Fiddlers Patriot, Sensible Lady & Bold Affair win Pimlico sprint stakes

Fiddlers Patriot, Sensible Lady & Bold Affair win Pimlico sprint

stakes

Owned by James Olson and R. A. Stable, Fiddlers Patriot was off as the 4-1

third choice in the 10-horse field. Super Chunky finished second by 1 1/4

lengths at nearly 13-1 and Ju Jitsu Jax held third. Cactus Son, 2-1 favorite and

defending champ Ben's Cat, Regal Revenge, Disco Dandy, Zeb, Ricky's Life and

Awakino Cat came next under the wire. Birdie Beats Par and Steady Warrior were

both withdrawn.

"I know he's a quick horse," Velazquez said. "Today, he broke well and saved

ground. I followed the speed around the turn and let him go turning for home. We

had a perfect trip."

"I was a little bit timid about running this horse five-eighths," Weaver

said. "Sometimes going five-eighths you have to run and gun the whole way. I

know he has good early speed, but I was a little bit reluctant to run

five-eighths. He was ready to run and we thought we'd run today and at least

know if he does handle five-eighths. Now we have a lot more options."

Bred in New York by Fiddlers Green Stable, Fiddlers Patriot finished a nose

second in the Grade 2 Hillander Stakes and was elevated to third via

disqualification in the Ecclesiastic Stakes last summer. The son of Proud

Citizen is a half-brother to multiple stakes-placed filly Speed Bag and is from

the same female family of Grade 2 winner Chieftan's Command.

The $100,000

The

Very One Stakes, a five-furlong turf affair for fillies and mares, produced

a 24-1 surprise in the form of Sensible Lady, a three-year-old who came flying

from just off the pace to upset her 10 elder rivals. Trained by Timothy Salzman

and ridden by Xavier Perez, Sensible Lady drew off to a two-length decision and

paid $51.60 to win as sixth choice in the wagering.

The daughter of Street Sense raced up close as 9-5 favorite Inspired whipped

through splits of :22 and :44 2/5, and Sensible Lady made her move to the lead

in midstretch, quickly opening up as Inspired gave way. Jazzy Lady offered a

belated late bid but was a never a serious threat to the winner, who stopped the

teletimer in :56.

Inspired saved third, three lengths back of 5-2 second favorite Jazzy Lady,

and was followed by Colony Club, High Quality, You Need Me, Miss Oil, Bounding

Bi, Well Deserved, Halo Hollie and Weeper.

Bred in Kentucky by Spendthrift Farm, Sensible Lady was purchased by owner

Three Lyons Racing for $9,500 at the 2011 OBS April two-year-old in training

sale. Unplaced in her first three stakes attempts, the dark bay miss now shows a

8-4-0-1, $117,730 career mark. She is out of stakes winner and Grade 3 runner-up

Awesome Lady, a daughter of Bianconi.

Winner of the Primonetta Stakes at Pimlico and Conniver Stakes at Laurel Park

in her two previous outings, Bold Affair stretched her win streak to three while

scoring as the 6-5 second choice. The Maryland-bred lass also captured the

Jostle Stakes last year and placed in both the Dearly Precious Stakes and Miss

Preakness Stakes. With Friday's $60,200 payday, the chestnut has now earned

$363,080 from a 11-7-1-2 ledger.

"The filly is phenomenal," Zanella said. "We're having so much fun with her.

It's fantastic to win a race on Preakness weekend. It's a game of luck, and we

happen to be the lucky ones."

Valiant Passion easily held second at nearly 7-1, 2 1/4 lengths better than

Afleet Lass in third. Promise Me a Cat and even-money favorite It's Me Mom, who

began to weaken after establishing the opening quarter-mile in :22 4/5,

completed the order of finish. Red's Round Table and Romantic Cuvee were

scratched.

Bold Affair is by Two Punch and hails from the multiple stakes-winning

Colonial Affair mare Hunka Hunka Lori Z.