Regal Solo takes 25th running of Maryland Million

Ben's Cat wows crowd with win in Turf Sprint

Regal Solo broke slow, but that said nothing about his performance in the 25th Jim McKay Maryland Million Classic Saturday afternoon at Laurel Park.

The 5-year-old gelded son of 1996 Preakness winner Louis Quatorze ran in the pack with the other five entries for most of the race, but after enduring dirt in his face for most of the 1 1/8th mile course, his jockey Sheldon Russell (a three-time winner Saturday) swung Regal Solo wide for room and he came running down the stretch to a 1 1/4th-length victory over Hot Abroad. Regal Warrior was third and favorite In the Juice ran fourth.

Regal Solo ($13.40, $5.40, $3.80) finished the course in 1:51.43.

The Classic field was reduced to six horses prior to the start, as two horses defected to other races — Northpoint Costas, who won the Starter Handicap earlier in the day, and Eighttofasttocatch, who ran third in the Turf race won by Pocket Patch.

"We weren't sure how this race was going to set up," said trainer Damon Dilodovico. "But it probably couldn't have been any better. He's not always an easy horse to rate, so being behind the field for that time was probably a good thing. It enabled Sheldon to hold him back until it was time on the front stretch."

Dilodovico was also happy trainer Dale Capuano had decided to run Northpoint Costas in the Starter Handicap instead of the Classic.

"I'm glad Dale didn't stick around," he said. "It was a tough field and it's good to dodge one when you can."

Dilodovico said he had also dodged Ben's Cat in a race at Delaware earlier this year, but after seeing him run yesterday said he anticipates seeing more of him.

"That's a very nice horse," he said.

The big black beauty called Ben's Cat put on what might have been the highlight performance of the day for the crowd of 23,367, as he won the Turf Sprint laughing. The green grass felt cool and inspiring under his hooves and his jockey, Julian Pimentel, had little to do but hold the gelded son of Parker's Storm Cat in check until it was time to go.

"At the start he broke and was gone," said Pimentel, who was riding his second winner of the day. "I held him back most of the way and then at the eighth pole I let him go. He was doing it so easy. At the end he was just looking around."

He might have been looking around for the rest of the field as the King Leatherbury owned and trained 4-year-old crossed the finish line 4 1/2-lenghts ahead of If Not for Lust. It was his sixth win in six starts and left everyone associated with him starry-eyed.

Ben's Cat ($4.60, $3.40, $3.00) ran the Turf Sprint's 5 1/2-furlongs in 1:05.54 without breaking a sweat. Mike Pons, who owns Country Life Farm where Ben's Cat was bred lamented the horse had come from the last group of mares bred to Parker's Storm Cat at his farm.

"I wish it had been the first crop," said Pons, who sold the stallion to a farm in Washington State.

Leatherbury, who ran the horse twice in claiming races before realizing how good he could be, accepted the race trophy with a smile and a little shake of his head.

"You know, horse trainers used to tell all their owners, 'There's no telling how good this horse can be,'" said Leatherbury, whose horse has now won $149,460. "In this case it's true. He hasn't reached his peak yet."

It was Leatherbury's 6,304th career win and his eighth Maryland Million Day victory.

Ben's Cat was one of just four favorites who came home the winner, joining Steady Warrior in the Nursery, Northpoint Costas, and Silver Heart in the Distaff Starter Handicap.

Upsets were in play most of the day, with prohibitive favorite Twelve Park Shelly being the first to lose to upset-minded, 10-to-1 underdog Doing Great, also ridden by Pimentel.

Twelve Park Shelly, the 1-5 favorite, broke in the lead but was pushed every step of the way by Doing Great, who put his nose ahead down the front stretch and sprinted to a half-length victory in 1:12.06.

"Julian's instructions were if no one entertains the filly (Twelve Pack Shelly) that was his job," said trainer Mike Trombetta, who notched his third Maryland Million day victory with the Great Notion filly owned by R. Larry Johnson. "We knew if (Twelve Pack Shelly) had an easy lead there was no chance for us."

Doing Great paid $23.60 to win.

This was Twelve Park Shelly's first loss in four races, and her first at Laurel since she debuted April 8 and shattered the track record at 4 1/2 furlongs.

"She ran good today," said her trainer/owner John Salzman Jr. "She just got second. I have no excuse."

Steady Warrior wins Nursery

Steady Warrior, a 2-year-old chestnut son of Cherokee's Boy, looked a lot like his daddy in the afternoon sun. His coat glowed red in the winner's circle after completing the 6-furlong race his sire won in 2002.

Steady Warrior won in a romp for trainer Gary Capuano.