Peach Tie Makes the Grade in $150,000 Miss Preakness (G3)

Laurel Park-Based 3YO Filly Improves to 3-0 at Six Furlongs

LAUREL, MD – Already a two-time stakes winner over the track, Peach Tie rallied from last to first to sweep past Tessellate in mid-stretch and draw off to a 1 ½-length victory in Saturday’s $150,000 Miss Preakness (G3) presented by Visit Baltimore at Laurel Park.

The 41st running of the six-furlong Miss Preakness for 3-year-old fillies was the first of six stakes, three graded, worth $1.05 million in purses on a spectacular 14-race Black-Eyed Susan (G2) Day program headlined by the 102nd edition of the 1 1/8-mile fixture for sophomore fillies.

It was the second win of the day for trainer Brittany Russell and first for her husband, jockey Sheldon Russell, who will team up with undefeated two-time stakes winner Taj Mahal in Saturday’s 151st Preakness Stakes (G1).

Peach Tie ($16.60) was unhurried in the early going, trailing her four rivals as Little Miss Curlin and Lights Out Leni raced together through a quarter of a mile in 22.04 seconds with Tessellate tracking in third. The half went in 46.13 when Tessellate ranged up three wide to challenge the leaders approaching the stretch.

Sheldon Russell gave Peach Tie her cue midway around the far turn, and she passed Getting Closer along the rail then tipped outside to launch her bid down the center of the track. Coming with a steady run through the lane, Peach Tie reeled in Tessellate and edged clear in 1:11.87 over a fast main track.

Tessellate was a clear second, 3 ¾ lengths ahead of Little Miss Curlin, followed by Lights Out Leni and Getting Closer. Late Night Text and Victory Music were scratched.

Bred by and running for the Estate of Brereton C. Jones, Peach Tie improved her record to six wins from eight starts including prior stakes victories in the Dec. 27 Gin Talking and Feb. 21 Wide Country, each sprinting six furlongs. She is now 4-for-5 lifetime at Laurel, where Brittany Russell is based, and a perfect 3-0 at six furlongs.

$150,000 Miss Preakness (G3) Quotes

Winning trainer Brittany Russell (Peach Tie): “She ran great. The race set up great for her. I think Sheldon gave her a beautiful trip, and I think she was great. Once he got the lead change, I thought she was pretty gritty to run her down.”

“I left it up to Sheldon. To be fair, she was out-footed early, so there was no question. The way it set up was, I think, how she was going to be comfortable running. I think it was probably that we had tried to stretch her out. Now we've shortened her up, right? You often see that on the cutback.

“We tried to stretch her out, and I think she's a tough filly, and she tries and handles everything we threw at her, but I think ultimately she's a sprinter.

“She's been honest. This filly’s done everything right from the beginning.”

Winning jockey Sheldon Russell (Peach Tie): “They probably went a little faster than what she’s used to running against. She’s really adaptable. She’s small but she’s mighty. On paper there were some horses who were obviously faster than her. I’ve had her in behind before, so luckily enough she was adaptable. She broke sharp and they sort of ran away from her. But she was always traveling, always comfortable. I had to call on her a little earlier because they sort of got away from us. She was honest as she could be. She took the bend nicely. A bit rusty on the lead change, I think, because she was just ‘over-running,’ she was trying so hard to catch them. But once she popped over, she put her head down and she ran all the way. She’s got a big heart and she loves to win…. She was moving and I could see the one in front was sort of slowing down, so it was just a matter if we could get there on time.”

Trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. (Tessellate, 2nd): We got a good trip, she ran well, second best, can’t complain. She was doing well coming in. I thought the cutback would help her. At the quarter pole, it looked like she was going to win. She was a little close to the pace, and the winner was cutting back, and she had a stronger kick than us. Can’t complain. It was a productive run and congrats to the winner.”

Jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. (Tessellate, 2nd): “She broke good and I was in a good position. I just bided my time as she was moving so smoothly. She started making her own move without her asking, so I felt like I had a lot of horse left as she was doing it so easy. Turning for home, I then asked her to go, and she responded well but got outrun at the end.”

Trainer Steve Asmussen (Little Miss Curlin, 3rd): "Third of five. Expected to win and we didn't."

Jockey Jose Ortiz (Little Miss Curlin, 3rd): “We broke good from the one hole. She worked hard for the lead and was under pressure from the 3 horse. I slowed it down the second half mile. She was traveling good, but that pressure got to her, and she tired down the stretch.”