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Diasabra 21 Mei 2022

Interstatedaydream wins Black-Eyed Susan Stakes at Pimlico

By STEVE GINSBURG she showed up and ran a big
Associated Press race.”
BALTIMORE (AP) — In- Interstatedaydream broke
terstatedaydream’s owner sharply from the ninth post
and trainer decided to skip and sat in second for most of
the Kentucky Oaks two the race before grabbing the
weeks ago. That paid divi- lead at the top of the stretch.
dends at the Black-Eyed “We got six weeks in between
Susan Stakes at Pimlico races here,” owner Stat-
Race Course on Friday. ton Flurry said. “Once she
crossed the finish line at the
With jockey Florent Geroux Ashland, Brad and I looked
aboard, the well-rested filly at each other and said, ‘Let’s
was able to hold off race fa- point to the Black-Eyed Su-
vorite Adare Manor down the san.’ That was our game plan,
stretch and win the $250,000 and here we are.”
Grade 2 race by 1 ¼ lengths. Cox acknowledged Inter-
In her previous start, Inter- statedaydream “just wasn’t
statedaydream tired late and ready” for the Oaks.
finished third in a Grade 1 “It would have been back a
stakes race last month at the little too quick, throwing too
Ashland Stakes at Keeneland much at her too quick” he
in Kentucky. Geroux, who said. “I thought this made the
won his first Black-Eyed Su- most sense.”
san in his fourth attempt, said
he didn’t ride her much dif- was primed and ready.” the Pimlico crowd expected very shocked to see she was Earlier on the card, First Cap-
ferently this time but noticed Interstatedaydream, who the Kentucky-bred bay to the price she was going into tain, with Luis Saez aboard,
she was calm throughout. went off at 6-1, paid $14.20, mount a challenge down the the gate. She wasn’t getting overtook even-money fa-
“She was very brave down $6.40 and $5.00. Adare Man- stretch. a lot of respect, and I really vorite Vindictive at the wire
the lane,” Geroux said. “Very or, ridden by John Velazquez, But Interstatedaydream was thought she fit well with this to win the $300,000 Grade
pleased with the filly how she returned $4.40 and $3.20, having none of it. group. 3 Pimlico Special by a head.
ran today. I think the connec- while show horse Radio Days Trainer Brad Cox said he was “It was a big effort and I That gave owner Bobby Flay
tions did right skipping the returned $7.60. “just very proud” of the On- thought Florent did a good a second victory of Black-
Oaks and other big races on Despite Adare Manor start- tario-bred filly. job of getting a good early Eyed Susan day after Pizza
(Kentucky) Derby weekend ing from the difficult 10 post “She stepped up and ran a position. Her last two works Bianca won the $100,000
and train for this one. She in the 13-filly affair, many in huge race,” he said. “I was have been phenomenal and Hilltop.

Record 6 Latin Americans start off well at PGA Championship

By DAVE SKRETTA like, ‘Oh, there’s Mito.’ He I turned pro first, I got to the become a force in the game’s the world, so we come here
AP Sports Writer was impressive.” Latin American, Korn Ferry biggest events. and we just support each
TULSA, Okla. (AP) — Pereira stepped away from (tours) first, so it was like we As soon as this weekend, in other. Try to sometimes share
Joaquin Niemann spent the game for a while before were all trying to feed each fact. housing. So we have a really
his youth growing up in coming back to it, and now other. And then when he Abraham Ancer of Mexico, good relationship.”
Chile trying to follow he’s playing better than ever. got up here and just played who has made the cut in Ancer has won a World Golf
in the footsteps of Mito He made four birdies during amazing golf, you just see all four majors and tied for Championship event, Vegas
Pereira, who didn’t exact- his round Thursday, includ- how close it is to get here.” eighth in last year’s PGA, also is a three-time winner on
ly make it easy the way he ing three in a span of five There is a rich history of Lat- got off to a strong start with tour, and Ortiz and Munoz
kept winning prestigious holes on the back side. in American players in pro- 67 on Thursday. That left also have wins to their credit.
amateur golf events in “It’s nice to see on the first fessional golf, but few have him in a tie for fourth behind Niemann might be the hot-
the U.S. and Scotland and page two Chilean flags,” Nie- contended in major champi- McIlroy, Will Zalatoris and test of them all, winning the
points in between. mann said, “and a Mexican onships. And only two, both Tom Hoge. Genesis Invitational at Riv-
flag, too.” from Argentina, have won: “I felt like I played really, re- iera in February and making
Niemann sure did a nice Niemann may not believe it, Roberto De Vicenzo by two ally well for maybe like, a the cut at the Masters to go
job following Pereira’s path but Pereira admitted Thurs- shots over Jack Nicklaus in 5-under round,” Ancer said, along with his 2019 title at
in the opening round of the day that he always knew who the 1967 British Open at “but I’m never going to be The Greenbrier.
PGA Championship. was chasing him growing up. Hoylake, and Angel Cabrera, asking too much after that. “Definitely, golf in Latin
Two of a record six Latin “Yeah, I think it was mutual. who won the U.S. Open in I know this is a tough golf America is getting bigger,”
American players in the field, We both kept feeding each 2007 and the Masters two course and it can go the other he said. “I think everybody
Neimann and Pereira each other,” he said of Niemann. years later. way quickly.” in South America is on the
shot rounds of 2-under 70 at “Obviously he got here first. Yet the latest crop could soon It did for countryman Carlos same page. I think everybody,
Southern Hills, leaving them Ortiz, who opened with 79. all the young players seeing
just three shots back of leader But otherwise, all the Latin us up here playing on TV ev-
Rory McIlroy heading into Americans fared well. ery week, I think it motivates
Friday’s second round. Sebastian Munoz of Colom- a lot of the kids.
“I remember when I was bia opened with 74, same as “We didn’t have that in Chile
probably 12, 13, and he was Tiger Woods, and Venezuela’s back in the day,” Niemann
probably a couple years older, Jhonattan Vegas shot 73, leav- said. “We never see a profes-
and he would win everything ing both ahead of PGA Tour sional from Chile playing in
in Chile,” Niemann recalled. player of the year Patrick Chile. We obviously have
“He would come to the States Cantlay and four-time major Camilo (Villegas), Jhonny
and play the Junior World, winner Brooks Koepka. from Latin America, but
and I think he won that, too. “We’re basically a team,” now I think having players
For me and all my friends Pereira said of the Latin from all over the continent in
that we, like, grew up playing American contingent. “We South America is really good
together, seeing Mito, it was come from another part of for golf in our region.”