Dixiana Farms' grade 2-placed homebred Hayes Strike, back on dirt after a failed attempt on the synthetic, cruised up to front-running Coffeewithchris at the top of the stretch and outran the multiple stakes winner to the wire to capture the $100,000 Private Terms Stakes at Laurel Park March 18.
Hayes Strike, dismissed at odds of 8-1, completed the distance in 1:45.46 over a fast main track to snap a six-race losing streak going back to his maiden triumph last August at Ellis Park. It was the first Private Terms victory for both trainer Kenny McPeek and veteran jockey Horacio Karamanos.
Hayes Strike raced clear in fourth as New York shipper Register jumped out to the front, going the first quarter in :24.95, chased by Feb. 18 Miracle Wood Stakes winner Coffeewithchris, both trying two turns for the first time. Howgreatisnate raced in third along the rail and had to steady in traffic rounding the clubhouse turn but moved up to second following a half in :49.16.
Coffeewithchris went after Register first, moving up alongside on the far turn and taking over the top spot entering the stretch. Karamanos tipped Hayes Strike further out to make a run and set him down once they straightened for home, coming with a steady run to pass a gutsy Coffeewithchris inside the eighth pole and edge clear by 1 3/4 lengths.
Coffeewithchris was second, 3 3/4 lengths in front of late-running Circling the Drain, making his stakes debut.
Hayes Strike is by Connect and out of the Deputy Commander stakes winner Plaid.
Lady Lowery Wins Beyond The Wire
Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, Gary Barber, and Wachtel Stable's Lady Lowery, making just her third career start and first in a stakes, led every step of the way pulling clear of her rivals late to register a three-length victory in the $100,000 Beyond The Wire Stakes for 3-year-old fillies.
Ridden by Jack Gilligan for trainer Will Walden, Lady Lowery raced for the first time on dirt and around two turns after a pair of sprints over the all-weather surface at Turfway Park. Unraced at 2, the Munnings filly graduated by 2 3/4 lengths Feb. 15.
"To be honest, we were actually looking at this race for a different filly in our stable. We worked them both last week and just felt like Lady Lowery was doing a little bit better and this spot would fit her well," Walden said. "It's five weeks from her last run. We wanted to answer the dirt and the distance question. We didn't necessarily know how it would go, but we were confident that it would go well."
Favored at 9-5 in a field of six, Lady Lowery comfortably took the lead through a quarter-mile in :24.54 and a half in :48.10 pressed by Cairo Sugar. She finished in 1:39.29 with Happy Clouds in second followed by Cairo Sugar.
Bred by WinStar Farm, Lady Lowery is out of Last Dance, by Revolutionary. Ready Made Racing, a venture that includes Walden, bought her for $50,000 out of the Woodford Thoroughbred consignment at the 2021 Keeneland September Yearling Sale.
Laurel Park, Saturday, March 18, 2023, Race 8Entries: Beyond The Wire S.
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 1Pharoahs Baby Gyal (KY) Jevian Toledo 118 Brittany T. Russell 5/2 2 2Cats Inthe Timber (KY) Jeremy Rose 118 Brittany T. Russell 8/1 3 3Lady Lowery (KY) Jack Gilligan 118 William Walden 2/1 4 4Happy Clouds (KY) Arnaldo Bocachica 118 Anthony Farrior 9/2 5 5Voodoo Mama Juju (MD) Kevin Gomez 118 Rodolfo Sanchez-Salomon 20/1 6 6We'll See (PA) Horacio Karamanos 118 Bruce M. Kravets 20/1 7 7Cairo Sugar (NY) Andrew Wolfsont 124 Alan Bedard 3/1
Laurel Park, Saturday, March 18, 2023, Race 9Entries: Private Terms S.
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 1Marty's Magic (KY) Jeiron Barbosa 118 Horacio De Paz 30/1 2 2Feeling Woozy (MD) Angel Cruz 118 Hamilton A. Smith 8/1 3 3Circling the Drain (MD) Jevian Toledo 118 Brittany T. Russell 6/1 4 4Howgreatisnate (KY) J. D. Acosta 118 Andrew L. Simoff 4/1 5 5Register (KY) Jorge A. Vargas, Jr. 118 David G. Donk 3/1 6 6Hayes Strike (KY) Horacio Karamanos 118 Kenneth G. McPeek 7/2 7 7Riccio (MD) Charlie Marquez 118 Richard P. Sillaman 15/1 8 8Coffeewithchris (MD) Jaime Rodriguez 124 John E. Salzman, Jr. 7/2
