Trevor McCarthy Wins Five Saturday At Laurel Park

Rockingham Ranch’s 6-year-old gelding Threefiveindia, graded-stakes placed at 3 and 4, became a stakes winner for the first time while remaining unbeaten for his new connections with a three-quarter-length triumph in Saturday’s $100,000 Dave’s Friend at Laurel Park.

The Dave’s Friend for 3-year-olds and up was the first of five $100,000 stakes on a nine-race Christmastide Day program that included the Willa On the Move for fillies and mares 3 and older in wrapping up Maryland’s 2019 stakes schedule.

Ridden by Trevor McCarthy for California-based trainer Peter Miller, Threefiveindia ($3) ran six furlongs in 1:09.60 over a fast main track as the 1-2 favorite in a field of seven also featuring Isotherm, a two-time graded-stakes winner on turf, and Laurel stakes winner Home Run Maker, racing for the first time since June 1.

“He did everything right. He had no excuses today,” McCarthy said. “Everything went really smooth, so it’s nice when it happens like that.”

McCarthy swept both older sprint stakes, capturing the Willa On the Move with Graham Motion-trained Majestic Reason as part of a five-win afternoon. McCarthy, who opened a 52-45 edge over Sheldon Russell for the the fall meet riding title, also took the $100,000 Native Dancer on Someday Jones.

“It’s always great to have a good day on a stake day,” McCarthy said. “I’m so privileged to ride so many nice horses today and huge credit to all the horses and everybody that got the horses ready. I was lucky enough to guide them around there.”

Long shot Fiber and Emily was hustled to the lead from Post 2 and was in front through a quarter-mile in 22.59 seconds, stalked to his outside by Threefiveindia, a front-running winner of his previous start Nov. 14 at Del Mar. Fiber and Emily began to weaken on the turn and was overtaken by Threefiveindia following a half in 45.54.

McCarthy and Threefiveindia opened up by three lengths at the top of the stretch and remained in command from there, having plenty left to dismiss a closing bid from Arch Cat. Smooth B was third, followed by Clubman, Fiber and Emily, Isotherm and Home Run Maker.

Miller claimed Threefiveindia for $40,000 out of a third-place finish Sept. 19 at Los Alamitos, gave him some time and brought him back in a seven-furlong optional claimer Nov. 1 at Santa Anita, where he sat off the early lead and came flying up the rail to win by seven lengths. Threefiveindia led at every call last time out, crossing the wire 3 ½ lengths in front.

“Peter actually told me he thought he was a better horse off the pace running at a target and being off the lead, so my plan was to get a good break,” McCarthy said. “I thought Smooth B would really hustle a little bit more out of there, but I outbroke him pretty well and Peter said if I got an easy lead, great. He won’t mind it. But, he really thought he’s a better horse running at a target.

“So, I just let that long shot go and let him have something to run at. [Fiber and Emily] was good up until about the five-sixteenths pole and that’s when I inherited the lead,” he added. “He really ran a good race today. I’m very happy to be aboard him and it’s a huge privilege to ride for Peter. They did a great job with him and I’m very lucky.”