Hello Lover Wins Deputed Testamony Purse
Kasey K Racing Stable & Brier Creek Farm LLC’s Hello Lover swept by the leaders and drew away to victory in the $40,000 Deputed Testamony Starter Handicap for registered Maryland-breds, the first of nine stakes on Preakness Day at Pimlico Race Course.
John Bisono was at the controls as the Robert Reid Jr. trained runner lived up to fan expectations as the 3-5 post time favorite. Hello Lover completed the 1 1/16-mile distance in 1:46.74 and paid $3.40. No Brakes took second and Who Dat Boy, who ran erratically, held on to finish third.
Hello Lover, an offspring of the Maryland stallion Not For Love, was making his first start of 2013 while winning for the 13th time in 32 career starts.
DEPUTED TESTAMONY QUOTES
Bob Krangel (owner, Hello Lover, winner) -- "This horse is unbelievable. We claimed him for $7,500 last January and he became Horse of the Year in Pennsylvania. One thrill after another with him. We gave him three or four months off and he came back well. You're always nervous when they come back after four months but he's an unbelievable horse."
(Was there a reason for the layoff?) "No reason, just because he ran 16 times last year. He won $300,000. We thought it was a lot of races for a thoroughbred, and he just deserved it. You're always real nervous when a horse comes back after any kind of a layoff. This field, it was just perfect for us because he's a Maryland-bred and the conditions fit perfectly for us. For us, the conditions fit perfectly. It was a great way to come back with him."
John Bisono (jockey, Hello Love, winner) – “He broke sharp coming off the layoff. I just let him settle and I tried to keep him clear as he made his move. Down the lane, I kept after him a little bit because he started looking around thinking the race was over. He’s a nice horse. He finished up well.”