No Cents, Street Lute Shine at Laurel

Isabelle de Tomaso and Hope Jones' homebred No Cents, making his local and stakes debut off back-to-back wins, corralled favored Dalton in midstretch and edged past for a comfortable 1 1/4-length victory in the $100,000 James F. Lewis III Stakes Nov. 14 at Laurel Park.

The ninth running of the Lewis was the second of two six-furlong juvenile sprint stakes Saturday. The 24th renewal of the $100,000 Smart Halo for fillies was won by Street Lute.

No Cents ($10.80) completed the distance in 1:09.16 on a fast main track to give jockey Trevor McCarthy his third consecutive Lewis win and fourth overall. Trainer Cal Lynch collected his second Lewis score.

"I definitely wanted to leave a little something in the tank and not overdo it with him. He's a 2-year-old, so hopefully we'll have a bright future with him," McCarthy said. "Cal seems to always have these colts ready, so big credit to him. It's just a huge privilege to me. They made me look good today."

Dalton, beaten a nose when second to subsequent Nashua Stakes (G3) winner Pickin' Time last out, established the lead early before Lugamo, riding a two-race winning streak, worked over from post 7 to be in front after a quarter in :22.05. McCarthy settled No Cents in fifth and was still looking at a wall of horses when the field rounded the far turn.

Lugamo maintained a slim margin after a half in :45.02 but was quickly overtaken by Dalton at the top of the stretch. At that point, McCarthy tipped No Cents to the middle of the track and set his sights on Dalton, steadily gaining ground before wresting the lead away inside the eighth pole.

It was 2 1/4 lengths back to Lugamo in third and another three to Texas Basin, followed by Heir Port, Kenny Had a Notion, Singlino, and Fearless Fly. Kenny Had a Notion had won his two previous races, both Laurel stakes, one each on the turf and dirt.

"We had a great trip. We had a good break and I was happy to get a good position and be able to follow (Dalton). That was kind of my target to run with, so it was nice," McCarthy said. "We were able to save ground and get a nice little breather, and when we came past the five-sixteenths pole, I was just being patient with him. I knew I had a ton of horse underneath me, and I was just kind of seeing where (Dalton) went.

"As soon as I tipped outside of him, I just gave him a nice target to run at. When I wanted him to finish up strong, he did, and when I wanted him to take a little bit of a break at the wire when I knew I kind of had it, he settled down. He's very push-button. He does everything you want him to do."

A bay son of Goldencents  out of the Petionville mare Faker, No Cents made his first three starts in New Jersey, where he was bred. He was second in his debut Aug. 29, won a maiden special weight against state-breds Sept. 27, and won an open allowance race Oct. 21 by a neck.

The $100,000 Maryland Juvenile Futurity for state-bred/sired horses Dec. 5 and $100,000 Heft Stakes Dec. 26 are the final two stakes for 2-year-olds at Laurel in 2020.

Street Lute Delivers in Smart Halo

Lucky 7 Stables' Street Lute, beaten at the wire in the Maryland Million Lassie in her previous start, slipped through a seam on the inside around the turn and quickly separated from the field to rebound with a 2 3/4-length victory in the Smart Halo.

It was the second Smart Halo win for trainer John Robb and the first for jockey Xavier Perez. The Maryland-bred daughter of Street Magician  ran the distance in 1:09.85.

The Oct. 24 Lassie at Laurel, where she came up a neck short of Miss Nondescript, was the first loss for Street Lute ($5) following a pair of wins, including a frontrunning five-length score in the Sept. 26 Small Wonder Stakes at Delaware Park.

"It's definitely a little bit of redemption. In the Maryland Million, she had to chase the speed and hold off closers, and she didn't see the horse coming or I think she might have won that race," Robb said. "She thinks she won it, so we tell her she did."

Street Lute rated in third in the early going as 31-1 longshot Donnybrook Girl broke running and zipped the opening quarter-mile in :21.69, pressed by recent maiden winner Be Sneaky. Perez stayed patient and took advantage of a narrow opening midway around the turn to establish the lead, drawing clear once straightened for home. Out of Sorts trailed the field in the early going, ranged up on the far outside, and closed steadily down the center of the track for second, with Be Sneaky another length back in third.

Prodigy Doll, Swirling Dancer, Docs Seven, Donnybrook Girl, and Supreme Blessing completed the order of finish.

"The instructions were to try and get a good break and see. I thought (Prodigy Doll) might go, and she didn't. You definitely don't know what they're going to do, so you have to leave it up to the jockeys," Robb said. "He let (Donnybrook Girl) go and laid right off of her, and somehow he got through. It worked out perfect."

Robb said the $100,000 Maryland Juvenile Filly Championship for state-bred/sired fillies Dec. 5 at Laurel will be the next likely target for Street Lute.

"We'll keep her in Maryland for now," he said.