Jockey Russell Gets First Maryland Win at Laurel Friday
Jockey Russell Gets First Maryland Win at Laurel Friday
Just Jack, Grandiflora Win Friday Features
Multiple Carryovers for Saturday’s Program
LAUREL, MD – Riding for the third day at Laurel Park since returning from injury, multiple Maryland champion jockey Sheldon Russell earned his first victory of the summer meet aboard Charles L. Biggs’ Two Charley’s in Friday’s opener.
Russell, 28, had been out of action since tearing his labrum and fracturing his shoulder in two places in a training accident last November before returning July 23 at Laurel. He picked up his first win back with Moss Code Thursday at Delaware Park.
A six-time meet riding champion at Laurel and Pimlico Race Course and Maryland’s leading rider in 2011, Russell kept Two Charley’s in the clear on the outside in mid-pack before rallying down the center of the stretch to edge past even-money favorite The Great Ronaldo late and win by a length in 59.75 seconds for five furlongs over a fast main track.
The $33,000 maiden claiming event for 2-year-olds marked the career debut for Two Charley’s, a son of juvenile champion Hansen trained by Cal Lynch.
“It’s just nice to come back and ride some really nice live horses off such a long layoff. The trainers have been very supportive in the mornings. I spent a lot of time in the recovery galloping horses and working horses for Cal Lynch, so it was nice to get my first win back in Maryland for Cal,” Russell said.
“I came to the paddock and Cal was full of confidence. He loved that we had the outside post and he does a great job with 2-year-olds so I was never really worried. It’s always nice to come to the paddock and have them fill you with confidence. A great job for him and his team. I’m glad I got to win for them.”
Just Jack, Grandiflora Win Friday Features
Cutting back to 5 ½ furlongs off a narrow loss last out going one mile, Michael J. Harrison’s Just Jack emerged from a tight pack on the outside and wore down stubborn long shot Miner’s Quest to win Friday’s co-featured eighth race.
The 3-year-old Maryland-bred Just Jack, a full brother to stakes winner Talk Show Man, ran the distance in 1:04.73 over a Bowl Game Turf Course rated good for his second win over older horses this year.
Just Jack ($5.20) was favored at 8-5 in a field of 10 in the $42,000 allowance for 3-year-olds and up. Trained by Hamilton Smith, he has three wins from five starts after going unraced at 2.
Richard F. Blue Jr.’s Grandiflora outran Jrock and Made Bail down the stretch with a steady drive on the far outside to snap an 11-race losing streak in Friday’s third race, a $45,000 optional claiming allowance for turf sprinters 3 and up.
With meet-leading rider Feargal Lynch aboard for trainer Ann Merryman, Grandiflora ran 5 ½ furlongs in 1:04.47. It was the first win for the 5-year-old gelding since his allowance victory May 7, 2015 at Pimlico.
Multiple Carryovers for Saturday’s Program
There will be carryovers in the 20-cent Rainbow 6, 50-cent Late Pick 5 and $1 Super Hi-5 wagers for Saturday’s nine-race program.
First race post time is 1:25 p.m.
No one had all six winners in the Rainbow 6, growing the carryover jackpot to $6,491.70. Tickets with four of six winners returned $55.98.
The Rainbow 6 carryover jackpot is only paid out when there is a single unique ticket sold with all six winners. On days when there is no unique ticket, 60 percent of that day’s pool goes back to those bettors holding tickets with the most winners while 40 percent is carried over to the jackpot pool.
Saturday’s Rainbow 6 covers Races 4-9 and includes a $47,000 optional claiming allowance for 3-year-olds and up at 1 1/16 miles on the grass in Race 6 that drew a field of nine led by Find Stakes winner Eyeplayeveryday, and a $42,000 optional claiming allowance for 3-year-olds going about 1 1/16 miles on the main track in Race 8 where New York shipper Doctor Mounty is the 8-5 program favorite.
The Late Pick 5, with an industry-low 12 percent takeout, spans Races 5-9 and will have a carryover of $4,455.24. Tickets with four of five winners Friday returned $742.50.
There will be a Super Hi-5 carryover of $1,343.29 for Saturday’s opener.
Note: Jockey Victor Carrasco visited the winner’s circle twice on Friday, with Feisty Valentina ($24) in the fifth race and Just Jack ($5.20) in the eighth… Jockey Jevian Toledo won his 500th career race Friday when he guided Tango Delta ($21) to victory in the seventh race.
