Still Having Fun by a neck in Miracle Wood Stakes

Still Having Fun overcame a slow start, a bit of traffic, and a continued failure to change leads in the stretch to win Saturday’s $100,000 Miracle Wood Stakes for 3-year-olds by a neck in the snow at Laurel Park.

Last out of the gate breaking from the rail under Feargal Lynch, Still Having Fun, the even-money favorite, was able to run down the pacesetting longshot, Old Time Revival, in deep stretch despite racing on his left lead. Old Time Revival, a 30-1 shot, held off Wentz by a neck for second. It was 7 1/4 lengths farther back to He Hate Me in fourth. He was followed by V.I.P. Code, Dynamic Asset, and Oldfashioned Club.

Still Having Fun, a Maryland-bred son of Old Fashioned, won for the third time in four starts. He was coming off a 4 1/4-length victory over four of these same rivals in the Frank Whiteley Jr. Stakes going seven furlongs here on Jan. 27.

After getting away slowly on Saturday, Still Having Fun saved ground while advancing along the inside. Meanwhile, Old Time Revival was loose on the lead through a quarter of 23.41 seconds and a half-mile in 46.94 under Steve Hamilton.

Lynch had to steady Still Having Fun slightly before getting him out into the clear around the far turning. Straightening away in the lane, Lynch guided Still Having Fun to the inside. While Old Time Revival was fending off Wentz in the middle of the muddy track, Still Having Fun continued his rally along the inside to get up in time.

Still Having Fun, owned by Gary Barber, Adam Wachtel, and Terp Racing and trained by Tim Keefe, covered the mile in 1:37.51 and returned $4 to win.

Wachtel and Barber purchased a majority interest in Still Having Fun after he won his debut for maiden $40,000 claiming at Laurel last November.

“I love this colt. I think he’s got a lot of talent, a lot of desire to win,” Wachtel said Saturday. “If he learns how to switch leads, look out.”

Wachtel said Still Having Fun has not switched to his correct lead in any of his races. According to Wachtel, Lynch said that Still Having Fun tried to pull himself up before the wire because his previous races at Laurel had ended at the first of two finish lines at that track.

Wachtel said Lynch told Keefe, “I had to let him know the race wasn’t over, then he started running again.”

Wachtel said he would like to run Still Having Fun around two turns in his next start. Laurel has the $100,000 Private Terms at 1 1/16 miles on March 17, but Wachtel said he may look for something more prestigious out of town.

“At some point, we’re going to have to leave town, give him a try against better competition and see if we have a chance to have a Triple Crown-type horse,” Wachtel said.

Enchanted Ghost dominates Wide Country

Enchanted Ghost moved toward the leaders at the top of the stretch and galloped through the muddy stretch en route to a 3 1/4-length victory in the $100,000 Wide Country Stakes for 3-year-old fillies.

Deep Red finished second by a neck over Aggregator, who was followed by Frigid Sister and Last True Love.

The win was the third from seven career starts for Enchanted Ghost, a daughter of Ghostzapper owned by Mens Grille Racing and trained by Hamilton Smith. Smith won the Wide Country in 2000 with Case of the Blues.

Enchanted Ghost stalked the pace three wide under Angel Cruz as Aggregator set the pace under Mychel Sanchez while chased by Last True Love. Cruz had Enchanted Ghost on even terms approaching the quarter pole before drawing off to get the victory as the 9-5 second choice. She covered seven furlongs in 1:25.49 and returned $5.80.

“She ran just the way we hoped she would,” Smith said. “She sat off the pace and made one run to come get them. She did it pretty impressively.”