Admirals War Chest Repeats MD Million Classic

Admirals War Chest became the fifth back-to-back winner of the $150,000 Maryland Million Classic Oct. 22 at Laurel Park with a dominating gate-to-wire triumph in the 1 1/8-mile stakes for Maryland-sired horses, on a Maryland Million Day that saw marked increases in handle and attendance.

Sinatra Thoroughbreds Racing's 5-year-old Elusive Charlie gelding Admirals War Chest won by 3 1/2 lengths under Taylor Hole to join Timely Warning (1990-91), Algar (1997-98), Docent (2002-03), and Eighttofasttocatch (2013-14) as a back-to-back winner of the Maryland Million Day feature. 

Unlike his 2015 front-running victory, in which he scored by a rapidly diminishing neck after leading by as many as five lengths, Admirals War Chest's triumph Saturday was never in doubt under a confident and well-judged ride.

The 5-2 second choice in a field of six broke alertly and opened a clear lead through a sensible :24.94 first quarter. He picked up the pace in the second quarter to run the first half-mile in :47.99, and continued on to dominate his rivals to the finish, running the 1 1/8 miles in 1:51.28.  

"We haven't raced for seven weeks, so I was a little concerned, especially with those two 3-year-olds (Just Jack and Flash McCaul) in there. There were some solid horses, but you saw what he did," said owner and breeder Stephen Sinatra. "The horse likes the lead and there were no challengers out there. I was a little concerned when I saw the :47-and-change half. I got a little concerned, but around the seven-eighths pole I relaxed a little because I saw him pull away. That's when I said, 'Oh, my, gosh, he can do it,' and he did." 

Hole was aboard the homebred son of Elusive Charlie for both Maryland Million Classic wins.

"He is a little older and a little wiser, and he really controlled everything without much from me," Hole said. "You do have to rate him a little bit, but he's a big horse, and could not have asked for a better effort from him. He gets in a good rhythm and high cruising speed. Even when it looks like they are getting to him, he has such a big stride that they have trouble getting to him.

Bullheaded Boy closed from fifth to finish second, 9 1/2 lengths clear of Just Jack, the 4-5 favorite. 

Just Jack attained an outside stalking position under Victor Carrasco but was unable to make a serious bid.

"My horse ran his race early and we were where we wanted to be," Carrasco said. "The '4' horse (Admirals War Chest) got away, and when we went after him my horse flattened out a little bit at the end." 

Trainer Corby Calazzo was at Belmont Park Saturday, where he saddled Sinatra Thoroughbred Racing's Mecke's Madalyn for a second-place finish in the Empire Distaff. 

Admiral's War Chest, out of the Polish Numbers mare Cut a Check, earned $86,940 for his fifth victory in 29 starts. 

On the undercard, Michael Cox's Rockin Jojo unleashed a furious outside stretch drive to pull off a 30-1 upset in Saturday's $100,000 Maryland Million Distaff. 

The 4-year-old daughter of Street Magician   scored by a half-length to record her second stakes victory while running seven furlongs in 1:25.06 under jockey Angel Cruz. 

The Guadalupe Preciado-trained filly was rated well off the early pace, as Loveable Lady, the 4-5 favorite ridden by Horacio Karamanos, closely attended the early pace set by My Magician. Lovable Lady took a narrow lead on the far turn under a motionless Karamanos but was quickly joined by a driving Scip's Sonata to his outside on the turn entering the stretch. After momentarily losing the lead, Lovable Lady moved to the lead again, only to falter late in the stretch run, as Rocking Jojo roared to victory on the far outside. 

"We had a bit of trouble early in the race and I had to wait to get out. I knew that I had a lot of horse because every time I asked her to move she responded well," Cruz said. "I just waited and waited, and when I got out she gave me the run that I thought she would. We didn't win by much, but just enough." 

Cee Bee Gee Bee rallied to finish second, a nose ahead of the tiring Lovable Lady in third.

Rockin Jojo, who finished third in the 2014 Maryland Million Lassie before winning the Blue Mountain Juvenile Fillies Stakes at Penn National, earned $55,000 for her fourth victory in 17 starts.

Also on the card, Chapel of Chimes won the Maryland Million Distaff Starter Handicap, Greatbullsoffire took the Maryland Million Nursery Stakes, Item won the Maryland Million Lassie Stakes, Devilish Love took the Maryland Million Ladies Stakes, Who Stole My Sock won the Maryland Million Starter Handicap, Phlash Phelps took the Maryland Million Turf Stakes, and Nicaradalic Rocks won the Maryland Million Sprint Handicap.

Total handle on Saturday's 31st Jim McKay Maryland Million card was up 18.5% compared with 2015, and 59.8% compared with 2014. Saturday's program had a total handle of $4.476 million compared to $3.778 million last year. Total handle in 2014 was $2.801 million.

Attendance was 21,722, an increase of 7.4% compared with last year. The crowd witnessed the continued renovation and refurbishing of Laurel. The Maryland Jockey Club has spent more than $20 million in improvements, including three new barns and upgraded technology.

"It was an incredible day full of exciting racing and memorable events," said Maryland Jockey Club president and general manager Sal Sinatra. "The horses and jockeys put on an incredible show and we want to thank the horsemen, breeders and owners for their support."