Cruise Along Impressive in Geisha Win

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Edited from track reports
Sondra Bender's Cruise Along pulled away from a solid field of Maryland-bred fillies and mares in dominating fashion to win the $100,000 Geisha Handicap at Laurel Park.

Sent off as the third choice behind multiple stakes winners Shiny Sheet (4-5) and Undercover (2-1), the Larry Murray trainee was unhurried early by jockey Abel Castellano as the favorites battled up front. Castellano advanced the 5-year-old daughter of Runaway Groom around the far turn and swept to command at the top of the stretch. She pulled away for a 4-1/2 length score, her first on the dirt, while covering the 1 1/16 miles in 1:42 4/5.

Shiny Sheet, conditioned by Charlie Hadry, was second and Undercover, from the Tony Dutrow barn, finished third. The winner paid $17.20 and topped a $72.80 exacta and a $169.80 triple.

"I thought we were up against it with Charlie Hadry's horse and Tony's horse and would have been tickled to be third," said Murray. "She had been training well and that is why we gave her a shot. That was a very impressive race against two nice horses."

"The horse just took off," added Castellano, Laurel's leading rider. "She just exploded at the eighth-pole. I was surprised how well she ran."

"That was impressive," added Jeremy Rose, who rode Shiny Sheet. "When I sat my horse down for the drive, she ran like she always does and we were passed like we were nothing."

The victory was the seventh added money win for Team Bender in Maryland this year. Cruise Along also won the Twixt Stakes on the grass at Pimlico.

Produced from the Island Whirl mare Nashly, Cruise Along was bred by Sondra and Howard Bender. The Giesha marked her seventh win in 23 career starts.

(Chart, Equibase)

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