Joe Fafone

BALTIMORE, MD -- Despite having done everything right in three prior career starts, Maple Leaf Mel was nonetheless sent off the 8-5 second betting choice in Friday's GIII Miss Preakness S. behind 4-5 choice Key of Life (Mo Town), victorious in the GII Beaumont S. Apr. 16. Unaware of the crowd's leanings, the grey daughter of Cross Traffic led for most of the way and never looked back, rolling home an easy 1 1/2-length winner over the late-closing Topsy. The grey soon overtook the fast-starting Key of Life and maintained...