BALTIMORE, 05-22-08---New York shipper Come Fly Away has been established as the program choice to win Saturday’s $50,000 Shine Again Stake at Pimlico Race Course. The 1-1/16th mile test on the main track is restricted to Maryland-bred fillies and mares who have yet to win a stake. The seven starters have combined to earn more than $1.2 million during their careers.
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Luis Garcia will ride the morning line favorite in Saturday’s Shine Again Stakes
Photo Credit: Jim McCue/MJC
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Come Fly Away (2-1) carried Mario Pino to a third place finish in the Geisha Stakes on opening weekend of the spring meeting at Old Hilltop. She was beaten by two solid runners, Lexi Star, who finished second in the Allaire duPont (Grade II) on Preakness day and Spectacular Malibu, who took an allowance race at Belmont Park in her most recent start. The daughter of El Prado has won four races in fourteen tries. Luis Garcia will be aboard Come Fly Away for the first time.
“The horse is looking very well right now,” said trainer Michael Hushion from Belmont this morning. “She’s run at Pimlico and the rider will need very little instruction.”
The fourth, fifth and sixth place finishers from the Geisha are also entered in the Shine Again.
Take a Check (4-1) finished fourth in the Geisha for trainer Richard Small. It was her eleventh try at Pimlico, her home base, where she is 2-3-3. Nick Santagata has ridden the daughter of Touch Gold all year and will do the urging on Saturday.
Real Property (3-1) showed a turn of speed before finishing fifth in the Geisha. The daughter of 1998 Preakness winner Real Quiet will have her rider named on race day by trainer Graham Motion. The filly has seven wins and 13 on the board finishes from 21 starts.
All Smiles (8-1) was sixth in the Geisha, an effort labeled dull by Equibase. The runner-up in the Maryland Media Handicap in February, the daughter of Awesome Again campaigns for trainer Frannie Campitelli and is based at Pimlico.
Trainer Chris Grove, who conditions Lexi Star, will saddle a pair of runners: Hanalei Bay (6-1), who has scored some good seconds and thirds against stakes company including runner-up finishes at Charles Town and Timonium, and Two Columbus (8-1), who scratched out of a turf test Thursday afternoon for this spot.
Nanicoke (12-1), who will be a pace factor, rounds out the field. Jimmy Murphy trains the 5-year-old mare. Julian Pimentel has the call.
-MJC-