Local hope Pay Billy could be onto the May 17 Preakness Stakes (G1) after scoring a workmanlike victory in the $150,000 Federico Tesio Stakes April 19 at Laurel Park.
By capturing the Federico Tesio, Pay Billy earns automatic entrance into the second jewel of the Triple Crown at Pimlico Race Course.
The 2-1 favorite off an easy win in last month's Private Terms Stakes, the Improbable colt stalked moderate fractions of :24.13, :48.60, and 1:13.38 under jockey Raul Mena. Advancing past his rivals around the far turn, Pay Billy dug deep and dueled a stubborn Just a Fair Shake down the length of the stretch, edging clear by 1 1/2 lengths under the wire.
Handling the extra distance with aplomb, Pay Billy ($6.60) stopped the clock in 1:52.78 for the 1 1/8 miles on a fast main track.
Just a Fair Shake and Surfside Moon completed the trifecta.
Trained by Michael Gorham, the two-time stakes winner won for the third time since breaking his maiden at Laurel Park in December.
Bred by WinStar Farm in Kentucky, Pay Billy is out of the graded stakes-winning Harlington mare Harlington's Rose. Owner RKTN Racing purchased him from the Scanlon Training & Sales consignment to the 2024 Ocala Breeders' Sales Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training for $60,000.
Improbable stood at WinStar Farm in Kentucky before being euthanized in 2024 after suffering from ataxia.
