$16K Claim Armando R Aims for 3rd Stakes Win in Manfuso

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$16K Claim Armando R Aims for 3rd Stakes Win in Manfuso
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Photo: Jerry Dzierwinski/Maryland Jockey Club
Armando R and jockey Horacio Karamanos after his victory in the Richard W. Small Stakes at Laurel Park

Ronald Cuneo's Armando R  can put an exclamation point on what has been an outstanding fall meet for trainer Damon Dilodovico with a third consecutive stakes victory in the $100,000 Robert T. Manfuso Stakes Dec. 30 at Laurel Park.

The second running of the Manfuso for 3-year-olds and up at a distance of about 1 1/16 miles and the 20th edition of the 1 1/8-mile Carousel for fillies and mares 3 and up are among six $100,000 stakes on an 11-race program that was originally carded Dec. 26 but moved to Friday due to harsh winter weather in the region.

Dilodovico claimed now 6-year-old Armando R for $16,000 out of a win last fall at Laurel, and the gelded son of Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) winner Blame has won four of nine starts in 2022 including three of his last four, banking more than $213,000. The gelding is 5-for-10 lifetime at Laurel, having won three straight over his home track. Most recently, he won the 1 1/8-mile Richard W. Small Stakes Nov. 26, rolling past grade 3 winner Cordmaker  and Maryland Million Classic Stakes winner Ournationonparade  to win by a half-length.

Armando R drew post 5 in an overflow field of 12 with regular rider Horacio Karamanos aboard.

"I definitely think the longer the better for him," Dilodovico said. "Even though it's only a sixteenth of a mile [shorter than] his last race, we're not nervous or concerned but we realize it might not be his best distance. If the race holds together it looks like there could be an abundance of pace, so that could help out."

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Both Ournationonparade and Cordmaker are entered back in the Manfuso, and another contender is stakes winner Ridin with Biden .

Solid Field Awaits Dual Stakes Winner Hybrid Eclipse in Carousel

The Elkstone Group's grade 2-placed Hybrid Eclipse , already a two-time stakes winner at Laurel Park, will face a solid group of 10 rivals as she looks to make it two in a row in the Carousel Stakes.

Hybrid Eclipse, trained by fall meet leader Brittany Russell, exits a three-length victory in the 1 1/16-mile Thirty Eight Go Go Stakes Nov. 12 at Laurel. The next three horses that finished behind her—Berate , Champagne Toast , and Malibu Beauty —all return.

Hybrid Eclipse is 4-for-5 lifetime at Laurel with one second and has won three straight races over its main track, including the one-mile Caesar's Wish Stakes July 2. Following that race, Grant purchased her for $107,000 at Fasig-Tipton's July Horses of Racing Age sale, and she ran fourth in the Timonium Distaff and third behind Nest  in the Oct. 9 Beldame Stakes (G2) before her most recent start.

Trainer Gary Capuano has entered ZWP Stables' Malibu Beauty and Paul Fowler Jr.'s Intrepid Dream , both of whom merit attention.

Out of Sorts , Ninetypercentbrynn , and Cover Version  are other top threats.


Entries: Robert T. Manfuso S.

Laurel Park, Friday, December 30, 2022, Race 10

  • STK
  • About 1 1/16m
  • Dirt
  • $100,000
  • 3 yo's & up
  • 3:54 PM (local)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L
1 Ournationonparade (MD) Jaime Rodriguez 124 Jamie Ness 5/2
2 Workin On a Dream (KY)Keeneland Sales Graduate Yomar Orlando Ortiz 120 Robin L. Graham 15/1
3 Ridin With Biden (KY)Keeneland Sales Graduate Paco Lopez 126 Robert E. Reid, Jr. 3/1
4 Southern District (KY)Keeneland Sales Graduate UNKNOWN 124 Norman L. Cash 20/1
5 Armando R (KY)Keeneland Sales Graduate Horacio Karamanos 126 Damon R. Dilodovico 6/1
6 Cordmaker (MD) Richard Monterrey 126 Rodney Jenkins 6/1
7 American d'Oro (KY)Keeneland Sales Graduate Lauralea Glaser 120 Richard P. Sillaman 12/1
8 Plot the Dots (MD) Luis Angel Batista 122 Norman L. Cash 8/1
9 Eloquist (KY) UNKNOWN 125 Robert E. Reid, Jr. 10/1
10 Nimitz Class (PA) Angel R. Rodriguez 119 Bruce M. Kravets 12/1
11 Ain't Da Beer Cold (MD) Angel Cruz 122 Kenneth M. Cox 20/1
12 Monday Morning Qb (MD) Luis Angel Batista 122 Norman L. Cash 20/1


Entries: Carousel S.

Laurel Park, Friday, December 30, 2022, Race 9

  • STK
  • 1 1/8m
  • Dirt
  • $100,000
  • 3 yo's & up Fillies and Mares
  • 3:24 PM (local)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L
1 Classic Colors (NY) Luis Angel Batista 122 Gregory Viands 30/1
2 Malibu Beauty (MD) Jaime Rodriguez 124 Gary Capuano 5/1
3 Out of Sorts (KY) Paco Lopez 124 Robert Mosco 6/1
4 Champagne Toast (MD) J. D. Acosta 120 Miguel Vera 20/1
5 Ninetypercentbrynn (PA) Dylan Davis 120 Robert E. Reid, Jr. 15/1
6 Cover Version (KY)Keeneland Sales Graduate Manuel Franco 120 Cherie DeVaux 12/1
7 Runaway Monet (MD)Keeneland Sales Graduate Tais Lyapustina 120 Rodney Jenkins 50/1
8 Hybrid Eclipse (KY) Sheldon Russell 126 Brittany T. Russell 3/1
9 Go Big Blue Nation (KY)Keeneland Sales Graduate Johan Rosado 120 H. Graham Motion 8/1
10 Berate (KY) Jevian Toledo 124 Claude R. McGaughey III 6/1
11 Intrepid Dream (MD) Carlos Eduardo Lopez 122 Gary Capuano 7/2