Street Lute storms to Maryland Juvenile Filly Championship win

Street Lute won the third stakes race of her young career Saturday, when she stalked the pace and stormed home to a 1 3/4-length win over Juror Number Four in the $100,000 Maryland Juvenile Filly Championship at Laurel Park.

The race was one of two stakes on the card. Jaxon Traveler remained undefeated in three career starts when he held off Singlino for a three-quarter-length win in the $100,000 Maryland Juvenile Futurity.

The races were both at seven furlongs and were restricted to Maryland-bred or Maryland-sired 2-year-olds.

Street Lute ($6) was situated along the rail and patiently sat just off the pace set by Liam’s Missy, who took the field through an opening quarter in 22.70 seconds and a half-mile in 46.47. Street Lute moved off the fence and to the lead coming to the quarter pole and went on to cover the distance on a fast track in 1:24.83.

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“I know my filly can settle,” jockey Xavier Perez said in a post-race interview broadcast by Laurel. “She did, and we had a perfect trip.

“She’s getting better.”

Perez was aboard for trainer Jerry Robb.

Street Lute is a daughter of Street Magician who races for Lucky 7 Stables. She has now won 4 of 5 starts, with her lone loss a neck beat when second in the Maryland Million Lassie.

“She’s almost perfect,” said Gina Robb, wife of trainer Jerry Robb. “She’s pretty outstanding.”

Street Lute earned $60,000 for the win Saturday to push her earnings to $230,220. Her other stakes victories have come in the Small Wonder at Delaware Park and the Smart Halo at Laurel.

Jaxon Traveler ($2.60) went right to the front at the start of the Maryland Juvenile Futurity and led through fractions of 22.56 seconds for the opening quarter and 45.61 for the half-mile. He continued to maintain the advantage while coming under pressure from Singlino, and held that one off in the later stages while covering the distance in 1:25.07.

Johan Rosado was aboard for trainer Steve Asmussen.

Jaxon Traveler is a son of Munnings who races for West Point Thoroughbreds and Marvin Delfiner. He was making his stakes debut Saturday after winning his career debut by 10 lengths in a maiden special weight at Pimlico, then taking a first-level allowance by four lengths at Laurel. The 3 for 3 runner has now earned $120,762.