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J'ray scores easy win at Laurel Saturday at Laurel featured eight black-type events, with the Frank J. DeFrancis Memorial Dash (G1) getting top billing. However, that didn't make any of the undercard races any less exciting. Lawrence Goichman's homebred J'RAY (Distant View) captured her second straight stakes when taking the $125,000 Selima S. over the firm turf despite running wide throughout the 8 1/2-furlong test. Trained by Todd Pletcher, the chestnut miss raced in eighth while well off the inner rail down the backstretch under jockey Jerry Bailey, then started gaining momentum around the turn. Entering the stretch at least five wide, she easily overtook the leaders and pulled off for the 3 3/4-length win. J'Ray finished the grassy test for juvenile fillies in 1:41 4/5, adding this to a win in the Jessamine S. at Keeneland in her last race. Her record now stands at 4-3-0-0, $172,245, with her only loss coming on the dirt in her career debut. Sent off the 6-5 favorite in the Selima, J'Ray paid out $4.40, $3.20 and $2.60 for her victory. Nice Nelly (Seattle Slew) came up along the rail in midstretch but could never reach the winner, giving back $6.20 and $4.60 at nearly 5-1. Rasta Farian (Holy Bull) was another neck back in third and returned $5.80. Next across the line were Art Show (Out of Place), Philanthropy Lady (Desert Style), Roaming Wild (Wild Again), Keep on Talking (Royal Academy), Ebony Rose (Bernstein), Stylish Yankee (Yankee Victor), Shock and Awe (Royal Anthem) and Love Comes First (Yankee Victor). Holly's Kid (Pulpit), Interpretation (Freud) and Whiteface (Exploit) were all withdrawn. The $100,000 Anne Arundel S. saw yet another favorite win in easy fashion, as John D. Murphy's homebred TRICKLE OF GOLD (Formal Gold) went wire-to-wire as the 3-5 choice. With Jeremy Rose in the irons, the dark bay sophomore completed a mile on the fast main track in 1:37 for trainer Michael Gorham and was 1 1/2 lengths ahead of her nearest rival. Trickle of Gold captured the Safely Kept Breeders' Cup S. (G3) as well as the Ghost and Goblins S. this year and now owns $313,105 in accumulated earnings to go along with a 12-7-1-3 career mark. Gorham said after the race that he was going to point Trickle of Gold to the December 31 La Brea S. (G1) at Santa Anita. L. Pope McLean's PRINCESS PELONA (El Prado [Ire]) earned one for the longshots with a three-length victory in the $75,000 Stefanita S. under Ramon Dominguez. Trained by Michael Trombetta, the five-year-old mare ran seven furlongs in 1:24 1/5 as the 16-1 longshot and returned $35.60, $12.60 and $2.80. Princess Pelona posted her first stakes score in this spot and now boasts a 25-7-6-1 record with $248,415 in earnings. The race also featured Sensibly Chic (Distorted Humor), who scratched out of the DeFrancis to run and finished third as the 4-5 favorite. Roseland Farm Stable's SMART N CLASSY (Smart Strike) was all out to take the $75,000 April Run S., finishing a neck in front of Art Fan (Lear Fan) in a final time of 1:47 4/5 for nine grassy furlongs. Trained by John Tammaro III and ridden by Jose Velez Jr., the bay five-year-old won the Eatontown H. (G3) in July and improved her record to 30-7-8-4, $410,609, with this score. Trillium Stable's multiple Grade 2 winner DREADNAUGHT (Lac Ouimet) also just managed to get up in time at the wire, posting a head score in the $75,000 Laurel Turf Cup S. with Bailey in the irons. The Tom Voss-conditioned five-year-old gelding, who just ran third in the Red Smith H. (G2) last Saturday, stopped the clock in 1:47 2/5 for 1 1/8 miles on the green and moved his line to 22-6-5-3 with $423,744 in lifetime earnings. The stakes action at Laurel started off in the $50,000 Maryland Million Starter H., and it was in that race that the biggest shocker of the day emerged. Michael Cascio's SUM MARVAL (Polish Numbers) broke from the gate at 23-1 but easily outran his odds to post a 1 3/4-length win under Todd Glasser. Conditioned by Martin Ciresa, the bay four-year-old completed a mile in 1:38 4/5 to pay $48.60, $19.20 and $7.80. He added a first stakes win to his record, which now stands at 21-4-3-3, $140,147.
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