Sent over the firm turf by jockey Malcolm Franklin for trainer Dale Capuano, Seeyouinthecity upped his lifetime record to three wins in six starts, including three wins in five tries on the turf. This was Franklin’s first stakes win in Maryland and his fourth stakes win overall.
Post time favorite Baltimore Bob was bottled up behind the other runners from the start and only managed to emerge from behind horses in mid-stretch, but his rally came up short and he finished second, 1-1/2 lengths behind the winner. Knight in Armour was third.
The winning time for the 1-1/8 mile distance was 1:48.06. Seeyouinthecity paid $7 and topped a $15.40 exacta and $46 triple. The son of Slew City Slew has five in the money finishes for earnings of nearly $70,000. The colt won a turf sprint at Colonial last month in his season debut.
“He trains like a horse that wants to run long and he breezed very well so we thought we’d be in good shape today,” Capuano said. “I knew he would be sharp coming off the 5½ (furlongs) at Colonial that’s why I put in a couple long works prior to this race. Baltimore Bob is a nice horse but I thought this horse would run well.”
The 19-year-old Franklin arrived in Maryland in the fall of 2006 prior to his senior year of high school. Last year he finished eighth at the major Maryland tracks with 73 wins while riding with the apprentice weight allowance. He struggled at Laurel Park and Pimlico earlier this year with just 18 total victories before finishing third at the recently completed Colonial Downs meeting.
“I struggled a bit when I lost the bug,” added Franklin. “Hamilton Smith started putting me back on live horses at Colonial and brought me back to life. I am riding with confidence.”
“He listens to what he’s told and tries to follow them the best he can,” said Capuano. “He is hungry and is riding hard.”