Great Soul shook off her challenger despite drifting out. There was room on the inside for My Sistersledge, who steadily rallied when called upon for her best.

"I had a great trip stalking the pace," Pimentel said. "When it was time for me to go, I asked her, and she went right on."

My Sistersledge hit the wire just a nose ahead of Great Soul, stopping the clock for the 1 1/8 miles in 1:49.92. A half-length back in third was Nickyrocksforpops, with Devilish Love 1 3/4 lengths back in fourth.