LAUREL, MD – Laurel Park celebrates the second week of the 2025 Spring Meet on Saturday with four $100,000 stakes for 3-year-olds and upward. The first post time for the nine-race program is 12:10 pm ET.
Carded as the fifth race with an approximate post time of 2:02 pm ET, the Native Dancer at 1 1/8 miles features a rematch between Film Star and Speedyness, who finished heads apart in Laurel’s Robert T. Manfuso Stakes on December 21.
Trained by Linda Rice for Ronald Stewart, Robert T. Manfuso winner Film Star has started once this year, finishing third in a high-level allowance at Aqueduct on January 25. He scratched last Saturday from Aqueduct’s Excelsior Stakes at 1 ¼ miles to compete at Laurel.
“I thought [the Excelsior] was a little too far, and it was pretty strong,” Rice said. “I thought our chances would be better in Maryland.”
In the Robert T. Manfuso, Film Star spied Speedyness from the start before getting the better of that rival after a thrilling stretch drive. Rice expects a similarly-run race on Saturday with Jose Lezcano retaining the mount.
While Film Star enters the Native Dancer fresh, Morris Kernan Jr. and Jagger Inc.’s Speedyness has been busy at Laurel Park in 2025, finishing fourth in the restricted Jennings Stakes at one mile on January 18, winning the John B. Campbell Stakes over a muddy 1 1/8 miles on February 15, and placing third, beaten a half-length in the restricted Not For Love Stakes at six furlongs on March 8.
“Sprinting is not his thing,” trainer Jamie Ness said about the Not For Love. “We took a shot, and he ran really well. He recovered good and worked good the other day, so we’re coming back.”
Expect Speedyness to grab the early lead on Saturday.
“He likes to go as fast as he can, as far as he can,” Ness said. “He fires every time.”
J R Sanchez Racing Stable’s Cataleya Strike finished fifth in the Robert T. Manfuso and fourth in the John B. Campbell. He rebounded with a re-rallying victory in a high-level allowance on February 28.
Cataleya Strike’s trainer, Rudy Sanchez-Salomon, was impressed with the gelding’s recent five-furlong bullet workout on March 26.
“He worked really nice and galloped out strong,” Sanchez-Salomon said. “Actually, that’s the reason that I put him in the stake.”
Multiple stakes-winner Armando R and stakes-placed performers Curlin’s Malibu and Feeling Woozy complete the field.
*Royal Spa seeks elusive stakes victory in Heavenly Cause
Breffni Farm’s Royal Spa, a Grade 3-placed daughter of Violence, seeks her first stakes victory in the Heavenly Cause for fillies and mares over a one-turn mile. The Heavenly Cause is the sixth race with an approximate post time of 2:29 pm ET.
Trained by Rodolphe Brisset, Royal Spe finished second in Laurel’s Barbara Fritchie Stakes on February 15. Irish Maxima, the race winner, returned to grab Aqueduct’s Grade 3 Distaff Stakes last Saturday.
“She did surprise us a little bit to be that close [to the pace],” Brisset said. “The fractions were mid-fast. She dug in pretty hard. The winner is obviously a very nice filly.”
Royal Spa boasts five workouts at Keeneland since the Fritchie, including a heads-up half-mile breeze with multiple stakes-placed gelding Santorini on March 21.
“We love what we’ve been seeing,” Brisset admitted. “We were considering the Madison [Grade 1 at Keeneland on April 8] at one point, but that came up a little tough for her. We were going to enter in an allowance, but that didn’t fill at Keeneland, so the next logical spot was to come to Laurel. That one-turn mile is really right in her alley.”
Catherine Wheel nipped Takethemoneyhoney by a nose in a first-level allowance at Aqueduct on March 15, but both are questionable to compete in the Heavenly Cause.
Trainer Chad Brown cross-entered Catherine Wheel in Saturday’s $150,000 Top Flight Stakes at Aqueduct. Likewise, trainer Mike Moore nominated Takethemoneyhoney for a Sunday allowance at Laurel and said Thursday morning that she would likely run there.
Trainer Brittany Russell entered two fillies in the Heavenly Cause. Oncourtcommentator races for the first time since finishing second in the restricted Geisha on January 18.
“She’s probably one that needs a little bit more time between races, so I was pleased with that effort,” Russell said.
Conversely, if Sea Dancer competes on Saturday, it would be on a one-week turnaround after finishing fourth in Aqueduct’s Distaff. Purchased by Tom Ryan’s SF Racing for $150,000 at Keeneland in November and immediately transferred to Russell, Sea Dancer won her first two starts on dirt, both route stakes races at Laurel, after campaigning exclusively on grass for her prior connections.
“As long as she’s good this week, we’ll probably take a swing [in the Heavenly Cause],” Russell said. “She’s going to have to be perfect every day for us to walk her over. I thought we’d look at [the seven-furlong Distaff] as a work. She didn’t handle the cutback [in distance], and the winner was really good.”
Multiple stakes-winner Malibu Moonshine and stakes-placed Bailintin also entered in Sunday’s allowance. The latter might run in the Heavenly Cause “if we get a sloppy track,” per trainer Sanchez-Salomon.
Rain is expected in Maryland from Thursday morning through Saturday morning.
