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Crafty Bear
Photo Credit: Jim McCue/MJC
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LAUREL, MD. 02-03-07---Crafty Bear, the longest shot in a four-horse field, motored up the rail and won $90,000 Miracle Wood Stakes this afternoon at Laurel Park.
Sent to post at odds of 9-2, Crafty Bear carried jockey Mario Pino to a 3-3/4 length victory in 1:38.55 for the one mile distance. The son of Yonaguska paid $11.40.
Saratoga Lulaby, who finished second, raced out to a 3-1/2 length lead to begin the run down the backstretch. Crafty Bear raced along in fourth, staying close to the rail. When asked, he came through a narrow opening and took command.
Pino said, “He was pulling along the whole way. I got lucky getting through there. He did a tremendous job. He was full of run the whole way.”
Crafty Bear is a recent transfer to the Mike Trombetta barn. Owned by Harry and Tom Meyerhoff, the gelding had been trained by Hall of Famer Bud Delp, who passed away on December 29.
Trombetta said, “We’ve only had him for a few weeks but we worked him a couple of times and he worked good and we were looking forward to running. He didn’t let us down. He came to me feeling good and he was doing well and he came over and ran really nice for us.”
“He ran hard,” said Dyn Panell, who was aboard the runner-up. “He settled well but got beat by a better horse.”
Panell and trainer John Rigattieri teamed up to win three races on the Laurel Park card, finishing first with Brilliant Mrs. W ($5.40-third), Westside Lady ($5-fourth) and Alruncojump ($21.40-seventh). The duo teamed up for a five-win afternoon at Suffolk Downs last June. Rigattieri, who is spending his fourth winter in Maryland, leads the trainer standings with 18 winners from 54 starters, while Panell ranks third among riders with 23 first place finishes.
“I am happy,” added Panell. “I was hoping to be four-for-four with John but I had an awesome day.”
Pino, the winningest rider in Maryland racing history now has 5,858 career victories, 16th on the all-time list. This year the 45-year-old should pass Hall of Famer Jerry Bailey (5,893) and become the 15th rider ever to win 6,000 races. The runner-up for outstanding apprentice rider in 1979 ranks second in the Laurel Park standings with 24 first place finishes.
“We have been on a roll here at Laurel,” said Pino, who has surpassed 200 wins 12 times in his 28-year career. “My agent (Bill Castle) and I are working really hard and work really well as a team. We are going for that goal of 6,000 wins. It isn’t easy to win races but when you show up to work every day good things happen.”
Trombetta, who also saddled three winners on the Saturday card, indicated Sweetnorthernsaint, who won the Miracle Wood a year ago will likely be pointed to the Grade II General George Breeders’ Cup Handicap at Laurel on Feb 19. The conditioner’s other trips to the winners’ circle were with Glenwood Ace ($2.40-second) and Moonmoonmoon ($7.60-ninth).
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