Sent off at nearly 6-1, Marciano returned $13.40 and $11.40. Talk Is Money paid $15.80 to place and completed the $71.80 exacta. There was no show wagering due to the short field. (Chart, Equibase)
Win More Stable's Marciano rallied in the stretch at Pimlico Saturday to catch pacesetter Talk Is Money en route to a 1 1/4-length victory in the $145,500 Federico Tesio Stakes. Buring Roma came home another 1 3/4 lengths back in third. Polar Ray was last in the four-horse field.Talk Is Money led the field into the first turn and pulled clear of Burning Roma on the backstretch as that one made a slight bid to his outside. Burning Roma moved up on the leader approaching the second turn, but the leader again spurted clear. Tampa Bay Derby winner Burning Roma flattened out on the turn as Marciano charged up from last place and went by Talk Is Money in the stretch despite being bumped by that rival. Marciano pulled clear to the wire, completing the 1 1/8 miles in 1:49 on a fast track under jockey Mark Johnston.Marciano (Two Punch--Pardonable, by Magesterial) was bred in Virginia by Stoney Lane Farm. He earned $90,000 for the win, his fifth in 11 starts. After earning his maiden win in his fourth career start, he went on to win his last two races as a juvenile, including the Ambernash Stakes on Dec. 30. He then finished second to Talk Is Money in his 3-year-old debut -- the Miracle Wood Stakes -- before winning the Herat Stakes by 9 1/4 lengths. Shipped to Aqueduct, he disappointed in Richly Blended's Gotham Stakes (gr. III) before rebounding with a second-place finish to Bay Eagle in the 1 1/8 Private Terms Stakes. He is trained by Timothy Ritchey.
