Joey
P Stables’ Baileys Beach pressed the action, drew even and then pulled
away to win the $25,000 Deputed Testamony Stakes, the first of nine
stakes events on Saturday’s Preakness Day card at Pimlico Race Course.
Ridden
by Javier Santiago for trainer Hugh McMahon, Baileys Beach completed
the 1 1/16-mile distance in 1:46.15, prevailing by 3 ¾ lengths over
Strangerinthenight, who rallied to take second away from a game but
tiring Albrecht.
The
favored Baileys Beach ($3.40) was claimed by McMahon for $7,500 in
November. The Out of Place offspring has won four races since being
haltered.
Deputed Testamony Starter Handicap Quotes
Hugh McMahon (winning trainer, Baileys Beach)
– “When they turned for home, I thought we had a chance. Our jockey
understood the slow pace and he took him off of it to conserve his
energy. We just sprinted him a few weeks ago to put some speed into him.
With the slow pace, he had plenty left. We have a lot of options with
this horse, so we will probably run in starters for a while now.”
Javier Santiago (winning jockey, Baileys Beach)
– “That was the way my horse likes to run. If you move too early, he’ll
flatten out. I stayed back early, then made my move. There wasn’t much
speed in the race. The second-favorite, Albrecht, in the race – that’s
the horse I tried to follow.”