Wicked Prankster attempts third Maryland Million Turf win
Laurel Park to host “Maryland’s Day at the Races,” presented by Brown Advisory, on Saturday, October 24
LAUREL, MD—AJ Will Win Stables’ Barbadian Runner, listed as the 2-5 favorite on Horse Racing Nation’s morning line, will defend his title in Saturday’s $150,000 Brown Advisory Maryland Million Classic for 3-year-olds and up at 1 1/8 miles.
The first of 12 races on Jim McKay Maryland Million Day starts at 11:15 am ET. Gates at Laurel Park open at 10:00 am. General admission is free of charge.
This is the 41st edition of the Jim McKay Maryland Million, presented by Brown Advisory. Known as “Maryland’s Day at the Races,” the Jim McKay Maryland Million honors the state’s thoroughbred industry. Maryland-bred horses that are not Maryland Million-eligible may enter a Maryland Million race only if fewer than eight Maryland Million-eligible horses are entered.
Barbadian Runner (Forest Boyce, post 2), a true rags-to-riches story, sold for $5,000 as a yearling and has emerged as “Maryland’s Horse” for trainer Henry Walters. The 4-year-old gelding by Barbados surpassed one million dollars in earnings in his most recent start, a win in Delaware’s Battery Park Stakes on October 3.
“We looked at several horses at that yearling sale,” Walters said in a video feature earlier this week. “We had about ten that we were really interested in. The ones before him, we didn’t get. We either changed our mind late or we got outbid. When his number came up, we had looked at him earlier on, and he looked like he’d fit in our program.”
Walters immediately liked Barbadian Runner. “He always did everything slightly above average. Not anything that would amaze you, but he was certainly a willing participant in his training, and we liked him all along.”
Barbadian Runner has a record of 28 starts, including 10 wins, 8 seconds, and 4 thirds. He has won stakes races at Laurel, Monmouth, Charles Town, and Delaware.
“The more he ran, the more he blossomed,” Walters explained. “It was quite a surprise to me that he would go a route of ground because he was built like a sprinter, and trained like a sprinter. Once he had a half-dozen races in him, he showed that he wanted to go longer.”
Madison Avenue Racing Stable and Morris Kernan Jr.’s Market Maven (6-1 morning line, Mychel Sanchez, post 1) might pose the stiffest test for Barbadian Runner on Saturday.
The 8-year-old gelding by Super Ninety Nine finished first in the 2023 Maryland Million Classic but was disqualified for interference in the stretch. The race still haunts trainer Jamie Ness.
“I’ve been doing this a long time, and I felt that in a race like that, I shouldn’t have come down,” said Ness.
Market Maven has had several trainers over the past few years, but he always seems to reunite with Ness. He won his most recent start, a $25,000 claimer at Parx on October 5.
Bonuccelli Racing’s Wickeddivine (8-1 ML, Jeiron Barbosa, post 8), third in the Frank J. De Francis Memorial Dash on June 27, races beyond six furlongs for the first time in his career.
His trainer, Kenny Cox, benefited from Market Maven’s disqualification from the Maryland Million. His charge, Ain’t Da Beer Cold, was placed first.
“He is a very versatile horse,” Cox said about Wickeddivine in a video feature. “He will do whatever you ask him to do. Every rider that’s ever ridden him in the afternoons has always told me the horse wants to go further. We’ve just never got to the point to stretch him out.”
Stakes-winner Sacred Thunder also entered, along with Goodbye Note, Omar Comin, In the Dance, and Davyjonz. Derbyness, Roll On Jesse, and Bill of Rights are on the Also Eligible list.
*Wicked Prankster attempts third Maryland Million Turf victory
“Remember, he’s still undefeated in this race,” trainer Sammy Davis said when discussing Wicked Prankster’s chances in the $125,000 John Deere Maryland Million Turf. “He just missed a couple of years, and I love him so much, I got to make sure a horse like that gets all the time he needs. He’s doing very good. I expect a big one from him.”
