LAUREL, MD.  03-16-13---Thomas McClay & Harry Nye’s Norman Asbjornson ran down front runner Eighttofasttocatch to win the $125,000 Harrison E. Johnson Memorial Stakes this afternoon at Laurel Park.

Sent to post at 6-1 under Jeremy Rose for trainer Carlos Mancilla, the 5-year-old was winning his first stakes. A hint of what he was capable of doing came in his previous start, when Norman Asbjornson was elevated to second in the John B. Campbell Stakes last month after he was fouled by Service for Ten in the final furlong. 

Mancilla is filling in for trainer Chris Grove, who is serving a suspension. Mancilla has been Grove’s top assistant for 16 years.

“We thought he should have won that race and we were confident coming into the race,” said Mancilla, who also won Saturday’s fifth race with Wry Me.

While Eighttofasttocatch, the two-time defending champion of the race, opened a commanding lead, a lead which held up into the stretch, the winner was last at the start, last down the backstretch and last entering the far turn. Norman Asbjornson was closing relentlessly with a furlong to go and swept by to win going away, by 1-1/2 lengths.

Norman Asbjornson completed the nine furlong distance in 1:51.77. General George (G3) winner Javerre finished third, 2-1/4 back of Eightofasttocatch.

“The thing I had going for me is I knew my horse could get the distance,” said Rose, who was aboard for the first time. “To be honest I didn’t expect (Eighttofasttocatch) to open up that far. I didn’t know if I gave my horse too much ground to make up but he’s a nice horse, he overcame me and got the job done.”

The son of Real Quiet has six runner-up finishes in stakes races during his career, including the Gotham Stakes (G3) and competed in both the Wood Memorial (G1) and Preakness Stakes (G1) two years ago.

“He always tries and is very versatile,” added Mancilla.

Norman Asbjornson paid $14.20 and improved to 5-of-20 lifetime with 13 on the board finishes for earnings of $403,350.

Koh I Noor, who had won four straight at Laurel since October, finished fourth as the 4-5 betting choice.

About Laurel Park

Laurel Park is a Stronach Group company, North America’s leading Thoroughbred racetrack owner/operator. The Stronach Group racetracks include Santa Anita Park, Gulfstream Park & Casino, Golden Gate Fields, Portland Meadows, Laurel Park and Pimlico Race Course, home of the world-famous Preakness. The company owns and operates the Palm Meadows Training Center in Florida and is one of North America's top race horse breeders through its award-winning Adena Springs operation. The Stronach Group is one of the world's largest suppliers of pari-mutuel wagering systems, technologies and services. Its companies include AmTote, a global leader in wagering technology; Xpressbet, an Internet and telephone account wagering service; and Monarch Content Management, which acts as a simulcast purchase and sales agent of horseracing content for numerous North American racetracks and wagering outlets. The Stronach Group is also a major producer of televised horse racing programming through its HRTV cable and satellite network and is North America's premier supplier of virtual online horse racing games, as well as a leading producer of social media content for the horseracing industry.