Zagora will be trying to pad her already impressive resume when she takes on six rivals in the $150,000 Gallorette Handicap (gr. IIIT) May 19 at Pimlico Race Course in Maryland.
The 5-year-old daughter of Green Tune will carry the top weight of 121 pounds in the 1 1/16-mile test, conceding from five to eight pounds to her challengers.
The 8-5 morning line favorite, Zagora was a group III winner in her native France. Last year, at Saratoga Race Course, she captured the Diana Stakes (gr. IT).
Zagora has won twice in three outings in 2012. She rolled to a 2 1/4-length victory in the Feb. 4 Endeavour Stakes (gr. IIIT) at Tampa Bay Downs and then took the March 10 Hillsborough Stakes (gr. IIIT) by 1 3/4 lengths at the same track. In her most recent outing, she finished fifth in the April 14 Jenny Wiley Stakes (gr. IT) at Keeneland.
Out of the Mtoto mare Zaneton, Zagora has earned $868,589 in her career while winning seven of her 17 races. She is owned by Martin Schwartz and trained by Chad Brown. Javier Castellano, her regular rider, will be aboard in the Gallorette.
Irish-bred Laughing is the 7-2 second choice on the morning line for the Gallorette and will carry 115 pounds. The 4-year-old Dansili filly was a stakes winner last year in her native Ireland. She closed out her 2011 campaign last fall with a seventh-place finish in the E.P. Taylor Stakes (Can-IT) at Woodbine.
In her only outing this year, Laughing won a 1 1/8-mile allowance/optional claiming event on grass April 20 at Aqueduct with Castellano in the irons. She will be ridden in the Gallorette by Ramon Dominguez.
Owned by Richard Santulli, Laughing has captured three of her six career races and finished second once while earning $105,769. She is trained by Alan Goldberg.
$150,000 Gallorette Handicap (gr. III, Race 3, 11:30 a.m. EDT), Fillies and Mares, 3yo & Up, 1 1/16 miles
PP, Horse, Jockey, Weight, Trainer, Morning Line Odds
1. Camelia Rose , M. Gutierrez, 113, S. Callaghan, 9-2
2. Speak Easy Gal, J. Rosario, 115, M.D. Wolfson, 8-1
3. Zagora, J. Castellano, 121, C.C. Brown, 8-5
4. Idle Talk, H. Karamanos, 114, M.E. Eppler, 15-1
5. Smart Sting, J.R. Velasquez, 116, R.L. Attfield, 5-1
6. Baltimore Belle, J. Pimentel, 114, M.J. Trombetta, 12-1
7. Laughing, R.A. Dominguez, 115, A.E. Goldberg, 7-2
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