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Let Me Be Frank
Photo Credit: Jim McCue/MJC
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LAUREL, MD. 10-04-08---Mark Lapidus LLC’s Let Me Be Frank stole off to the lead, then rebuffed the favorite and drew away to a ten length victory in the $50,000 Starter Handicap, the opener on today’s twelve race Maryland Million card.
Ridden by Travis Dunkelberger, Let Me Be Frank paid $8.20 after completing the nine furlong distance in 1:53.05 over the fast main track. Belle’s Broker finished second, two lengths ahead of 4-5 favorite Morethanclever.
The winner, an Awad gelding, is trained by Damon Dilodovico at the Bowie Training Center. He was claimed by his present connections for $5,000 in March, then went on to a front-running score in the Deputed Testamony Stakes at Pimlico on the Preakness undercard two starts later.
“This horse has some issues,” Dilodovico said. “That’s why we’ve been going light on the training with him. We started pointing for this race early in the summer and I was able to get that sprint into him, and even though he finished off the board, it really helped him. He’s been training well lately and Travis gave him a great ride today.”
This is the third Maryland Million Starter victory for Dilodovico, also won the race with Warrenpeace (1997) and Off The Glass (2006).
“We were going around the second turn about the same speed as the first,” Dunkelberger said. “He strided away pretty good. I was a little worried about him getting tired, but Damon had him ready.”
Let Me Be Frank was bred in Maryland by Plane Tree Farm.
Off the Glass, who was seeking to become the fifth horse to win three Maryland Million races, finished sixth.
-MJC-