Full slate of events next week for the Jim McKay Maryland Million
LAUREL, MD— Bruno snatched victory from the jaws of defeat, rallying resolutely down the Laurel Park home stretch to win Saturday’s featured eighth race, a $49,000 first-level allowance for 3-year-olds and up at 1 1/16 miles.
Although never off the board in six prior starts, some handicappers questioned Bruno’s staying power – this was his first race around two turns – and his ability to handle a sticky, muddy track.
Those questions were answered decisively after 1:46.30 of hard racing, but not before Bruno gave his supporters anxious moments.
Both Spring Decision and Forrest City were aggressive from the start, with the former holding a short lead while racing in the two-path through an opening quarter in 22.90 seconds.
Spring Decision cleared to the lead and to the inside after a half-mile in 47.04 seconds. Forrest City resumed the chase after angling outside the pacesetter.
Meanwhile, jockey Jevian Toledo saved as much ground as possible on the first turn with Bruno, then angled four wide and into the clear as they entered the backstretch. They rolled past the tired favorite, Objection, on the far bend and sailed after Forrest City, who had dispatched Spring Decision.
“At the three-eighths, I felt like a winner,” Toledo said.
Toledo was concerned. “Coming to the quarter-pole, [Forrest City] opened up on me, and I thought, ‘Oh man, I’m not going to run that good.’”
Bruno likes a challenge, however. He displayed courage by rallying from left field to win his previous start, a restricted six-furlong allowance at Colonial Downs on September 4.
At the three-sixteenths pole, one could almost see Bruno grit his teeth and drive his legs. Slowly but surely, he gained ground on Forrest City and drove past that foe in the shadow of the wire, scoring by a neck.
“In the last eighth, he finally came back and dug in,” Toledo said admiringly. “The other horse looked like he slowed down, too, so that kind of helped, but he definitely came back and dug in. He took dirt. To be honest, it looked like he was going to get beat, but he showed his heart, and he got the job done.”
Forrest City finished 2¾ lengths ahead of Pea Ridge. Spring Decision, Mugatu, and Objection followed. Tell ‘Em I’m Comin was scratched.
Bruno, the second choice in the betting, paid $9 to win.
Bred in Virginia by the late R Larry Johnson, Bruno is a 3-year-old gelding by Independence Hall out of Everything Magic (by Street Sense). A half-brother to the multiple stakes-placed sprinter Heldish and from the family of Grade 3-winning sprinter Street Magician, Bruno sold for $25,000 as a yearling and was acquired by Eubanks’s Rising Sun Stables for $40,000 this January.
Bruno, owned by Rising Sun in partnership with Darkside Racing and Paul Willis, has shown his versatility, winning at distances from six furlongs to 1 1/16 miles on wet and dry tracks, around one turn and two. He has earned $246,793.
“He’s an honest horse. He always tries. Cool horse,” Toledo concluded.
*Full slate of events next week for the Jim McKay Maryland Million
On Sunday, October 18, from 12 pm to 1 pm, the Jim McKay Maryland Million Draw Party will be held at the Laurel Park Sportsbook. The event is free and open to the public. Watch the post-position draw, enjoy entertainment and snacks, and then stay for live racing.
Join us at Jimmy’s Seafood in Dundalk on Thursday, October 22, from 7 pm to 9 pm for a free Handicapping Party. Hosted by ESPN Louisville and the Horse Racing Happy Hour Podcast’s Louie Rabaut, the event will feature handicapping analysts sharing their picks for the twelve races.
The excitement continues on Friday, October 23, from 6:30 pm to 10:30 pm at the Jim McKay Maryland Million Kickoff Celebration at Citron Restaurant. Tickets are $83 each. Enjoy live music, great food, and plenty of opportunities to mingle. Tickets can be purchased here.
Laurel Park’s gates open at 10 am on Jim McKay Maryland Million Saturday. The first race starts at 11:15 am.
The Jim McKay Maryland Million is also about fun for the whole family. Meet and greet the Maryland Miniature Ponies at Horseland, watch exciting pony races featuring the next generation of Maryland jockeys, visit our face painters, and enjoy plenty of hands-on crafts and games.
Take part in the Maryland Million Handicapping Challenge, a one-day contest available both on-site and online. The event is held at Laurel Park or on Xpressbet, TVG/4NJBETS, HPIBET, and TwinSpires. The $800 buy-in includes a $400 entry fee and a $400 live bankroll. Cash prizes will be awarded, along with two seats to the Breeders’ Cup Betting Challenge and two NHC Prize Packs. With 120 entries, the total prize pool is $48,000. For registration and rules, visit here.
*Around the track:
Trainer Linda Albert won her 750th career race when War Report captured Friday’s finale under jockey Matilda Burnham. Albert, 67, a native of St. Petersburg, Florida, was Maryland’s top female trainer for eight consecutive years (1998-2005). She trained Water Cannon to win the 2004 Miracle Wood, Private Terms, and Federico Tesio Stakes, then saddled the 3-year-old in the Preakness Stakes. Former jockey Albert was named Maryland’s Outstanding Trainer by the MTHA in 2004 and has conditioned seven Maryland Million winners.
Jockey Jose Vargas rode two winners on Saturday. He gave Ready for Magic ($12.80) a lovely trip in the fourth race, riding in the pocket before angling three wide into the stretch for trainer Troy Singh. Vargas then took the field gate to wire in the seventh race with Mo Lake Time ($7.80) for trainer Graham Motion.
Live racing resumes Sunday with ten races. First post time is 12:00 pm, and two “Value Pick 5” wagers feature a LOW 12% takeout.
The free “Laurel Park Handicapping Guide” is available on every race day. It features picks, analysis, trainer stats, trip notes, horses to watch, track bias information, and more from The Maryland Jockey Club’s handicapping team. Sunday’s guide is available. Click here to view it.
Never miss a second of the action on the Laurel Park YouTube channel. Click here to watch full pan and head-on replays.
Watch “Today at the Races,” the Maryland Jockey Club’s morning handicapping show every racing day at 11 am ET on the Maryland Jockey Club’s X account. Click here to watch.