Irish War Cry Battles to Marylander Victory

Isabelle de Tomaso’s New Jersey homebred Irish War Cry put away chief rival Undulated early and held off a determined stretch bid from O Dionysus to capture the $100,000 Marylander by a nose Saturday at Laurel Park.

The Marylander for 2-year-olds and $100,000 Gin Talking for 2-year-old fillies, both at seven furlongs, were among five stakes worth $475,000 in purses on the New Year’s Eve program that closed Laurel’s 52-day fall meet.

Also run Saturday were the $100,000 Dave’s Friend for 3-year-olds and up at six furlongs and the $100,000 Thirty Eight Go Go for females 3 and up and $75,000 Jennings for Maryland-bred/sired horses 3 and older, both run at one mile.

Making just his second career start and first in a stakes following an impressive 4 ½-length debut victory Nov. 11 at Laurel, Irish War Cry ($2.60) ran the distance in 1:22.71 over a fast main track. O Dionysus lost a head bob at the wire but was a clear second, 10 lengths ahead of Undulated.

Swynford Stakes winner Undulated, running for the first time on dirt, and Irish War Cry dueled for the early lead through a quarter-mile in 23.90 seconds and a half in 47.26 before the 1-2 favorite, racing to the immediate right of Undulated on the rail, took over the top spot leaving the backstretch.

Christopher Elser Memorial Stakes winner O Dionysus was unhurried early before launching his bid on the far outside, effortlessly picking up horses around the far turn to challenge Irish War Cry. The two leaders hooked up down the lane after running six furlongs in 1:10.72, but Irish War Cry stubbornly held on to win for trainer Graham Motion.

“His first out was very good and we were very impressed with him. He’s trained on and improved. He’s a pretty easy horse to train; he’s very relaxed,” said Motion’s assistant, Adrian Rolls. “Today he kind of jumped out of the gate and was on the bridle very early and I think it surprised Alex a little bit. He had plenty of horse and gave him a good ride. He just kept him where he was comfortable. He got to idling a little bit in front but when the other horse came to him he kicked in again. It was very close again at the end but Alex was confident he had enough horse.”

Two Charley’s and Alive completed the order of finish. Cape Lookout and Always a Suspect were scratched.

Source: Maryland Jockey Club