Laki Wins Three-Way Photo in De Francis Dash

BALTIMORE, MD – Hillside Equestrian Meadows’ Laki won a three-way photo finish at the wire in Saturday’s $200,000 Frank J. De Francis Memorial Dash Stakes (G3) at Pimlico.

Laki broke from post 4 under Horacio Karamanos at 7/1 odds and sat off the pace in fifth for the early going. Krsto Skye set the early tempo while the 4/5 favorite Landeskog gave closest chase through opening fractions of :22.96 and :45.03.

Still leading as the field straightened for home, Krsto Skye begrudgingly gave way inside the 1/8 pole. A four-wide Laki drove past while running between Nitrous and an even wider Eastern Bay.

A close examination of the win photo found that Laki was a nose past Eastern Bay, with Nitrous another nose behind in third. Trained by Damon Dilodovico, Laki completed the 6-furlong fast dirt sprint in 1:09.70.

Krsto Skye finished fourth ahead of Admiral Lynch and Landeskog, who completed the order of finish.

Midtowncharlybrown and Stan the Man were scratched.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3NQedWjrYBc

Laki’s win was his first at the graded stakes level and improved his overall record to 28-10-6-5. The 7-year-old Maryland-bred Cuba gelding, already a multiple non-graded stakes winner, has now earned $683,662.

Laki returned $16.40 to win, $6 to place, and $4 to show. Eastern Bay brought back $5.20 to place and $4 to show, while Nitrous paid $4.60 to show.