Precious Avary goes the distance in Maryland Million Ladies

Smith Farm & Stable’s Precious Avary, racing for just the third time on grass and first beyond a mile on any surface, got out to an easy lead and had enough left to hold off a late charge from Naval Empire to kick off the Maryland Million stakes action with a front-running three-quarter-length triumph in the $125,000 Ladies.

Ridden by Silvestre Gonzalez for Parx-based trainer Tim Shaw, Precious Avary ($8.60) completed 1 1/8 miles in 1:49.53 over a firm Exceller turf course. It was the second stakes win for the 3-year-old daughter of 2015 Preakness (G1) third-place finisher Divining Rod, following a gate-to-wire triumph in the one-mile Jersey Girl Handicap July 8 at Monmouth Park.

Gonzalez immediately put Precious Avary on the lead from her rail post and she was unpressured through a quarter-mile in 24.78 seconds tracked by Golden Heart and Naval Empire on the inside, while defending Ladies champion Coconut Cake ranged up into third on the outside after the half went in 50.58.

Precious Avary continued to lead into the stretch as Naval Empire inched closer along the rail but was unable to get past the determined winner, who encountered trouble finishing seventh in last year’s Maryland Million Lassie on the dirt. She has now won all three of her grass starts, dating back to a maiden triumph last fall at The Meadowlands.

“I knew if she ran similar on the lead at Monmouth she would be tough today,” Gonzalez said. “She broke sharp with her ears perked and was happy. I was thinking she’d sit second as there might be speed from the outside, but she went on. Around the turn I asked her for run and she went about her business.”

Naval Empire, fifth by three lengths eight days earlier in a restricted allowance at Laurel after being fractious in the gate, was a clear second, 3 ½ lengths ahead of Golden Heart. It was 1 ¾ lengths back to Amplio Esquema in fourth, followed by Proper Storm, Beautiful Gorgeous, 5-2 favorite Downtown Katie and Coconut Cake.

It was the first Maryland Million win for both Gonzalez and Shaw. Owner Tim Smith said the connections are hoping to find another turf race before the end of the year and will take a look at the one-mile Pebbles (G3) Nov. 11 at Aqueduct.

(Maryland Jockey Club press release. If there are any questions, please contact the organization that provided the release.)