LAUREL, Md.--Bernie Houghton saddled Morgan's Ford Farm's Crabcakes, ridden by Forest Boyce, to win the $100,000 Maryland Million Distaff Handicap by 1 1/2 lengths on Oct. 20.
Crabcakes was bred by the elate Binnie Houghton's Buckingham Farm
"The race was 7 furlongs," said Houghton. "That's not really her distance. Her distance is six furlongs. I gave her a couple of extra things to get her ready, and I had her ready."
"Normally, six furlongs is her distance, so I gave her a couple of longer, slower works," said Houghton. "She has natural speed."
"She won this race last year, too," said Houghton. "There are two more races at Laurel for her, one just before Thanksgiving and one just before Christmas. We'll keep her here at Laurel. She likes this track."
"Probably after that, we'll turn her out," said Houghton, adding thathe didn't know whether the 4-year-old would run again next year. "Right now, he's doing good, and th eowners are enjoying it."
Crabcakes has now won nine races, finished second four times and third once from 15 starts.
MICHAEL MATZ had a win in an Allowance and a second in a Stakes with a pair of horses by Union Rags, the horse he trained to win the G1 Belmont Stakes.
On Oct. 17, Matz saddle Augustin Stable's Winter Union to win the $909,000 Allowance race at 1 1/4 miles at Belmont by a nose.
Winter Union, ridden by Javier Castellano, was far back in the seven horse field and closed relentlessly for the win.
On Oct. 28, Matz saddled his wife D.D's homebred Tequilita to finish second to Sower in the $100,000, 7 furlong Pumpkin Pie Stakes at Belmont.
Tequilita prompted the Sower two to three wide but proved no match for the winner while finishing nicely ahead of the rest of the competition.