Multiple stakes-winner Opus Forty Two, Grade 3-placed Regaled, Vincey Girl, and defending Heavenly Cause champion Intrepid Dream complete the field. Intrepid Dream hasn’t started since finishing fifth of six in Laurel’s Caesar’s Wish Stakes on August 4.
*Disco Ebo defends Primonetta title
LC Racing’s Disco Ebo took them gate to wire in last year’s Primonetta, and trainer Butch Reid hopes for a repeat performance in Saturday’s renewal for fillies and mares at six furlongs.
A 12-time winner with earnings of $737,694, Pennsylvania-bred Disco Ebo enters the 2025 Primonetta following a third-place try in Aqueduct’s Correction Stakes on March 2.
Rice entered both Tipple and All Class.
Tipple, a Constitution homebred owned by Summer Wind Equine, debuted on grass last summer at Saratoga, finishing eighth of ten. After missing time due to a virus, Tipple won two of three dirt starts, including a first-level allowance at Aqueduct on February 23.
“She’s a half-sister to Hootenanny, who won the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf, so we tried her on the turf,” Rice said. “I was looking for a spot to get her started. I was not disappointed that she turned out to be a dirt horse, though. I think she’s in great shape.”
All Class hit the board in all three starts since Rice claimed her for $62,500 at Keeneland last fall. Rice admitted that she isn’t sure if she’ll run All Class in the Heavenly Cause.
Glassman Racing’s Firstlady Rosalynn makes her stakes debut after wiring three others in a second-level allowance at Colonial on March 13.
“She’s been a little bit of a funny filly,” trainer Russell said. “No major issues along the way, but we just lacked consistency with her racing. It was nice to run her back down there and see that she did what we thought she could do.”
Admiral Hopper was listed as sold at Keeneland in November for $15,000. Trainer Justin Nixon said that breeders Krista and Edward Seltzer “restructured” under the Stonebase LLC name and still own the 7-year-old, who returned from a four-month layoff to finish seventh in Tampa Bay’s Lightning City Stakes on turf on February 22.
“We’d like to get some blacktype on her before she retires to the breeding shed,” Nixon said. “She had a pretty solid race off the layoff at Tampa, so we’re going to give the Primonetta a shot.”
Admiral Hopper hasn’t raced on dirt since 2021. Nixon hopes she returns to her winning debut on dirt at Tampa.
“I think she’ll be okay,” Nixon said, mentioning that her sire, Field Commission, won on all three surfaces and that many of his progeny get better with age. “Given her pedigree and her previous positive experience, I think she’ll handle it just fine.”
Mudslide makes her stakes debut after three consecutive wins at Charles Town.
B G Warrior will scratch per trainer Brisset.
The Primonetta is the seventh race. The post time is 2:59 pm ET.
*Worcester heads solid Frank Y. Whiteley cast
Grade 3-placed Worcester, recently second in Aqueduct’s Stymie Stakes on March 1, cuts back in distance for the Frank Y. Whiteley at seven furlongs.
Trained by Russell for a partnership led by SF Racing, Worcester rolled through two Laurel allowance races before his New York excursion.
“He was a little edgy,” Russell said. “When he walked in the paddock, he broke out that day. He’s a classy horse, but he’s a bit of an internalizer, and I saw a different side of him. [Jockey Sheldon Russell] said he was the same way warming up and wasn’t quite himself.”
Worcester rallied from last to finish 3 ½ lengths behind Bank Frenzy, who returned to win Aqueduct’s restricted Haynesfield Stakes with a 97 Beyer Speed Figure.
“Sheldon thought he would break and put him there, but he never got traveling,” Brittany Russell said. “Sheldon let him get his feet under him. I think that wasn’t the best [Worcester] we saw that day, but he finished up and ran okay.”
Russell also entered a recent addition to her stable. New King, previously trained by Bob Baffert, last raced in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Handicap on March 1, finishing seventh of eight.
“He’s improved every week since he arrived,” Russell said. “He was a little quiet off the van, so we let him get right. I’m still on the fence if we’re going to run him. He still has an allowance condition. I think once we get him going down here, he’s going to be a fun horse to have around for the summer.”
Bartlett cross-entered Friday at Laurel, but trainer John Servis plans to run the Not This Time gelding in the Frank Y. Whiteley.
Unraced since a fifth-place finish in the Grade 3 Hill Prince on Aqueduct turf on November 9, Bartlett won his two previous dirt starts by a combined 13 ¼ lengths.
“He’s a big, grand-looking horse,” Servis said. “We had to stop on him and address an issue late in his 2-year-old year. He came back last year and was strong. The owners elected to give him the winter off, and he’s ready to rock and roll.”
Bartlett has good early speed, and Servis predicts his charge will be “in front or very close to the lead.”
Circle P returns to open company after getting up to win the restricted Not For Love by a nose on March 8. Trainer Flint Stites believes that the one-time problem child is starting to put it together.
“He’s matured quite a bit mentally,” Stites said. “Physically, he was always ahead of his growth. Mentally, he was lagging way behind. He’s a lot easier to deal with in the morning on a daily basis.”
Multiple stakes-winners Factor It In, and Seven’s Eleven also entered the Frank Y. Whiteley, the final race of the consecutive stakes quartet. The post time is 3:27 pm ET.
