Ladies: Head bob to Devilish Love
Devilish Love tracked pacesetter Pauline’s Pride early in the $125,000 Maryland Million Ladies, took the lead nearing the stretch, and then battled to the wire with Complete St. and won a head bob in the 1 1/8-mile turf race for fillies and mares.
Complete St. was unlucky to lose in the Ladies. She attempted to split the winner and Northern Smile, who had lodged a three-wide bid, in upper stretch but could not get through. She then altered course to the inside, tried to come up the rail on the winner, but ended up a nose short.
Devilish Love, a 6-year-old daughter of Not For Love, was ridden by Alex Cintron.
“She never quit,” Cintron said.
Devilish Love was transferred to the barn of Tony Dutrow following her race prior to the Ladies. Dutrow trained her earlier in her career.
“She was game,” Dutrow said. “It was wonderful to get her back. I had a little time to get her ready for this race.”
Devilish Love paid $11.20 in the eight-horse field. She was timed in 1:47.67 over firm turf.
Northern Smile finished third, a length behind Complete St. Monster Sleeping, who won the Ladies last year and in 2013, finished fourth.
Lassie: Penn shipper stays perfect
Item improved her record to 2 for 2 with a determined stretch run and turned back She’s Achance Too by a head.
Based at Penn National with trainer Rodrigo Madrigal, Item had won her career debut at Penn by 1 1/4 lengths Oct. 8. She sprinted to the lead in the Lassie, was headed from the inside by She’s Achance Too in upper stretch but kept fighting to the finish.
Item, a daughter of Orientate, paid $15 in the field of 10 Maryland-sired 2-year-old fillies. She covered six furlongs in 1:12.45 with jockey Tyler Conner aboard.
She’s Achance Too raced outside horses early after breaking from post 9, was taken to the rail on the far turn, then just missed in the stretch. Small Batch, who finished third, looked like she was going to run by the top pair in upper stretch but flattened out and was beaten neck for second.
Distaff Starter Handicap: A prompt favorite
Penn National-based Chapel of Chimes, the 1-2 favorite, pulled away to win the $50,000 Maryland Million Distaff Starter Handicap by 12 lengths. The race was for fillies and mares who had raced for a $12,500 claiming price since Oct. 17, 2015.
Trainer by Eduardo Rojas and ridden by Andrew Wolfsont, Chapel of Chimes had won a second-level optional-claiming race at Penn National in her prior start while in for the $25,000 tag. Chapel of Chimes sat off the early pace and then easily took the lead in upper stretch of the mile race.
Chapel of Chimes paid $3 and was timed in 1:39.45 for the mile.
Source: Daily Racing Form, Jim Dunleavy