Back East, Friel's for Real Trounces

After a failed trip across the country to try for a $500,000 jackpot on Magna Entertainment's Sunshine Millions program Jan. 29 at Santa Anita, Friel's for Real returned east to do what she does best -- beat up on fillies on the Maryland racing circuit.

The 5-year-old Philadelphia Park-based mare vanned in yesterday to Laurel Park, one of her favorite haunts, and simply clobbered six other fillies and mares to take the $50,000 Maryland Racing Media Handicap.

Owned and bred by Gilbert Campbell, who stood the sire Sword Dance at his Stonehedge Farm in Florida, Friel's for Real ranged up along with Summer Rainbow on leader Star of Anziyan heading into the far turn, split those two to gain command and glided to a 5 1/2-length victory under confident rider Abel Castellano Jr.

Friel's for Real ran the 1 1/8-mile race in a moderate 1 minute 52.81 seconds over a fast track, a time that belied the authority she displayed.

"She dragged me to the three-eighths pole, and I was trying to wait before we made the move," Castellano said after the race. "I had plenty of horse and then she did everything by herself. This was an easy spot, and I knew she'd win by a pole."

Friel's for Real, who finished second in the Maryland Racing Media Handicap last year, now has run seven times at Laurel with four wins, two seconds and a third. She has won 10 of 17 lifetime starts and pushed her earnings to $334,460.

The victory gave trainer Edward "Ned" Allard, 59, the 154th stakes victory of his career. Allard had cross-entered Friel's for Real in the $75,000 Rare Treat Handicap yesterday at Aqueduct, but decided to put his runner back on a course she loves after the loss in California.

"I was a little nervous about my decision today," Allard said. "It was a little less money, and I thought the competition was weaker [here]. We want to move her back up and a win does a lot for a horse."

Then Allard paused before adding, "and a trainer, and an owner."

Racing Notes: The Maryland Racing Media Association honored 2004 Maryland-based horse of the year, Better Talk Now, with a winner's circle presentation after the fifth race. Graham Motion, who conditioned the horse at the Fair Hill Training Center, accepted the trophy for his upset Breeders' Cup Turf winner. . . .

Before the final race of the day, a check for $120,000 was presented to the family of Noah Grove, the 5-year-old son of Bowie-based trainer Chris Grove, who lost his left leg last year while battling bone cancer. The money was raised at a Feb. 13 fund-raiser at the track as well as through private donations. . . .

Sun King, a $400,000 son of 1999 Kentucky Derby winner Charismatic, stamped himself as a serious contender for the spring classics with a devastating victory in an entry-level allowance race at Gulfstream Park. Trained by Nick Zito and ridden by Edgar Prado, the Triple Crown nominee ran a torrid mile in his seasonal debut in a time of 1:36.03. A companion mile for 3-year-olds on the same card went in 1:37.90.