Laurel Park

When Sasscer Hill was growing up, she rode stick horses and plow horses and read "The Black Stallion" novels, a series of books about the friendship between a young boy and a beautiful black Arabian stallion. In the process, she fell in love — with horses and books and, eventually, writing. On April 15, her novel "Racing from Death" is being released by Wildside Press. It is the second in a series about jockey/ assistant trainer Nikki Latrelle, a Laurel Park-based rider, who finds herself caught up in murder.

Michael Dubb's Greed and Fear took the overland route to victory in Saturday's feature at Laurel Park, the $100,000 Safely Kept Stakes for 3-year-old fillies. Sent to post at 4-1 under Horacio Karamanos for trainer Rudy Rodriguez, the Bob and John filly broke from the outside post in the field of nine, traveled four-wide down the backstretch, then swept up and around on the leaders around the turn and drew off in the stretch to an impressive, 11/4-length score in 1 minute, 25.13 seconds for the seven-furlong distance.

Late bloomer Koh I Noor continues his quest for the $500,000 Pimlico Special in his stakes debut Saturday in the nine-furlong Harrison E. Johnson Memorial at Laurel Park. Two-time defending champion Eighttofasttocatch, General George winner Javerre, John B. Campbell champion Concealed Identity and 2011 Preakness runner Norman Asbjornson are among the five challengers. Koh I Noor has won four straight at Laurel since October after a troubled trip in his debut in mid-September.

A 10-year deal signed Friday promises to stabilize Maryland's storied horse racing industry by encouraging capital improvements at Pimlico and Laurel Park and guaranteeing at least 100 live racing days each year, according to the state's track operators, horsemen and breeders. Under the agreement, Pimlico Race Course , home of the Preakness, the second jewel in the Triple Crown, and Laurel Park will remain open for year-round racing, training and stabling with at least 1,900 stalls through 2023.

Rocket Defense spoiled the return of Miss Charm City in the $34,000 Optional/Allowance feature at Laurel Park. Rocket Defense, a 4-year-old trained by Dove Houghton , completed the six-furlong distance in 1 minute, 10.51 seconds, winning by four lengths while carrying Luis Garcia . Miss Charm City, who finished third, went undefeated during her 2-year-old campaign in 2008 before missing all of 2009 after injuring her left front suspensory while...

Sagamore Farm's Charged Cotton left the starting gate as the 7-5 favorite and lived up to top billing with a rallying score in the $100,000 All Brandy Stakes for registered Maryland-bred fillies and mares at Laurel Park. The All Brandy was contested over the firm turf and included 10 starters. Horacio Karamanos was at the controls as Charged Cotton, a lightly raced daughter of Dehere, stalked the pace from fifth before swinging three wide into the stretch and overtaking front-runner Daydreamin Gracie, then held off a late surge by long shot Grant Park to win by a length and a quarter.

J.D. Acosta rode three winners in three mounts at Laurel Park on Saturday, the first day of the second half of the Maryland racing season. Live racing had been on hiatus in the state since May 22, the conclusion of the Pimlico Race Course spring stand. Acosta, a mainstay at Laurel, Pimlico, Timonium and Charles Town since 2002, scored with Brahma Queen ($9) for trainer Dale Capuano in the fourth and then had back-to-back victories for top client Chris Grove aboard Pleasant Beau ($19.

Et cetera Glib favored at Laurel in Dave's Friend Stakes After an impressive performance in the Maryland Million Nursery two starts back, Glib makes his second appearance at Laurel Park in the $75,000 Dave's Friend Stakes on Saturday. The six-furlong test drew seven 2-year-olds. Glib, the 8-5 morning-line favorite, was a 4-1/2-length winner of the Nursery for trainer Jerry Robb at odds of 5-1 off a maiden score at Charles Town in his debut. This month at Aqueduct, the son of Great Notion was bumped leaving the starting gate and was a well-beaten third as the betting choice in the Lord Henry Stakes.

Rapid Redux started 2012 the way he finished last year — winning. The victory in the sixth race at Laurel Park Wednesday was the 22nd straight for the horse, who held off Awesome Rhythm. Rapid Redux paid $2.80 as the 2-5 betting favorite. Earlier in the day it was announced that Rapid Redux had earned a Special Eclipse Award and his owner, Robert Cole, will receive it later this month in Beverly Hills, Calif. "Being a local it is fun winning in front of the home crowd," said Cole, a 1981 graduate of Loch Raven High School.

Funny Approval went to the front and never looked back, posting an upset victory in the $250,000 Barbara Fritchie Handicap at Laurel Park on Saturday. A maiden win and two allowance scores at Mountaineer Park over the off-going were the credentials Funny Approval brought to Laurel's seven-furlong Winter SprintFest fixture, leaving the daughter of Outrageouslyfunny a distinct outsider in the field of eight fillies and mares. Trainer Jose Lopez and jockey Juan Vargas were also virtual unknowns in the Mid-Atlantic region, but they won't be after Saturday.