NEWS: RACING

Somelikeithotbrown delivers in Pimlico’s Dinner Party

Saturday, May 15th, 2021

Somelikeithotbrown hits the line with a win in the Dinner Party Stakes at Pimlico Saturday. Maryland Jockey Club photo

By Melissa Bauer-Herzog

Second in the re-scheduled Grade 2 Dinner Party last fall, evergreen New York-bred Somelikeithotbrown went one better on Saturday with a one length victory.

Starting at odds of 5-2 when the gates opened, Somelikeithotbrown’s backers were likely hoping a bit of Jose Ortiz’s magic would rub off on his mount. The jockey had put together a successful Saturday at Pimlico by any measure, winning two races on the Preakness Stakes card before the Dinner Party.

Somelikeithotbrown broke strongly in the 1 1/16-mile race, but Ortiz asked him to settle in second as Flying Scotsman opened 2 lengths on the field through a first quarter-mile in :23.78 and a half in :47.33 as he galloped along in front with Somelikeithotbrown patiently waiting for him to wear himself out.

That moment came in the last half-mile when Somelikeithotbrown found himself just a length behind the leader and then at his hip. As the 1:10.52 fraction flashed on the board, Somelikeithotbrown was head-and-head with the leader. The 5-year-old took over from there, and despite a herd of horses trying to run him down, Somelikeithotbrown found enough to even extend his lead a bit and cross the line in front.

“He showed me some speed early on, and I got him to relax on the first turn and that was the key,” Ortiz said. “He relaxed nicely and from the half-mile pole to the three-eighths pole I was just waiting and waiting and when I asked him to go he did.”

Trying to avoid Flying Scotsman proved to be the key to Somelikeithotbrown’s tactics on Saturday. When they met in the Grade 1 Maker’s Mark Mile last month, Flying Scotsman did the pressuring instead of Somelikeithotbrown with Somelikeithotbrown finishing seventh and his rival last in the race.

“Jose and I talked about it,” said trainer Mike Maker. “Last time (Flying Scotsman) broke a step slow, came to our outside and (Somelikeithotbrown) never settled in the Maker’s Mark and it cost him in the end. I told Jose, ‘If the horse goes, let’s see if we can’t get to the outside of him and see you in the winner’s circle.’ ”

Stopping the clock in 1:40.09, Somelikeithotbrown not only won the Dinner Party but also set a Pimlico course record. Talk Or Listen (Ire) finished second, a length behind the winner, with Midnight Tea Time a head back in third.

It was the third graded stakes victory and second at the Grade 2 level for the horse after last summer’s Grade 2 Bernard Baruch Handicap.

The Skychai Racing and Sand Dollar Stables runner won for the seventh time in 19 starts and pushed his earnings to $842,838. Only a little over a month ago, Somelikeithotbrown took his third New York-bred championship when named Champion Turf Male. The Sequel Stallions New York-foaled runner was also named 2- and 3-year-old Champion the previous two years.

As for his next start, Maker wasn’t showing his cards but indicated it’s likely Somelikeithotbrown will return to his home state this summer.

“We have a lot of options,” Maker said. “He’s run well at Saratoga multiple times. He’s a New York-bred, so we’ll look at a couple of those races as well.”

Sand Dollar Stables bred Somelikeithotbrown with Hot Pink Stables. By last year’s leading New York sire Big Brown, Somelikeithotbrown is joined by Jolting Joe as stakes winners for his dam Marilyn Monroan. Jolting Joe looks to continue Marilyn Monroan’s good week on Tuesday with an entry in an Indiana Grand allowance.

Marilyn Monroan’s 3-year-old Temple City colt Culture Icon also recently raced in Indiana, finishing third at the track Thursday. Foaling in Kentucky the last few years, the mare also has an unnamed Palace Malice 2-year-old and a Hard Spun yearling filly. She was bred to Mendelssohn for 2021.

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