Nellie Cashman Game in Dahlia Win

Nellie Cashman Game in Dahlia Win

Talk Show Man Edges Paris Vegas at the Finish Line

BALTIMORE, MD., 04/18/15 --- Sycamore Racing’s Nellie Cashman, a graded-stakes winner and multiple graded-stakes placed, gamely held off Stuart Janney III’s Run of the River inside the final 70 yards to win Saturday’s $100,000 Dahlia by a nose while covering a firm mile course in 1:35.95.

Nellie Cashman, a 5-year-old mare by Mineshaft who won the 2013 Virginia Oaks (G3) and placed second in the 2014 Valley View (G3) and third in the 2014 Ballston Spa (G2), was rated off the pacesetter Istanford past fractions of :23.45 and :47.31 before taking the lead entering the stretch and then holding off a late rally by Run of the River.

Trained by Francis Abbott III and ridden by Forest Boyce, Nellie Cashman covered a firm mile course in 1:35.95. The mare shipped to Baltimore from Florida after finishing sixth, beaten five lengths by Sandiva, in the Suwannee River (G3) Feb. 7 at Gulfstream Park.

 “We were able to get good position throughout the race, although I had to take the lead a bit earlier than I had planned to, and I'm glad that I did. We just had enough.” Boyce said.

 “"When you get third at Saratoga in a Grade 2, you feel really good,” Abbott said. “But this winter in Florida she was in some awfully tough company. When Sandiva went to the Honey Ryder, I thought that we should go home and regroup. Hopefully our plan will be ascending the rest of the year. I kind of hope we go back to Saratoga because she really likes to run there."

Nellie Cashman has won four of 19 starts, four of 14 on the turf.

 

TALK SHOW MAN EDGES PARIS VEGAS AT THE FINISH LINE

Michael Harrison’s 5-year-old gelding Talk Show Man drove along the rail down the stretch and just got up at the finish line to win the $100,000 Henry S. Clark, the last of six races on Pimlico’s 10-race program Saturday afternoon.

Trained by Hamilton Smith and ridden by Xavier Perez, Talk Show Man was driven through a hole along the rail inside the final eighth of a mile and put his nose down at the finish line ahead of Paris Vegas.

Talk Show Man, a son of Great Notion, remained undefeated on the year after having won his 2015 debut by 5 ½ lengths March 15 at Laurel Park. The bay gelding has now won six of 19 starts – three of seven on the turf – for earnings of $300,000.

            While Jack’s in the Deck set the pace around the first turn and down the backstretch, Perez rated Talk Show Man in third before trying to make his move around the final turn and at the head of the stretch. With no room, Perez “waited for room to open” along the rail before driving Talk Show Man to the victory.

 “"He definitely made it pretty exciting,” Smith said. “Usually he puts his run in outside but today he kind of got forced down to the inside but our boy got him up anyway. I'm very excited about that. That six horse (Paris Vegas) really put in a big one at the end. We were very lucky to beat him. The pace wasn't extremely fast early but a lot of the races today didn't go all that fast early, either. The next spot for him will be Preakness week (Dixie)."

 

Talk Show Man covered a firm mile course in 1:36.09.