11/13/06

FOR RELEASE: IMMEDIATE
CONTACT: TAMARA CRONIN
DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC RELATIONS
304-387-8335 (OFFICE) 304-479-8097 (CELL)

CHESTER, WV — TARTLET CRUISES TO MOUNTAINEER MILE WIN by Bill Mooney

Sometimes, a good horse simply makes it look easy. That was the case for a 4-year-old gelding named Tartlet, who took the lead turning for home and cruised to a four-length victory on Saturday evening in the 34th running of the $125,000 Mountaineer Mile Handicap at The Mountaineer Casino Racetrack and Resort.

Under jockey Mario Pino, Tartlet clocked a final time of 1:39.53. It was the fastest running of the Mountaineer Mile in four years, over a deep main oval that had been recently re-cushioned with 3 ½ inches of new sand, and had been rendered muddy by afternoon rains.

The second choice in the wagering at 3-1 in the field of eight, Tartlet returned $8, $4.60 and $3.80 across the board. Forest Park, who set fractions through the opening three-quarters of a mile of :23.58, :47.18 and 1:12.48, held safe by 6 ¼ lengths for second. Yucatan was third and Guardianofthenorth finished fourth.

Completing the order were the 6-5 favorite, Hi Time Scott, who had his winning streak snapped at four, Sinister G, Yacht Broker and Dragon King. Three horses who had drawn into the race were scratched from the Mountaineer Mile – Confucius Say, Go Now and Bound for Fame.

Tartlet was bred in Maryland by William M. Rickman, whose family owns Delaware Park. The geldingcampaigns for their stable, Rickman Racing LLC. He is trained by 61-year-old Ron Alfano, who has been conditioning thoroughbred racehorses for 35 years. The Mountaineer Mile was Alfano’s 30th career stakes victory.

Alfano's stakes wins have come primarily in Maryland, at Laurel Park, Pimlico Race Course and at the now-defunct Bowie race track. But he does have some graded stakes triumphs on his resume, too, including the 1981 running of the Grade 2 Fall Highweight Handicap at Belmont Park in New York with a horse named Piedmont Pete, and the 1982 running of the Grade 2 Long Look Handicap at Meadowlands in New Jersey with a horse named Lady Dean.

Never, though, had Alfano ever won a stakes at Mountaineer before. And Tartlet also presented Alfano with the trainer’s first stakes win in nearly seven years. “I thought this was a good spot for Tartlet,” Alfano said. “He’s been running against some good horses, including the ones he faced at Mountaineer tonight. Tartlet’s developing from a modestly successful competitor into a very good one.”

Pino, age 45, recorded his 5,814th career win as a jockey, and his 356th career win in a stakes race. He has been riding races since 1977, and more than a few people in the industry believe his statistics merit him Hall of Fame consideration.

“My horse really ran a beautiful race,” said Pino of Tartlet’s Mountaineer Mile effort. “He sat in fourth position early, moved up to third and then right to the front when I asked him. I’ve known Ron for many years, and when he said, ‘C’mon, you got to go to Mountaineer and ride this race, I didn’t doubt him for a minute.”

Prior to Saturday, Tartlet had never before won a stakes. But, two starts ago, he had finished a strong second in the $100,000 Owners Day Handicap, a 1 1/8-mile event at Delaware. And, in his most recent effort on October 7, Tartlet was second in a six-furlong $50,000 stakes at Delaware, missing victory by a fast-closing neck in the quick time of 1:10.88.

The condition of the Delaware track for the latter race was sloppy, and it should be noted that Tartlet has now made two career starts on a wet surface, recording a win and a second-place finish in those efforts. Forest Park has made three career starts on a wet surface, and has recorded two wins and a second-place finish when doing so.

All of which leads to the question – how much of a factor was Mountaineer’s muddy track on Saturday evening? “It really surprised me that the pacesetters didn’t go faster,” said Paula Bacon, the trainer of Guardianofthenorth. “That would have helped us out. But my horse ran a credible race. I was tickled to death with his performance.”

“Well, the track felt good to me,” Pino said. “Listen, I think the one-mile distance was the biggest thing – it suits Tartlet’s abilities just perfectly. You’ll see him running at this distance again, I’m sure. Maybe in this same race next year.”

Tartlet’s career record now includes 12 starts, six victories, four second-place finishes and one third-place finish. The $75,000 winner’s share of the Mountaineer Mile purse raised his career earnings to $234,726. Alfano said he wasn’t sure where Tartlet would run next. “We’ll shop around and find something that suits him,” Alfano said.

As for the quest for 6,000 career victories as a jockey, Pino said, “I’ve got 186 more to go before I get there. And I want to enjoy every single one of them, be they in big races or small races. It was great being at Mountaineer for this one. I’m lucky – things are good for me just about everywhere I go.”

Mountaineer Notes. Rex Stokes III registered four wins on Saturday night’s card. The 23-year-old rider from New Iberia, Louisiana, is in second position in the Mountaineer jockey standings this season with 252 wins, barely trailing Dana Whitney. . . Mountaineer has three stakes remaining on its 2006 schedule, the $75,000 Sophomore Sprint Championship for 3-year-olds on November 21, the $75,000 Christmas Stakes for 3-year-olds and upwards on December 26 and the $75,000 New Year’s Eve Stakes for fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and upwards, on December 30.