BALTIMORE, 05-21-09---Pimlico Race Course closes out its’ 20-day spring meeting on Saturday with free admission, a free live program, a BBQ on the homestretch apron and ten live races including the $50,000 Shine Again Stakes.
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Trainer Graham Motion
Photo Credit: Jim McCue/MJC
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Seven Maryland-bred fillies and mares will do battle in the feature, a 1-1/16th mile test on the main track. Two-time winner Amie’s Legend, a Not For Love filly trained by Graham Motion at Fair Hill, is the 8-5 morning line favorite. She won her first start by eight lengths and comes into the Shine Again off an allowance score at Delaware Park two weeks ago. Luis Garcia will ride the four-year-old filly, who has yet to finish out of the money in four dirt tries, for the first time.
“She was a filly I thought would go through her conditions very quickly so I was surprised it took her so long to get to this level,” Motion said. “She won very nicely last out. I don’t know what it is about fillies this time of year but some of them really flourish and she is one of them. She is going really well right now. This is too good of an opportunity to pass up. It is an opportunity to get some black type.”
Five Diamonds (3-1) will represent trainer John Hartsell. She comes into the Shine Again off a front-running score against entry level allowance runners at Pimlico on April 26.
Trainer Mary Eppler has entered both Swallow Falls and Katrinarita, who are listed at 7-2 on the morning line. Swallow Falls appears to be the stronger half of the entry. She’s made one start at Pimlico, leading from gate to wire in an optional/claiming race last spring. Katrinarita, a two-time winner, has not visited the winners’ circle since New Year’s day.
Both Silent Diva (5-1) and Eye (6-1) tried stakes company for the first time in their most recent starts. Silent Diva, a Larry Murray trainee, dueled but faded in the Geisha Stakes while Eye, a King Leatherbury runner, was up in time to capture the Kattegat’s Pride Starter Handicap last Friday on the Black-Eyed Susan undercard.
The longshot in this small band is Four Karats (15-1), who led but tired to third against Eye in their previous start. Grant Whitacre will be at the controls aboard the daughter of Diamond for trainer Crystal Pickett.
-MJC-