Ghost Bay Breaks Maiden in Maryland Juvenile
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Ghost Bay, owned and bred by Howard Bender, found room when it counted in going from last to first to break his maiden and capture the $100,000 Maryland Juvenile Futurity Dec. 27 at Laurel Park.
Ridden by Forest Boyce for trainer Lawrence Murray, 7-2 second choice Ghost Bay had finished third in both of his previous starts in maiden company. But with an extra eighth to work with in the seven-furlong stakes for Maryland-breds, Ghost Bay used his late run to put the rest away in midstretch and pulled away with authority.
A 2-year-old colt by Ghostzapper out of the Smart Strike mare Hope Bay, Ghost Bay had given indications he wanted more ground after his two six-furlong races.
"The longer the better," Murray said after the Futurity victory. "I always give them the first race. In his second race I thought he'd show much better speed, but he ran the same race."
The :23.02 opening quarter mile was set by Daystrike, who broke well from the rail in the 11-horse field. The leader was pushed to his outside by Silver Bop and My Vet's a Genius as the half went in :46.58; meanwhile Ghost Bay, who broke with the pack, dropped back from post 7 as horses to the inside and outside gunned toward the front from the start.
Silver Bop took a brief lead on the far turn as Daystrike dropped back but was quickly passed by Sunrise Sunset, who at 7-2 was the co-second choice with Ghost Bay. He held a narrow lead past six furlongs in 1:12.61 but by that time the field had fanned out nine- and 10-wide entering the stretch.
Ghost Bay caught the rest on the far turn, and found room along the rail and then between horses as several foes drifted wide in the lane. He won by 4 1/2 lengths in 1:24.73 on a fast track.
Gin Fuzz, at 11-1, rallied well from 10th at the half mile for second, a half length ahead of Sunrise Sunset in third. Final Prospect was fourth, and 6-5 favorite Stonebriar finished eighth after a troubled trip.
Boyce, who her moved her tack from Maryland to Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots in Louisiana for the winter, comes back to ride in the occasional stakes at Laurel. Several weeks ago she did so and won the Jennings Handicap aboard Eighttofasttocatch, who cleared the $1 million mark in earnings in that race and retired thereafter.
"I've been very fortunate (coming back to Maryland)," Boyce said. "I'm just happy Larry gave me another opportunity to ride him. (Ghost Bay) is a really cool horse; I've loved him since day one. I wouldn't have passed up riding him for the world."
After riding the colt in his first two outings, Boyce said he was squeezed a bit early and then had to maneuver to find room entering the stretch. "We were fortunate to get in between a couple horses," she said.
Ghost Bay paid $9.20, $5.60, and $3 across the board. Gin Fuzz returned $8.80 and $5.80, while Sunrise Sunset was worth $3.80 to show. The $1 exacta paid $45.50 and the $1 trifecta $249.70.