Bodhisattva Wires Rivals in Federico Tesio

Experience and a heady ride from jockey Trevor McCarthy proved to be a winning combination for Bodhisattva in the $100,000 Federico Tesio for 3-year-olds Saturday at Pimlico Race Course.

Owned and trained by Jose Corrales, the stakes-tested Student Council colt coasted through comfortable early fractions and had plenty left in the stretch to turn back Noteworthy Peach and win the 1 1/16-mile Tesio by 1 ½ lengths.

It was another 6 ¾ lengths back to 6-5 favorite All Hands, who finished a neck in front of Ghost Bay, the Maryland-bred champion 2-year-old colt of 2014. Slick William and Top of Mind completed the order of finish.

A strong break from post 6 saw Bodhisattva challenge All Hands for the early lead before taking command as the field left the clubhouse turn, going in 24.95 seconds for the opening quarter-mile. All Hands and jockey Fernando Jara, coming off a front-running maiden victory at Aqueduct four weeks earlier, settled in second as they went a half-mile in 49.15.

“It was pretty clear with the soft fractions that we got away with one,” McCarthy said. “I thought [All Hands] would go with me and I actually yelled to Fernando, ‘Go on with it,’ but he didn’t; he took back. I said, ‘Ok, this is our race. Let’s go for it.’ He went out there with the easy fractions and we actually re-broke at the quarter pole.”

As All Hands began to drop back, Noteworthy Peach moved up to challenge Bodhisattva on his outside and stuck a head in front as they rounded the final turn. The horses matched strides down the stretch before Bodhisattva ($10.80), third choice at 4-1, edged away in the final eighth of a mile to hit the wire in 1:45.18.

“I was surprised. I mean, I was going slow and thought this was a dream come true. Then, he gave me a new gear at the eighth pole,” McCarthy said. “He really dug in and fought, and I hadn’t seen that side of him before today.”

Fifth in the Remsen (G2) last fall, Bodhisattva was fourth, beaten a half-length, in the Miracle Wood in February and second in the March 21 Private Terms, both at Laurel Park. The California-bred colt is nominated to the Triple Crown, and Corrales said he would monitor the horse before looking at the second jewel, the $1.5 million Preakness (G1) May 16 at Pimlico.

“Everybody wishes for that, but I want to see how everything goes from here,” he said. “The horse tells me when he’s going to run next. I don’t pick a race in advance until I find out how a horse is coming out of the race and how he is getting ready for the next one. He ran well today.”

Trainer Kiaran McLaughlin said he was not disappointed in the effort of All Hands, making his stakes debut in just his third lifetime start.

“I thought we might be on the lead. The eventual winner took that spot from us coming out of the first turn. They weren’t going that fast,” he said. “I think he would have been better off on the lead with a clean face, but that happens. He ran on gamely to hang on for third. We’ll regroup and probably go back to an allowance race next time.”

Winless in three stakes since opening the year successfully in Florida, Triple R Stables’ Galiana returned to the winner’s circle with a come-from-behind victory in the $100,000 Primonetta Saturday at Pimlico Race Course.

The six-furlong Primonetta for fillies and mares three and up was one of six stakes worth $575,000 on the 10-race program, the first of three big weekends during the Preakness Meet at Pimlico.

Sent off at 8-1 in a field of eight, Galiana ($18) hit the wire in 1:11.27 over a fast main track, 2 ¾ lengths ahead of 2-1 favorite She’s Ordained. It was another neck back to Tarnished in third, followed by 3-1 second choice Sustainable, Aix En Provence, Romantica Mia, Wherethere’sfire and Queen’s Blade.

“Our only concern coming into this race today was that she may not like the track. She’s never run here before, and she can be picky,” trainer Rodolfo Romero said. “Happily, she took to the track today and [jockey Abel] Lezcano rode her well.”

Breaking from post 7, Galiana settled off the pace under Lezcano as Tarnished took the field through a quarter-mile in 23.23 seconds and a half in 46.54. Lezcano swung Galiana three wide at the top of the stretch for a clear run, taking over the top spot in mid-stretch and drawing away.

“We didn’t have much speed today, so we saved ground,” Lezcano said. “At the three-eighths pole I knew my horse was strong. I let him out in the stretch and then, poof, he went.”

A chestnut New York-bred daughter of Stonesider who ran third in the Hurricane Bertie (G3) Feb. 14 at Gulfstream Park, Galiana has now won five stakes among her 12 career victories and pushed her bankroll to $469,121 from 24 starts.

