OBS graduates scored five stakes victories at Pimlico over the weekend, including a pair of graded wins on Friday and a third on Saturday by trainer Mike Maker.

    Three Diamonds Farm’s Army Wife moved to the leaders leaving the backstretch in Friday’s $250,000 Gr. II Black-Eyed Susan Stakes, took command a furlong from home and drew off late to score by 2 3/4 lengths. It’s the first stakes win for the 3-year-old daughter of Declaration of War, trained by Maker, now 8-3-1-2 with $288,972 in earnings. She turned in an Under Tack eighth in :10 1/5 before she was purchased for $190,000 out of the Grassroots Training & Sales consignment at the 2020 OBS Spring Sale.  

    Michael Dubb, Steve Hornstock, Bethlehem Stables LLC and Nice Guys Stables’ Last Judgment went right to the front in the $250,000, Gr. III Pimlico Special Stakes on Friday and never looked back en route to a 1 3/4 length victory. It’s the second graded stakes win for the 5-year-old Florida-bred gelding by Congrats, who was purchased for $300,000 out of the Bobby Dodd consignment at the 2018 OBS Spring Sale after breezing an Under Tack eighth in :10 flat. Also trained by Maker, the win left him with an 18-8-1-1 career record and earnings of $490,465. 

    Maker posted his third weekend graded stakes win with an OBS graduate when Paradise Farms Corp. and David Staudacher’s Special Reserve took charge of Saturday’s $150,000, Gr. III Maryland Sprint Match Series Stakes after turning for home and scored by a length and three quarters. It’s the first stakes win for the 5-year-old son of Midshipman, now 19-6-1-7 with $358,647 in earnings. Consigned by Top Line Sales LLC, Agent, to the 2018 OBS March Sale, he sped an Under Tack quarter in :21 2/5 before he was sold for $140,000. 

    Madaket Stables LLC, Wonder Stable, Paul Farr and Team Hanley’s lightly raced T D Dance was taken back early in Saturday’s $100,000 James W. Murphy Stakes, came after the leaders in the stretch, took over inside the eighth pole and drew off late to beat fellow OBS graduate Arzak (April ’20) by 3 3/4 lengths. The 3-year-old colt by Can the Man was purchased for $75,000 out of the Eddie Woods consignment at the 2020 OBS Spring Sale after turning in an Under Tack quarter in :20 4/5. Now 5-3-1-0 for trainer Brad Cox, he has earned $122,300 to date. 

    Morris E. Kernan, Jr. and Jagger Inc.’s The King Cheek took the lead at the start of the $100,000 Sir Barton Stakes, was headed in mid-stretch, then came again late and was best at the wire by a head. It’s the first stakes score for the 3-year-old son of Laoban, trained by Jamie Ness, now 9-4-2-0 with earnings of $132,575. A two-time OBS graduate, he was sold by Stuart Morris, Agent, at the 2019 October Yearling Sale and was then consigned by Nice and Easy Thoroughbreds to the 2020 OBS June Sale, where he went through the ring after an Under Tack in :21 4/5. 

    Sonata Stable’s Moonlite Strike tracked the early leader in Saturday’s $75,000 Roar Stakes at Gulfstream on Saturday, took over after turning for home and drew away late to win by 3 1/4 lengths. It’s the first stakes victory for the 3-year-old graded stakes placed colt by Liam’s Map, a two-time OBS graduate, consigned by de Meric Sales, Agent, to the 2020 OBS March Sale where he went through the ring after an Under Tack quarter in :21 2/5. Consigned again by de Meric Sales to the June Sale, he turned in an Under Tack eighth in :10 1/5. Now 7-3-0-1 for trainer Saffie Joseph, Jr., he has earned $141,150 to date.  comments powered by Disqus