BALTIMORE (AP) — Utley rallied to win the $400,000 Dixie Stakes, the richest of the Preakness undercard stakes Saturday at Pimlico.
Utley roared down the middle of the turf course to beat Hey Leroy by a length for the Hall of Fame team of trainer Jonathan Sheppard and jockey Edgar Prado.
The 6-year-old got his sixth victory in 24 starts, paying $17 to win.
Hey Leroy, trained by 85-year-old Manny Azpurua, edged Chamois for the place spot.
Also, Class Leader surged in deep stretch to nip Life in Shambles by a head in the $100,000 Sir Barton for 3-year-olds.
The colt trained by Neil Drysdale rebounded from a disappointing fourth in the Illinois Derby to earn his third win in five starts.
“We all agreed he was a little too close in the Illinois Derby but the horse that won (Dramatic Impact) is a very nice horse running in the Preakness,” Drysdale said. “We weren’t quite ready for that.”
Class Leader paid $5.60 to win with James Graham in the saddle on his 35th birthday. The time was 1:43.79 for the 1 1/16 miles.
Happy My Way continued his emergence as a top-class sprinter with a dominant 5¾-length victory over Lemon Drop Dream in the $150,000 Maryland Sprint Handicap. The 4-year-old gelding earned his fourth win in the last five starts for trainer Joe Orseno.
Joe Bravo was aboard as the 3-5 favorite ran the six furlongs in 1:09.21. He paid $3.20 to win.
Somali Lemonade extended her winning streak to two in the $150,000 Gallorette for fillies and mares on the turf.
Luis Saez guided the 5-year-old to a half-length victory over Watdachances in 1:44.16 for 1 1/16 miles. Trained by Michael Matz, Somali Lemonade paid $4.80 to win as the 7-5 favorite.
Ageless, the 2-1 favorite, rallied up the rail to beat Perfect Measure by three quarters of a length in the $100,000 Very One Stakes for fillies and mares on the grass. The 5-year-old trained by Arnaud Delacour and ridden by Luis Garcia paid $6.60 to win. The time was 58.91 for the five furlongs.
Meadowood beat Brewing by three lengths in the $100,000 Chick Lang Stakes for 3-year-olds. He improved to 3 for 3 for trainer Derek Ryan with Javier Castellano aboard for the six furlongs in 1:10.11. Meadowood paid $12.20 to win.
Castellano struck again as Wallyanna pulled away to a 4¾-length triumph in the $100,000 James W. Murphy Stakes for 3-year-olds on the turf.
The colt trained by Michael Pino paid $7.80 to win. The time was 1:39.09 for the mile.
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