Wicked Prankster (30-1 ML, Raul Mena, post 11) used front-running tactics to win the Maryland Million Turf in 2022 and 2023, and it’s likely he’ll try to set the pace again in the 1 1/8-mile event for 3-year-olds and up over the Dahlia Turf Course.
After four unsuccessful starts in 2024, Davis sent Wicked Prankster to the sidelines for a 704-day layoff.
“Nothing serious, like career-ending,” Davis said about the time away. “It’s just that every time something happened to him, and he was on his way back, the turf season was over. Last year, as soon as the turf season got ready to start, he popped a splint, and that took a long time to set up. This year, everything’s good. The Maryland Million has been the goal.”
Dastur Racing’s Thundering (4-5 ML, Paco Lopez, post 7) looks like the horse to beat. The 4-year-old gelding has been on a tear in his last three races, winning the Japan Racing Association Turf Cup at Laurel on June 27, finishing third in Monmouth’s Grade 2 United Nations Stakes three weeks later, and then parlaying a perfect trip into a victory in Colonial’s restricted Find Stakes on August 15.
“We waited deliberately and skipped all these other races because I wanted him to come in fresh for this one,” said trainer Derek Ryan. “He’s been very consistent this year. He got a nice ride [last time], and he always looked in control of the race. He’s coming in great. He had a super work two back [5 furlongs in 59.20 seconds at Monmouth on October 9].”
Michael Foster’s Grade 3-placed Crabs N Beer (20-1 ML, Martin Chuan, post 1) finished third in this race in both 2022 and 2024. Trained by Keri Brion, he always has a puncher’s chance.
Gracie Mae Stables’ Majestic Blue (30-1 ML, Joe Rocco Jr., post 12), a stakes-placed gelding on dirt, has won two of his last three starts since trainer John Salzman Jr. claimed him for $20,000.
“He’s a bit of a handful in the paddock, but I really think he’s a nice horse,” said Salzman Jr., who was also hoping to cross-enter in the Classic. “He’s done everything I’ve asked of him. I do like him. I’m not sure how much I like him without Lasix.”
Eric Rizer’s War Humor (20-1 ML, Rajiv Maragh, post 14) won his only previous turf route, the restricted Edward P. Evans Stakes at Colonial on June 27. The versatile Mosler gelding then finished third in the restricted Punch Line Stakes there two weeks later.
“We were between the Turf Sprint and [this one], and we chose the long race,” trainer Robbie Bailes said in a video preview posted on Thursday. “I wish we had a bit better post. We weren’t sure when we ran him long the first time that he was going to handle that, and he ended up winning the stake at Colonial, and that gave us the idea to give up a shot in here.”
Stakes winners Pont Aven and Live Stream join Alakan, Magical Mondays, Virginia Fitz, Zevon, Hanksdiviningrod, and Galatown Guy. Hardspun Reason is on the Also Eligible list.
With three winners on last year’s program, Jevian Toledo surpassed Hall of Famer Edgar Prado to become the winningest jockey in Maryland Million history. Toledo has won 21 Maryland Million races.
John “Jerry” Robb is the leading active trainer in Maryland Million history. His 12 wins leave him three behind all-time leader Dale Capuano.
Pensioned Great Notion, Maryland’s leading sire since 2016, has produced at least one Maryland Million winner for 16 consecutive years. The streak continued in 2025 with Slewperstitus, Big Cuddle, and Slam Notion. Great Notion’s progeny have won 25 Maryland Million races. He ranks second all-time behind Maryland Million leading sire Not For Love (38).
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.
Named for the late Hall of Fame broadcaster and 13-time Emmy Award winner who launched the groundbreaking concept in 1986, the Jim McKay Maryland Million has become the state’s second-largest day on the racing calendar, behind only the Preakness Stakes card.
“Maryland’s Day at the Races” celebrates the stallions standing in the state and honors its rich, diverse racing history, dating back to the founding of the Maryland Jockey Club in 1743 and spawning copycat events across the United States and Canada.