After placing in the race the two previous years, Robert Abbo Racing Stable's Immortal Eyes left the gate in a flash, opened up quickly on his rivals, and won in hand in the $350,000 Frank J. DeFrancis Memorial Dash contested over the sloppy main track Sept. 21 at Laurel Park (VIDEO)
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Travis Dunkelberger and 8-year-old Immortal Eyes were 6-3/4 lengths the better of Saturday's Charm at the finish, stopping the clock in 1:08.47 for the six-furlong distance. Service For Ten edged longshot Royal Currier to take third.
"It was easy, just like playing," Dunkelberger said. "I never looked around. I didn't hear any horses coming so I just let him gallop. I know he loves the mud because he set a track record at Charles Town in the mud and I was on him that day."
Damon Dilodovico trains Immortal Eyes at the Bowie Training Center. The son of Greatness was winning his fourth stakes this year including the Valentine's Day Handicap at Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races in February and the Mr. Prospector and Teddy Drone at Monmouth Park this summer.
In last year's DeFrancis Dash, Immortal Eyes finished third after a poor start. He finished second in this race in 2011, beaten just a half-length by Candyman E.
"This is his third year in the race and he's been second, third and now a winner," Dilodovico said. "I was so confident going into this race. Travis and I had made a decision. We would be in front and they would have to come and get us. He's kind of a temperamental horse, so it's good when he gets out in the clear and you don't have to fuss with him too much.
"This is definitely the best race I've ever won and the whole stable deserves a ton of credit for it."
The $210,000 earned in the victory pushed the son of Greatness over the million dollar mark to $1,090,051. Dilodovico also conditions Service for Ten, who earned $35,000 for his third place finish.
Immortal Eyes rolls home to win the Frank J. DeFrancis Memorial Dash.
Jim McCue, Maryland Jockey Club