Hadry

LAUREL -- Mario Pino is quite reserved, as even-tempered a jockey as you'll find.So when Pino gave a fiery wave of his whip after winning the $54,500 Governor's Cup at Laurel Race Course yesterday, something was up."It gave me a thrill," the veteran rider said. "It gave me a little zing."With an abundance of speed in the 1 1/16-mile race for 3-year-olds, Pino figured the best strategy would be to settle Subtle Step -- at 13-1, the longest shot in a field of six -- then make one run. When the scheme paid off, Pino said, beaming: "I used my head this time.

The number of horses entered for the Maryland Million is down from last year, but there is still plenty of quality evident among the fields for the 12-race series a week from tomorrow at Laurel Race Course.When preliminary entries were taken yesterday, 142 horses had been entered, nearly 30 fewer than a year ago. But two Grade I winners -- Taking Risks in the Maryland Million Classic and Prenup in the Maryland Million Sprint -- are in the lineups. In addition, Grade I-placed Mz. Zill Bear heads the field for the Maryland Million Ladies turf stakes, which she won last year.

Jockey Jeremy Rose rode five winners on yesterday's Laurel Park card, giving him an 80-75 lead over Ramon Dominguez with three days remaining in the winter meet. Dominguez was the leading jockey at all four meets last year in Maryland on his way to the national riding title. "It's all about being on good horses and putting them in the right spot," said Rose, who has 35 victories this month. Yesterday, Rose scored twice for trainers Jerry Robb and Charles Hadry and once for Dale Capuano.

Kent Desormeaux is returning to ride in the Maryland Million.The California-based jockey, who won three Maryland Million races last year, is set to ride at least four of trainer Charlie Hadry's horses on the 12-race Oct. 9 card at Laurel Race Course, Hadry said yesterday."

Today: The $50,000 Francis Scott Key Stakes showcases 4-year-old filly Secret Prospect, winner of half of her 16 races, including six of eight stakes here. Bubbleover tries to steal the six-furlong sprint on the speed-favoring rail.Tomorrow: Ten evenly matched older horses tangle in the $30,000 Miracle Woods Stakes, a 5 1/2 -furlong dash for horses who have never won a stakes. Bay Capp finished first in the Jennings Handicap in April, but was disqualified to second. Twice As Special is the early favorite based on his jockey-trainer (Prado-Hadry)

If one were given, Larry Soroka would be accepting an award for top rookie trainer when the Pimlico Race Course meeting ends Tuesday.Soroka's numbers have been the surprise of the 76-day-old meeting; he has won 19 races, including yesterday's Pimlico opener with Move Swiftly. One year ago, he was training one horse -- a non-descript claimer named Yampacala.The 32-year-old Long Island, N.Y., native worked for Woody Stephens for five years before resigning and moving to Maryland last summer.

Up until the question was asked, prompting Dogwood Stable manager Cot Campbell to roll his eyes, the L word had been largely forgotten this spring.And when, in front of a sizable audience at the Pimlico Special breakfast on Thursday, Campbell politely referred to Summer Squall's Lasix dependence,it revealed how different this year's Triple Crown campaign is on the Lasix issue.Which goes to show that timing is everything. Last year at thi time, and exhaustive Lasix study had been dropped into the collective lap of the racing press, leading to equally exhaustive media reviews of the drug and its effects on internal bleeding.

LAUREL -- While trainer Dale Capuano took it easy yesterday with a day of fishing, one of his stable stars was hard at work.In The Curl dominated the $54,350 Stefanita Handicap at Laurel Race Course by leading every step of the way. Capuano wasn't there to saddle her or savor the victory, however, because he is serving a 30-day suspension for medication violations.His father, Phil, is listed on the Laurel program as trainer of the 40-plus Capuano runners. Phil accepted congratulations while taking no credit after In The Curl defeated Hushi by a length.

All day long, front-runners were winning races wire to wire at Laurel Park, so when the $50,000 Straight Deal Stakes arrived, it figured that bettors would heavily back the speed horses.There were plenty of swift options to select from with Calipha, Word O'Ransom and Philadelphia invader After The Glitter in the mix and a sloppy track making come-from-behind victories even more difficult.At 11-to-1 odds, Simoom was little more than an afterthought on the tote board.But both highly regarded pace-setters, Word O'Ransom and Calipha, faltered badly after four furlongs and Simoom swooped by under Edgar Prado for a 2 3/4 -length victory.

Despite favorable weather, Laurel Park has shown more than a 9 percent decline in overall handle for the 25-day Pimlico-at-Laurel meeting, which will end with a simulcast day tomorrow."