Obliteration made a successful return from his Saudi adventure with an authoritative victory in Saturday’s $150,000 Chick Lang presented by Kaiser Permanente at Laurel Park, surging past pace-setter Shane’s Wonder in the stretch before drawing away by 3½ lengths.
The six-furlong contest for three-year-olds formed part of a high-profile 14-race program built around the 151st running of the Preakness Stakes and attracted a competitive field of seven promising sprinters.
Laurel Park race results.
Owned by Leland Ackerley Racing, James Sherwood, Jode Shupe and John Cilia, Obliteration was making his first appearance since finishing runner-up in the Saudi Derby (G1) in February. Sent off the strong public choice, the colt justified expectations with a polished display under jockey Jose Ortiz.
Trained by Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen, Obliteration stopped the clock in 1:09.77, securing his fourth career victory and his third stakes success following last year’s Sanford Stakes (G3) at Saratoga Race Course.
Shane’s Wonder broke sharply from the gate and dictated the pace through an opening quarter-mile in 22.54 seconds. Obliteration tracked comfortably in second while Top Manipulator and Igniter remained within striking distance down the backstretch.
Approaching the turn, Shane’s Wonder continued to cling to the lead after a half-mile in 45.76 seconds as challengers lined up behind him. Obliteration briefly dropped back to fourth before Ortiz angled him wide entering the straight. Once set down for his run, the colt accelerated decisively, sweeping past the leaders inside the final furlong and quickly putting the race beyond doubt.
Shane’s Wonder held second by a nose from Igniter, with Fulmine, Top Manipulator, Magic Wallet and Hollywood Import completing the order. Buds Notion was withdrawn before the race.
The victory provided Asmussen with a seventh career success in the Chick Lang Stakes, adding to earlier wins with Lantana Mob, Holy Boss, Mitole, Yaupon, Mighty Mischief and Ryvit.
Asmussen praised the colt’s adaptability after the race and expressed satisfaction with how he handled the demanding international campaign earlier this season.
“He’s an extremely talented horse who’s remarkably versatile that’s given us very good days,” Asmussen said. “For him to make the trip to Saudi, go through quarantine, come back and beat a quality field the way you expected him to, couldn’t be happier.”
The veteran trainer added that shorter sprint distances may now suit the colt best moving forward, with major summer targets already under consideration.
“I think the value to create with him now is to race him shorter,” Asmussen said. “Obviously, races like the Allen Jerkens, we feel he’s of that caliber.”
Ortiz was equally impressed by the ease of the performance.
“He was traveling very good every step of the way,” the jockey said. “When I asked him to go, he was there for me.”
He also acknowledged the challenge horses can face returning from overseas assignments.
“Usually when they go overseas, they take a little bit to get back,” Ortiz added. “I trust Steve 100 percent. He has done this a thousand times and knows what he is doing.”
With another commanding sprint performance added to his résumé, Obliteration now looks set to emerge as one of the leading three-year-old sprinters in training heading into the second half of the season.
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