Switzerland wins Maryland Sprint on big day for Asmussen, Santana

BALTIMORE – In a span of about 90 minutes, trainer Steve Asmussen showed that he’s pretty loaded in the male sprint division.

About 90 minutes after the freakishly fast 3-year-old Mitole rolled to a 6 1/4-length victory in the Chick Lang Stakes, the useful 4-year-old Switzerland powered home a 3 1/2-length winner of the Grade 3, $150,000 Maryland Sprint Stakes at sloppy Pimlico.

The victory was the fourth straight for Switzerland and his third consecutive since being moved from Chad Brown to Asmussen. Coincidentally, it was the Brown-trained Long Haul Bay who finished second in the Maryland Sprint.

“He came into the barn a fast horse, and we’ve been able to maintain that,” said Asmussen, who trains Switzerland for the Farish family’s Woodford Racing. “The key to today’s race was him being able to get away with going 22 and 4 the first quarter.”

In the Chick Lang, Mitole went an opening quarter posted in 21.67 seconds. In the Maryland Sprint, Switzerland was a half-length off Red Dragon Tattoo through an opening quarter in 22.94 seconds.

When Asmussen saw the fractions, he said, “I like my chances from here, and he came home beautifully.”

Jockey Ricardo Santana Jr. kept Switzerland in the 3 path, and the horse poked a head in front of Red Dragon Tattoo before the five-sixteenths pole. As Red Dragon Tattoo retreated, Long Haul Bay got within a length of Switzerland turning for home.

Santana shook up Switzerland, and he ran away from Long Haul Bay to get the win. He covered six furlongs in 1:09.43 over the sloppy main track and returned $7.80 as the 5-2 second choice.

“Today, he was really sharp,” Santana said. “He broke pretty good, I put him in a good spot. That’s the spot I wanted all day. I knew I had a lot of horse, I was just waiting to turn for home, and when I asked my horse, he gave it to me.”

It was the third stakes win on the card for Asmussen and Santana. In addition to the Chick Lang and Maryland Sprint, Asmussen and Santana teamed to win the off-the-turf James W. Murphy for 3-year-olds with Tap Daddy.

Asmussen said he would allow Switzerland to take a “big swing” in his next race. One option is the Grade 2, $250,000 True North at Belmont on June 8.

The Maryland Sprint was the first race in the older division of the Mid-Atlantic Thoroughbred Championship (MATCH) series, which offers cash bonuses for horses and their connections based on results in selected stakes races. The next race in this division is the $75,000 Mr. Prospector at Monmouth on June 17.

Long Haul Bay, the 9-5 favorite, finished second in the Maryland Sprint by 2 1/2 lengths over Lewisfield.

Of Long Haul Bay, Brown said, “He had every chance. He was second-best.”

Finishing behind Lewisfield were Irish Colonel, Heartwood, Laki, Fellowship, Sonny Inspired, and Red Dragon Tattoo.