Kant Hurry Love looks to go out a winner in the What a Summer
Repo Rocks seeks millionaire status in the Fire Plug
Free 2025 Maryland Racing Calendar giveaway on Saturday
Two “Value Pick 5” wagers with low 12% takeout
LAUREL, MD – Kant Hurry Love looks to put an exclamation point on a successful career when she seeks her third consecutive stakes victory in Saturday’s $100,000 What a Summer for fillies and mares at six furlongs.
The What a Summer is one of four stakes worth $350,000 in purse money on the nine-race program.
“This will be her final run,” trainer David Duggan said of Kant Hurry Love. “She’ll be going to the sales at Fasig-Tipton in February.
A 6-year-old mare by Kantharos owned by Ken Wheeler Jr., Kant Hurry Love returned from a six-month layoff to wire the field in Aqueduct’s Garland of Roses on Dec. 8.
“During Saratoga, we ran into some foot issues that we couldn’t get rectified,” Duggan added. “We were trying to go for the Union Avenue, but had to scratch. She wasn’t coming around, so I sent her swimming for a month. The swimming helped.”
Kant Hurry Love is unbeaten since Duggan added blinkers. “We needed a little bit of focus,” Duggan remarked. “We lost a photo or two for the wrong reasons once or twice.”
Also invading from New York is St. Benedicts Prep, a 4 ¼ length winner of a high-level allowance at Aqueduct on Jan. 2. Owned by Ronald P. Stewart and trained by Linda Rice, St. Benedicts Prep was claimed for $80,000 in April and then captured half of her eight starts for Rice.
Rice has been impressed by St. Benedict’s Prep’s versatility. “She can stalk second; she can go to the lead. However, it turns out. I think the key to her success is racing around one turn.”
Ms. Bucchero was a pace-pressing winner of Laurel’s Willa On the Move on Nov. 29 for trainer Diane Morici. That race was at 6 ½ furlongs.
“Six furlongs is her best, so we were a little nervous for the six-and-a-half,” assistant trainer Colton Moore said in the winner’s circle after the Willa On the Move. “She’s a game horse.”
Spencerian rallied up the inside to grab the restricted Politely over course and distance on Dec. 21 for owner Larry Rabold and trainer Hugh McMahon. Claimed for $16,000 at Timonium in 2023, Spencerian won four of six races last year.
“We didn’t know [when we claimed her], but she was compromised behind,” McMahon said in the winner’s circle after the Politely. “We sent her away for rest, and she got good. We didn’t do any real diagnostics, but we thought it was a fractured hip.”
Stakes-placed Happy Clouds and last-out winner Don’t Tell Kelly complete the field.
Fire Plug Stakes
With a good performance in the $100,000 Fire Plug for 4-year-olds and upward at 6 1/2 furlongs, multiple Grade 3 winner Repo Rocks will surpass the $1 million mark in career earnings.
“Laurel has the big sweeping turns, which he likes,” said trainer Jamie Ness. “He’s ready to run a big one.”
Repo Rocks returns to a sprint for the first time since a restricted allowance victory at Colonial on Aug. 22. In the interim, he has placed in two stakes around two turns at Parx, most recently finishing third in the Kris Kringle on New Year’s Eve.
Multiple stakes-winner Prince of Jericho drew the rail post for the third consecutive race after placing in a pair of high-level allowances to close out his 2024 campaign.
“It’s incredible how many times this horse draws the rail,” said Brittany Russell, Maryland’s leading trainer in 2024 by wins. “There’s been a couple of times where I wonder what would have happened had he drawn outside just a bit. He knows what he’s doing from there. I like the spot.”
Tudox Opportunity ships up from Penn National for owner Tudox Farm and trainer Elisha Perez. A pace-pressing winner around two turns in the restricted Chocolate Town on Nov. 27, Tudox Opportunity has also earned four sprint victories.
“He was kind of a slow learner,” Perez said. “In his [early] workouts, he never showed too much, but suddenly, his light bulb came on. Ever since then, he matured and figured out running. He likes to run now and is not afraid of competition.”
Perez praised Tudox Opportunity’s versatility. “He’s not a speed horse; he can sit from off the pace or come from behind. He’s got different buttons on him.”
Stakes-placed Freeze the Fire, razor-sharp Full Irish, No Easy Days, and On the Mark also entered.
Jennings
Ness also saddles a strong contender in the $75,000 Jennings for state-bred or -sired 4-year-olds and upward at one mile.
