Special Envoy extends win streak to three in Bert Allen
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Photo:
Maryland Jockey Club
Mr. & Mrs. Bertram Firestone’s homebred Special Envoy extended his win streak to three races, saving ground along the inside before sweeping four wide into the stretch and pulling away to a 1 ½-length triumph in Saturday’s $60,000 Bert Allen at Laurel Park.
The 1 1/16-mile Bert Allen for 3-year-olds and up was the first of five $60,000 stakes restricted to Virginia-bred/sired horses that helped comprise the 12-race ‘Class on the Grass’ program as part of Commonwealth Day, highlighted by a trio of graded events – the $200,000 Baltimore-Washington International Turf Cup (G2), $200,000 Commonwealth Derby (G3) and $150,000 Commonwealth Oaks (G3).
Special Envoy ($2.20) went off as the heavy 1-9 favorite for the second consecutive race and completed the distance in 1:41.65 over a firm Fort Marcy Turf Course layout. Earlier this summer, the 6-year-old Arnaud Delacour-trained gelding won the Edward Evans and Hansel on Laurel’s world-class turf course.
“He likes the Virginia-bred competition. That would be the first key to his success, I think, this season,” Delacour said. “And, he likes the turf course. He’s very competitive.”
Regular rider Daniel Centeno had Special Envoy settled in third on the inside from their rail post position as 16-1 long shot Runninginthevale was in front after a quarter-mile in 24.07 seconds and a half in 46.91 tracked by Popsracer to his outside.
Centeno dropped back to fourth as the field approached the far turn, swinging to the far outside to launch their bid. They ranged up to the leaders straightening for home, forged a short lead and edged clear as Speed Gracer – third in both the Edward Evans and Hansel – came running late for second, 2 ¾ lengths head of Runninginthevale. C B Bodemester, Popsracer and Max James completed the order of finish.
“I had plenty of horse all the way around. He broke a step slow today and I sat off the pace. I was just following, waiting to let him run. Going into the turn I was inside, a little tight. I was trying to find the hole, but I didn't want to take a chance and get us stuck inside, so I just moved him outside and let him run,” Centeno said. “You look at the Form and he looked like the best horse in the race and he's been doing so great. I just had to make sure that I had a clean trip.”
Special Envoy raced without Lasix in the Bert Allen and carried as many as 10 pounds more than his rivals, including runner-up Speed Gracer. He finished second in the 2015 Bert Allen behind the retired Rose Brier, who also won in 2014 and 2016.
“A few breezes ago we gave him a little bit of Lasix and he had a reaction to it so I didn’t want to take a chance to have a reaction again,” Delacour said. “It’s really the first time that it happened to him and he’s an older horse, but one time was enough so we decided to take him off.
“I was concerned a little bit more about the weight,” he added. “He had to carry 10 pounds [more] and that’s always a lot of weight. Speed Gracer, I knew he was going to be a little closer this time. He could pressure us or we would have to run him down, but he did good.”
Centeno and Delacour teamed up again five races later with Lael Stables’ Exaggerated ($3.40) for a popular two-length win in the 5 ½-furlong Oakley for fillies and mares 3 and up. Making just her second start this year and first since April 15, the 5-year-old daughter of Blame was kept in the clear from her far outside post, scrambled past Northern Eclipse in mid-stretch and went on to win in 1:02.96 over the Kelso layout.
Amy Moore’s Queen Caroline sat a patient trip early under Feargal Lynch, took over at the quarter pole and scooted away to a 1 ¼-length victory over even-money favorite Armoire in the Brookmeade for fillies and mares 3 and older. A daughter of Blame trained by Michael Matz, Queen Caroline ($5) ran 1 1/16 miles in 1:40.94 over the Kelso Turf Course for her sixth win in 16 career starts. Armoire, who went off at even money, finished 1 ¾ lengths ahead of Secret or Not.
Lady Olivia Northcliff’s homebred Lawyer Dave won for the first time since being claimed by trainer Carla Morgan last December, earning his 11th career victory and first on the turf by rallying on the far outside down the stretch for a head triumph over Cryptos’ Holiday in the 5 ½-furlong Punch Line for 3-year-olds and up. Two Notch Road, whose multiple stakes wins include the 2014 and 2015 Punch Line, raced in contention to mid-stretch but lacked room inside and faded to sixth as the even-money favorite.
Making her debut on the grass, It’s All About The Girls Stable’s Yes to the Dress broke running, went straight to the front and never looked back, cruising to a 1 ¼-length win in the Jamestown for 2-year-olds. One of six fillies in the eight-horse field to face the boys, Yes to the Dress ($3.80) ran 5 ½ furlongs in 1:03.27 on the Fort Marcy course for her second straight victory and first in stakes company under jockey Jose Lezcano. Fillies Wicked Sister (45-1) and Wolverette (11-1) rounded out the trifecta.
Source: Maryland Jockey Club
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