Paco the Taco Man repeats in the co-featured seventh race
LAUREL, MD— “She’s spicy,” co-owner Nancy Rizer said in the winner’s circle Sunday afternoon after Nick’s Notion made a strong late run to win Laurel Park’s co-featured eighth race, a $48,000 state-bred or state-sired allowance for fillies and mares at one mile on the All Along Turf Course.
Nick’s Notion can be a bit temperamental sometimes, but she kindly provided jockey Jeiron Barbosa with a smooth ride at a great price.
Making her first appearance since a third-place effort in a dirt race at Laurel on June 20, Nick’s Notion didn’t get the best start from the gate, but she soon settled into a steady rhythm while running between horses near the back of the pack.
Meanwhile, Determind Princess set very reasonable fractions, stopping the timer at 24.74 seconds for the first quarter and at 49.56 seconds for the first half mile.
Determined Princess attempted to tuck her rivals into bed after a third quarter in 24.11 seconds, opened a clear lead in the upper stretch, and set sail for home.
However, Nick’s Notion eased out into the clear at the top of the lane and uncorked a powerful bid to nip the pacesetter by three-quarters of a length in 1:37.55 on good going.
Favored Juniper Juice finished third, two lengths behind the runner-up. Happy This Day, Nothinglesswilldo, Granuaile, and Looks First followed. All Gas No Brakes declined to break from the gate.
Nick’s Notion paid $22.20 to win. Rehoboth Avenue and Weekend Wife scratched out.
“She wasn’t exactly right with us at Colonial,” trainer Robbie Bailes explained about the layoff. “We gave her time at the Rizer’s farm, and they did a great job with her. She came back looking so good. She’s like a different horse than she was last year. She’s really grown and got things going on.”
Nick’s Notion is a 4-year-old filly by Great Notion, out of In Bella’s Honor, by Malibu Moon. Bred by Finale Farm and Mr. and Mrs. David Moose, she comes from a prolific family. Her second dam, Baltimore Belle, won four stakes races, including the Maryland Million Oaks.
Nick’s Notion was purchased for $9,500 as a weanling.
“She was a filly that my son picked up at the sale,” said Nancy’s husband, co-owner Eric Rizer. “We really liked her, and she improved once she got on our farm. She grew a lot. We like putting all our babies on the Eurociser. It gives them some kind of structure. We’re not working them really hard or anything like that. We’re just giving them some schooling and some lessons. And she excelled.”
And what about that “spicy” attitude?
“She can be a little nippy,” Eric Rizer continued. “When we had her for a layup, and she was in stall rest for a while, she was really very sweet. Once we had a chance to turn her out and get some exercise and stuff, the sharper she gets, the nippier she gets.”
*Paco the Taco Man repeats in the co-featured seventh race
With excellent early speed, Paco the Taco Man cooked four rivals in Laurel Park’s co-featured seventh race on Sunday, a $48,000 state-bred or state-sired allowance for 3-year-olds and up at six furlongs.
Making his first start since the Jamie Ness reclaim, Paco the Taco Man surged to the lead from his inside post position, relaxed through fractions of 23.10 and 46.60 seconds while lightly prompted by favored Creed’s Vision, then kept on chugging to score by two lengths in 1:11.63 on the fast track.
“I actually broke his maiden, and I rode him a few other times,” said winning jockey Mychel Sanchez. “He’d been running great [against] tough company, knocking on the door, and knocking on the door. Jamie got him back, and I guess he saw that he ran good for me, so he put me back.”
Paco the Taco Man, the second choice in the wagering, returned $6.80 to win. Creed’s Vision finished second, two lengths ahead of Change My World. Lundi Loot and Lost My Shoe completed the order of finish. Ecumenical scratched.
“He got confident, and he’s a game horse,” Marquez said admiringly of Paco the Taco Man. “When I turned for home, he gave me another gear. He’s a horse that if he feels other horses, he keeps fighting and fighting.”
Paco the Taco Man, a 5-year-old gelding by Bandbox and out of Flexible Ethics, is a homebred owned by Ness’s Jagger Inc.
Paco the Taco Man won two of his first four starts before Ness lost him via the claim box in his first start as a 3-year-old. He then campaigned for trainers Horacio De Paz and Annette Eubanks before Ness dipped back in for $30,000 on April 11. That afternoon, Paco the Taco Man wired the field, earning a career-best 86 Beyer Speed Figure.
Paco the Taco Man has won seven of 28 races and earned $216,405.
Ness and Sanchez each won two races on Sunday. The trainer, currently second in the Laurel Park spring standings, captured the fifth race with Big Tankness ($4.20), who made his turf debut under jockey Yedsit Hazlewood.
Sanchez captured the second race aboard Overspent ($7.40) for trainer Mark Shuman.
*Around the track:
Live racing resumes Friday with a nine-race card featuring two “Value Pick 5” wagers, each with a low 12% takeout. First post is noon ET. The first 2-year-olds to start in Maryland this year take the track in the third race.
The free “Laurel Park Handicapping Guide” is available on every race day. It features picks, analysis, trainer stats, trip notes, horses to watch, track bias information, and more from The Maryland Jockey Club’s team of handicappers. Friday’s guide is available Thursday evening. Click here to view it.
Enjoy the excitement of the Kentucky Derby at Laurel Park on Saturday with the “Kentucky Derby Watch Party and Buffet.” Experience live racing at Laurel Park and the full simulcast of races from Churchill Downs, including the “Run for the Roses.” For ticket information and the full menu, visit here.
Reserve your spot for our weekly “Bubbly Brunch Sundays.” Kick back with friends over delicious brunch favorites and bottomless mimosas at our vibrant Stone Bar Restaurant and Bar. Sunday Brunch starts at 11:00 am ET. For more information, click here.
Never miss a second of the action on the Laurel Park YouTube channel. Click here to watch full pan and head-on replays.
Watch “Today at the Races,” the Maryland Jockey Club’s morning handicapping show every racing day at 11 am ET on the Maryland Jockey Club X account. Click here to watch.