Multiple stakes-winner Speedyness, undefeated from three starts at Laurel’s one-turn mile configuration, is the morning line favorite after just missing by a head in the Robert T. Manfuso on Dec. 21.
“His last two races were winning races,” Ness said, also referencing Speedyness’s third-place effort in the City of Laurel on Nov. 30. “He just got beat. He has a high cruising speed. He’s game, a fighter. We’re ready to go.”
Stakes-placed Big Blue Line, trained by Will Walden, ships up from his Turfway Park base to contest the Jennings. Claimed for $80,000 in June, Big Blue Line has raced on synthetic and turf in his last three races. In his most recent dirt appearance, he prevailed in a high-level allowance at Saratoga on Aug. 24.
“We were looking to take one to Saratoga and were impressed by his overall consistency,” Walden said about the claim. “We took him to California [Grade 2 John Henry Turf Championship; Sept. 28], and he didn’t get a fair shake. He got stopped and started way out of the race and had a lot to do with not much pace set up in front of him. He got stopped at Keeneland [Grade 3 Sycamore Stakes; Oct. 11] pretty good as well.”
Stakes-placed Quint’s Brew returns from an early summer layoff and will make his first start for trainer Ned Allard.
“I’ve had him now close to two and a half months,” Allard said. “He had grabbed his quarter and was pretty uncomfortable on it. They gave him three weeks off, and he’s been very impressive in the way he trains.”
Allard also conditions Quint’s Brew’s older full brother, Captain Quint, who makes his stakes debut in the Jennings, his first start since July 31.
“He just needed a break,” Allard said. “He’s also been training dynamite, and he’s out of conditions. It’s not easy finding a spot for him. It might be a little bit ambitious, but as well as he’s training, it’s not like he’s a dud by any means. If he put in one of his better races, I’m hoping he gets a good piece of it from a little off the pace.”
Feeling Woozy earned a 92 Beyer Speed Figure when taking a high-level allowance on Dec. 27.
“When he puts his mind to running, he performs really well,” said owner-trainer Hamilton Smith. “He’s just a little bit inconsistent. He trains like a good horse, but he’s run some races that have been a little disappointing.”
Hittheroadjak finished third in the Manfuso, two lengths behind Speedyness. Like that rival, he is unbeaten at one mile.
“He’s improving a lot daily,” said trainer Rodolfo Sanchez-Salomon.
Stakes-winner Circle P enters following a runner-up effort in the Howard and Sondra Bender Memorial on Dec. 21; Maryland Million Classic winner Brilliant Ice finished fourth in the Bender. Whiskeyinthejaro also entered.
*Geisha
Eight-year-old mare Bourbon Bon Bay’s career was interrupted by various physical ailments, including a fractured jaw and broken tooth that delayed her 2024 debut until the Maryland Million Distaff on Oct. 12.
Since a fifth-place finish in that race, her first start in over a year, it’s been all systems go. She finished second in the Willa On the Move, then was third in the Politely. She’ll stretch out to a mile for the first time in the $75,000 Geisha for state-bred or -sired fillies and mares.
“She’s come around and is training super,” trainer Allard said. “If you don’t rush her, she makes a big run. The last time we ran her, it was three-quarters of a mile, and I felt that the rider used her a little bit early, and it compromised her capabilities.”
Russell raises Oncourtcommentator up in class after a second-level allowance win on Dec. 21. She’s won two of three starts on dirt after beginning her career on grass.
“I always thought she was a bit of a turf horse, but she looks pretty effective on the dirt,” Russell said. “It’s the good time of year to have that going for us.”
Oncourtcommentator likes to rally from off the pace in her races. “It’s really funny because, in the mornings, she’s the complete opposite. She is aggressive. In the afternoon, for some reason, she likes to fall out. You hate to take her running style away from her, and it doesn’t work out.”
Stakes-winners Call Another Play, Gold Digging Broad, and Too Many Kisses look like strong contenders, along with 12-time winner Mavilus and multiple stakes-placed Royal Whisper.
The first post time on Saturday is 12:25 p.m. On-track patrons receive a free 2025 Maryland Racing Calendar in the grandstand lobby. There will be two “Value Pick 5” wagers with a low 12% takeout.
After the third race, crystal trophies will be awarded to 2024’s leading owner The Elkstone Group, leading trainer Brittany Russell, and leading jockey Jaime Rodriguez
Following the fifth race, engraved plaques will be presented to Cesar Cruz, the groom that received the most “Best Turned Out” awards in 2024, and trainer Hugh McMahon for saddling the most “Best Turned Out” award winners last year.
