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All Smiles
Photo Credit: Jim McCue
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LAUREL, MD. 04-11-09---Cynthia McGinnes’ All Smiles closed with a rush to win the $50,000 Dahlia Stakes contested over the sloppy main track this afternoon at Laurel Park. The race had been carded for the turf but it was switched to the dirt after steady rain, which resulted in six late scratches.
Under jockey Jeremy Rose, All Smiles dropped back to last and was still last starting for home when she split horses and angled to the far outside for the run to the finish line. British Event was the leader at the furlong marker, but First Ascent was rallying quickly along the rail and All Smiles was winging on the far outside. All Smiles finished fastest of all and won by a length.
“The pace wasn’t fast but they were all bunched up and nobody got a breather,” said Rose, who won five stakes races during the Laurel winter meet, which ended this afternoon. “I was told to go outside. I got in between horses. She kind of hesitated but went to the outside and finished up strong.”
All Smiles completed the one mile distance in 1:39.12 and paid $8.60. Frannie Campitelli trains the winner. Earlier this meet the daughter of Awesome Again won the Nellie Morse Stakes. She is now three-for-three over an off track.
“When we nominated and we were looking at the forecast because it always rains in April and the plan was to run on the main track if it came off the turf,” Campitelli said. “She seems to do well on the off track. We thought this would be an advantage for us. I am never too confident with her. When she’s shows up she’s better than these horses on dirt. If she got her trip and the real All Smiles showed up I thought we had a really good shot and that’s what happened today.”
All Smiles finished first in the 2008 Maryland Racing Media Handicap but was disqualified and placed second when Rose, aboard Cryptoquip, claimed foul against jockey Luis Garcia. The connections protested to the Maryland Racing Commission but the decision was not reversed. This morning Rose picked up the mount when Garcia’s mount, turf specialist First Ascent, did not scratch despite the race coming off the grass.
“My theory is if you can’t beat them, join them,” said Charles McGinnes. “This morning when we had the choice between Rosie Napravnik, who has ridden her before, and Jeremy we picked Jeremy. When he got off the horse in the winners’ circle I shook his hand and said, ‘I forgive you for last year’.”
The six-year-old mare is now six for 23 lifetime for earnings of $184,020.
-MJC-