Air Recruit, Brocknardini Win Juvenile Stakes at Laurel

Air Recruit absolutely aired in the Sept. 30 $150,000 Laurel Futurity, putting away 11 rivals to win by 5 1/2 lengths at Laurel Park. The Air Force Blue colt and jockey Charlie Marquez took over inside the quarter-pole and were still putting distance between themselves and the rest of the field as they hit the wire in 1:46.95 for 1 1/16 miles over turf rated good. Trained by Arnaud Delacour for Mark Grier, Air Recruit paid $7.20. It was his first stakes win after a third in the Rosie's Stakes at Colonial Downs earlier in the month. Massif was second by a nose over Blue Creek. Earlier on the card in the $150,000 Selima Stakes for 2-year-old fillies on the turf, Brocknardini finally got to show her best, spurting clear in the final sixteenth to win by 2 1/4 lengths. The Palace Malice filly was last across the wire in her previous effort, the Natalma Stakes (G1T) at Woodbine, after taking the worst of serious bumping. Brocknardini raced in midpack early under Joe Rocco Jr., angled out as the field straightened for home, hit the lead at the eighth pole, and broke away from the others to make for a convincing score in 1:47.45 for 1 1/16 miles over a course rated good. Flowers for Me was second, a neck ahead of Yatta in third in a field of 10. Trained by George Weaver for Thomas Brockley & Daryn Bedinotti, Brocknardini paid $9.40.