Somethinaboutbetty Rolls to Victory in Maryland Juvenile Filly Championship

Edited Maryland Jockey Club report
Runnin Cardinal Stable and C.E. Glasscock's Somethinaboutbetty took the lead early under jockey Mike Luzzi and was kept to her task to the wire as she galloped to victory in the $75,000 Maryland Juvenile Filly Championship for registered state-bred 2-year-olds at Laurel Park Monday.

Trained by Todd Pletcher, Somethinaboutbetty covered the mile distance in 1:41.04 over a track labeled good. She paid $3.40 as the post time favorite. Don't Tell Susan got up in the last jump to take second. Keep On Talking finished third.

Luzzi said, "You can't hit her. She'll duck away from it. I had to hit her a little late because with the long stretch to the second wire she switched to her left lead. I hit her once to get her back on her right lead. She did duck out a little bit from the whip."

Assistant trainer Seth Benzel said, "It was another learning experience for her. Mike did a great job. He followed what we told him to a T. It was a good experience that hopefully we'll be able to use in the final part a little more. We'll go to the whip and she'll learn a little bit of the whole game. This filly has shown natural speed so we didn't want to take that away from her. It worked out in the end. She gives us the impression of a horse that will improve with distance, as she has since July. Each race you hope she learns a little bit and progresses to the next level."

The winner, a daughter of Forestry, was bred by Mr. and Mrs. Sondra Bender, under the supervision of Larry Murray, at Glade Valley Farm in Frederick County. The filly was sold for $300,000 at this year's Fasig-Tipton Florida February sale of 2-year-olds in training.

"She ran well but got tired late," said Mario Pino, who was aboard Keep On Talking. "The winner was tough. I moved a little sooner than I wanted because Mike got away with easy fractions. We got into the three-way duel (fourth place finisher Dress Grey was also involved) but we couldn't stay with them."

Trainer Dale Capuano scratched 7-5 morning line favorite Celestial Legend because of the track, which was labeled muddy in the morning but was upgraded to good during the afternoon. Capuano will point his star, who finished her two-year-old campaign a perfect four-for-four with two added-money scores, toward the $75,000 Marshua Stakes at Laurel Jan. 7.

(Chart, Equibase)