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Kosmo's Buddy
Photo Credit: Jim McCue/MJC
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LAUREL, MD. 10-04-08---Arnold and Adam Smolen’s Kosmo’s Buddy took the measure of odds-on favorite Natural Seven to win the $100,000 Maryland Million Turf Sprint. Even more impressive, she was beating colts and geldings.
The daughter of Outflanker caught up with front running Natural Seven in mid-stretch and refused to give up the fight until she had pushed to the fore to win by a nose. Lycurgus was 3/4 lengths back in third.
Eric Camacho rode Kosmo’s Buddy for trainer Tim Salzman. A winner of five races in seventeen starts including the Crank It Up Stakes at Monmouth Park, she paid $14.
Salzman said, “She’s classy. This filly can flat out fly. She was a little flat. I told Eric to run his own race. I knew the seven (Natural Seven) was going for the lead and if we could lay where we were we’d have a shot. I’m happy for our owner. He’s bred so many and she was bred on dad’s (John Salzman) farm. This is a special event for all of us.”
The three-year-old has been first or second in all six of her turf races.
Eric Camacho said, “I just stayed behind and saved ground. I knew the seven was going to be the speed. I never let him out of my sights. I stayed in the middle of the track because I knew the turf course was going to be wet down by the rail. In the last turf race the horse on the rail barely got beat. Everybody thought we were running for second but we showed we were running for the win.”
Kosmo’s Buddy was bred by her owners in Maryland.
“We went 45 (seconds) for the half and she picked it up real nice, running great,” said Luis Garcia, who was aboard the favorite. “I was surprised when Eric’s filly came and got me.”
-MJC-