Dinar Elevated to Victory in Thursday Feature to Open Spring Meet
Jockey Johan Rosado Bags Riding Triple, Trainer Gonzalez Doubles
LAUREL, MD – As an equine herpesvirus (EHV-1) quarantine nears its end, the Maryland Jockey Club has modified the upcoming live racing schedule at Laurel Park.
Next week, Laurel Park will race Saturday through Monday, April 17-19, before returning to the usual Thursday through Sunday schedule for the 16-day spring meet that ends May 2.
For horsemen, races in the current condition book for Thursday, April 15 will be used Saturday, April 17, while races in the book for Friday, April 16 will be used Monday, April 19.
Positive cases of the equine herpesvirus caused MJC to cancel the final three days of Laurel’s winter meet, March 26-28, and delay the start of the spring meet from April 1 to Thursday.
Saturday, April 24 is Laurel’s Spring Stakes Spectacular program featuring seven stakes worth $750,000 in purses led by the $125,000 Federico Tesio for 3-year-olds and $125,000 Weber City Miss for 3-year-old fillies.
The 1 1/8-mile Tesio is a ‘Win and In’ qualifier for Triple Crown-nominated horses to the 146th Preakness Stakes (G1) May 15 while Weber City Miss is a ‘Win and In’ race for the $250,000 Black-Eyed Susan (G2) May 14, both at Pimlico.
Dinar Elevated to Victory in Thursday Feature to Open Spring Meet
Jockey Johan Rosado completed a riding triple when Al Rashid Stables’ Dinar, exiting stakes company for the first time in five races, was elevated to victory following the disqualification of first-place finisher Mischief Afoot in Thursday’s feature at Laurel Park.
Thursday marked the opening of Laurel’s spring meet, which was delayed from April 1 due to an equine herpesvirus (EHV-1) quarantine. The 16-day stand runs through Sunday, May 2 before live racing shifts to Pimlico Race Course for its Preakness meet.
Dinar, a 5-year-old son of Belmont Stakes (G1) winner Union Rags, tracked in fifth as Silent Malice, Grade 2 winner Shotski, Youngest of Five and Gentleman Joe raced four across through a quarter-mile in 23.60 seconds and a half in 46.64. Rosado began to move up nearing the turn as Horacio Karamanos and 2-1 favorite Mischief Afoot were in the midst of a sweeping run on the far outside.
As the field straightened for home, Dinar split horses to challenge for the lead but was bothered when Mischief Afoot twice drifted to the inside before going on to prevail in the entry-level optional claiming allowance for 3-year-olds and up by 1 ¼ lengths in 1:41.86 over a fast main track. After a lengthy inquiry and objections from Rosado and jockey Jevian Toledo aboard third-place finisher V.I.P. Ticket, the top two finishers were reversed.
Dinar ran behind Grade 1 winner Maxfield in the Tenacious Stakes and Mineshaft (G3) over the winter at Fair Grounds, and last fall lost his rider in the Lafayette at Keeneland and was fourth by less than two lengths in the Ack Ack (G3) at Churchill Downs. He was making his first start for trainer Jamie Ness, who also won Race 3 Thursday with Charging Lion ($12.20).
Rosado’s other wins Thursday came aboard Charging Lion and Big Rinne ($6.60) for trainer Hamilton Smith in Race 4.
Notes: Claudio Gonzalez, who has led all Maryland trainers in wins four consecutive years and captured 12 of 18 meets during that time, won with his first two starters of Laurel’s spring stand, Marden ($5.20) in Race 5 and Cause to Dream ($6.60) in Race 7. Due to quarantine restrictions Gonzalez had not run a horse at Laurel since March 7.