Romero indicated he would point Galiana to the $100,000 Skipat on Black-Eyed Susan Day, May 15, at Pimlico.

Brenda’s Way Has it Her Way in $75,000 Geisha

Big Bertha Stable’s Brenda’s Way kicked off Saturday’s stakes action in impressive fashion, rolling to a front-running 10 ¼-length victory in the $75,000 Geisha for Maryland-bred fillies and mares.

It was the second straight gate-to-wire victory and first career win in a stakes for the 5-year-old mare, who finished second behind Celtic Kate in the 2014 Geisha. Under jockey Jevian Toledo, Brenda’s Way ($4.80) ran 1 1/16 miles in 1:46.78 on a fast main track.

“She works hard, so she’s one that kind of deserves it. It’s a nice win for her,” winning trainer Damon Dilodovico said. “This horse can be very difficult to ride. This is the third time I put Toledo on her and he learned the hard way one of the earlier times when he rode her. You have to completely let her do her thing. If you try to manhandle her, she won’t run for you.”

Brenda’s Way took control early, running a quarter-mile in 23 seconds, a half in 46.46 and six furlongs in 1:11.79. She opened up daylight on the field after turning for home as Bazinga B rallied to edge last year’s Geisha winner, Celtic Kate, for second.

“Last time she ran huge,” Toledo said. “This time we felt we could do the same thing. We got into a great spot and she moves so good. When I looked back at the three-eighths pole, I had a horse chasing me and she just moved down the stretch, go go go.”

Sycamore Racing’s Nellie Cashman, a graded-stakes winner and multiple graded-stakes placed, gamely held off Stuart Janney III’s Run of the River inside the final 70 yards to win Saturday’s $100,000 Dahlia by a nose while covering a firm mile course in 1:35.95.

Nellie Cashman, a 5-year-old mare by Mineshaft who won the 2013 Virginia Oaks (G3) and placed second in the 2014 Valley View (G3) and third in the 2014 Ballston Spa (G2), was rated off the pacesetter Istanford past fractions of :23.45 and :47.31 before taking the lead entering the stretch and then holding off a late rally by Run of the River.

Trained by Francis Abbott III and ridden by Forest Boyce, Nellie Cashman covered a firm mile course in 1:35.95. The mare shipped to Baltimore from Florida after finishing sixth, beaten five lengths by Sandiva, in the Suwannee River (G3) Feb. 7 at Gulfstream Park.

“We were able to get good position throughout the race, although I had to take the lead a bit earlier than I had planned to, and I'm glad that I did. We just had enough.” Boyce said.

“When you get third at Saratoga in a Grade 2, you feel really good,” Abbott said. “But this winter in Florida she was in some awfully tough company. When Sandiva went to the Honey Ryder, I thought that we should go home and regroup. Hopefully our plan will be ascending the rest of the year. I kind of hope we go back to Saratoga because she really likes to run there."

Nellie Cashman has won four of 19 starts, four of 14 on the turf.

Talk Show Man Edges Paris Vegas at the Finish Line

Michael Harrison’s 5-year-old gelding Talk Show Man drove along the rail down the stretch and just got up at the finish line to win the $100,000 Henry S. Clark, the last of six races on Pimlico’s 10-race program Saturday afternoon.

Trained by Hamilton Smith and ridden by Xavier Perez, Talk Show Man was driven through a hole along the rail inside the final eighth of a mile and put his nose down at the finish line ahead of Paris Vegas.

Talk Show Man, a son of Great Notion, remained undefeated on the year after having won his 2015 debut by 5 ½ lengths March 15 at Laurel Park. The bay gelding has now won six of 19 starts – three of seven on the turf – for earnings of $300,000.

While Jack’s in the Deck set the pace around the first turn and down the backstretch, Perez rated Talk Show Man in third before trying to make his move around the final turn and at the head of the stretch. With no room, Perez “waited for room to open” along the rail before driving Talk Show Man to the victory.

“He definitely made it pretty exciting,” Smith said. “Usually he puts his run in outside but today he kind of got forced down to the inside but our boy got him up anyway. I'm very excited about that. That six horse (Paris Vegas) really put in a big one at the end. We were very lucky to beat him. The pace wasn't extremely fast early but a lot of the races today didn't go all that fast early, either. The next spot for him will be Preakness week (Dixie)."

Talk Show Man covered a firm mile course in 1:36.09.