Rosales rides first career winner at Laurel Park
Morgan’s Ford Farm, Linda Walls and Kingdom Bloodstock’s Pink Pearl forged a short lead after a half-mile and drew off to a 4 ¼-length upset of Sunday’s opener at Laurel Park to give jockey Victor Rosales his first career riding victory. Rosales, 29, dedicated his milestone triumph to Emerson Schoenthal, the 4-year- old son of winning trainer Phil Schoenthal who is home and doing well following heart transplant surgery Jan. 18. Pink Pearl ($15.60), a Virginia-bred daughter of 2012 Kentucky Derby (G1) and 2013 Dubai World Cup (G1) winner Animal Kingdom, ran 7 furlongs over a fast main track in 1:25.77 in the $22,000 maiden claiming event for 3-year-old fillies. MORE HORSE RACING: Stakes winners Isotope, Indy’s Lady and Timeless Curls are among a field of eight set to line up in the $100,000 Maryland Racing Media Stakes on a special Presidents Day holiday program today. First race post time is 12:30 p.m. Longtime Maryland trainer J. William Boniface, jockey Weston Hamilton, breeders Angie and Sabrina Moore, and Grade 1 winner Glorious Empire will be honored after having been chosen as award winners by the Maryland Racing Media Association. Also, there will be a jackpot carryover of $7,212.19 in the 20-cent Rainbow 6, spanning Races 4-9. ... Saturday’s Winter Carnival at Laurel Park, featuring the $250,000 Barbara Fritchie (G3) and $250,000 General George (G3), generated a total handle of $4.338 million, up 62 percent from last year with one less race. Last year’s total handle on the day of the Winter Carnival was $2.668 million. In-state handle Saturday was up 57.7 percent.
COLLEGE BASEBALL: Sophomore outfielder Randy Bednar reached base three times and had two RBIs to help lift Maryland (1-2) to its first win of the season, 5-3 against VCU (1-2), in the final game of the Brittain Resorts Invitational at Springs Brooks Stadium in Conway, S.C. Bednar was one of three Terps with two hits, joining juniors Caleb Walls and Sebastian Holte- Mancera. Maryland used seven pitchers, who combined to allow just two earned runs.
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