Napravnik rides Due to victory in Maryland Million

10.17.2006

LAUREL, Md. (AP) — With the poise of a veteran rider, 18-year-old Anna Napravnik drove Due to the front on the far turn and pulled away to win the biggest race of her career, the $250,000 Maryland Million Classic at Laurel Park.
Due, a 5-year-old gelding bred by King Leatherbury and trained by Dale Capuano, won the 1 3/16-mile Classic in 1:58.38 and paid $21.80 to win on 10-1 odds.
The victory capped the second-biggest day of racing in the state after Preakness Day — a $1.48 million, 12-race card restricted to the offspring of Maryland stallions. The event drew a crowd of 24,836, the second largest in the 21-year history of the Maryland Million.
Diamond David, a 21-1 shot, came in second while Cherokee’s Boy, the overwhelming favorite, faded to fifth in the final race of his career.
Due, who won for the eighth time in a 33-race career, ran last in the seven-horse field at the start of the race, tracking a hot pace set by Diamond David and Cherokee’s Boy. Napravnik moved Due four wide on the turn and took control at the eighth pole.
“I was surprised at how quick it was,” Napravnik said of the pace. “I thought it would be a little bit slower, but I came into this race with a tremendous amount of confidence.”
Napravnik, who entered the day leading the Laurel Park meet with 29 victories, won two other races on the Maryland Million card. Jeremy Rose also won three races.
In the $150,000 Maryland Million Distaff, Silmaril outgunned New York-based Yolanda B. Too in a stretch duel to win the seven-furlong race for fillies and mares by 31/4 lengths. It was the 10th victory of Silmaril’s career — her first in nine starts — and it pushed her earnings to $551,910.
In the $125,000 Maryland Million Nursery for 2-year-old colts, Clifton Park went wire-to-wire to win easily under Napravnik. Trained at Fair Hill by Bruce Jackson, Clifton Park opened up by five lengths in the stretch and won by 21/4 lengths, running the seven furlongs in 1:25.07.
Deliver the Roses, the lone filly contesting the $100,000 Maryland Million Turf Sprint, came from the outside post position in a field of 11 to win by 13/4 lengths at odds of 20-1. A homebred owned by Paul G. Hartman out of a $1,000 stallion, Deliver the Roses ran the five furlongs on the grass in a swift 55.91, just a second off the course record.
Ironton, a 6-year-old gelding, upset 3-5 favorite Celtic Innis to run away with the $150,000 Maryland Million Sprint by 61/4 lengths.
Private Scandal, ridden by Horacio Karamanos and trained by Peter Bazeos, won the $150,000 Maryland Million Turf.