Heros Reward Gets 4th Straight in Baltimore Turf Sprint

Favored Heros Reward notched his fourth successive win when he carried jockey Edgar Prado to a one-length victory in the $100,000 Baltimore City Turf Sprint in the first of eight stakes on the Preakness Stakes card at Pimlico Saturday.

Heros Reward angled out for the stretch run of the five-furlong turf sprint and Prado steered the 5-year-old Partner's Hero gelding down the middle of the course to overtake Bingobear in a time of :55.90, just .17 of second off the course record.  Bingobear, who set the pace, battled for jockey Garrett Gomez to head Mr Mutter and Jonathan Joyce for second.

Bingobear, under pressure from Max West, set fractions of :21 4/5 and :44 1/5 before leaving Max West behind and opening a clear advantage mid-stretch. Bingobear tired in the final sixteenth, however, and Heros Reward swept past to win going away. Mr Mutter saved ground early and made steady progress with his mild rally through the lane.

Heros Reward, a dark bay gelding conditioned by Laurel Park-based trainer Dale Capuano for his first stakes win, paid $7.60, $4.80 and 3.40. Bingobear returned $7.60 and $6. Mr Mutter was $4.60 to show.

The win was Heros Reward fifth in seven tries on the turf. Owned by Rob Ry Farm and Jane Marie Slysz, the Maryland-bred has a 6-3-1 record in 16 lifetime starts with earnings of $140,420.

Beer Stien, Salute the Count, Tacirring, Max West, Sandys Gold and Midwatch followed.

(Chart, Equibase)