Cerro Lands Rail for Laurel's Native Dancer

PTK's Cerro will look to keep his perfect record at Laurel Park intact in the $100,000 Native Dancer Stakes, one of four stakes on the Jan. 3 program at the Maryland racetrack.

It's the first Saturday card of the 2015 winter/spring meet. Each of the four stakes, which will be run consecutively on a nine-card that begins at 12:30 p.m. EST, will carry a purse of $100,000.

Cerro, a 4-year-old Mr. Greeley gelding, was claimed for $25,000 by PTK and trainer Dane Kobiskie after a winning effort in an allowance/optional claiming event at the Native Dancer's about 1 1/16 miles Sept. 27 at Laurel. In two subsequent starts in allowance/optional claiming company—he wasn't entered for a tag—Cerro was an easy winner, both times at the one-turn mile distance.

Kobiskie then shipped the gelding to Florida for the lucrative Claiming Crown Jewel at Gulfstream Park. Under regular rider Cecily Evans, Cerro led most of the way in the 1 1/8-mile race but finished a close third, beaten by three-quarters of a length.

Evans has a return call at 118 pounds aboard the speedy Cerro, who drew the advantageous post 1 in the Native Dancer given the short run to the first turn.

Trainer David Jacobson, based in New York, entered two horses in the Native Dancer, and both also are undefeated at Laurel: Lawrence Roman's Stormin Monarcho and Drawing Away Stable's Wealth to Me.

Stormin Monarcho, a 4-year-old Monarchos   gelding, won the Richard W. Small Memorial Stakes Nov. 15 at Laurel in his only local outing. Jevian Toledo, aboard for two of Stormin Monarcho's victories, is named to ride from post 8 as the 124-pound highweight; Toledo also is named on West Virginia-bred stakes winner Fred High.

Wealth to Me, a 7-year-old Tapit   gelding claimed by Jacobson for $20,000 last summer, has finished no worse than third in five subsequent starts. His last race Dec. 6 produced a victory in allowance company at Laurel.

Sheldon Russell is named to ride Wealth to Me from post 4 at 118 pounds but also is named aboard Elnaawi for trainer Kiaran McLaughlin.

After her narrow defeat in the Dec. 6 Garland of Roses Stakes at Aqueduct Racetrack, Winning Image was expected to retire. However, Martin Scafidi's 7-year-old Southern Image   mare is among those entered in the six-furlong What a Summer Stakes, the fifth race on the Saturday card at Laurel.

Trained by Michael Aro and to be ridden by Anthony Black as the 124-pound highweight from post 7 in a field of eight, multiple stakes winner Winning Image is 2-for-2 at Laurel and has won 14 of 33 starts in her career.