LAUREL, MD—Laurel Park mourns the passing of retired trainer John Salzman Sr., who died yesterday at age 81.

Salzman started his training career in 1978, achieved his first victory in 1979, and retired in 2025 with a record of 828 wins and $16,037,554 in purse earnings.

Salzman’s best horse was Xtra Heat, a daughter of Dixieland Heat out of Begin, by Hatchet Man. Salzman purchased her as a yearling for $5,000 and raced her in partnership with Kenneth Taylor and Harry Deitchman.

A true speedball, Xtra Heat won 26 of 35 races, including 11 graded stakes victories. A two-time winner of the Grade 2 Barbara Fritchie Handicap at Laurel and the Grade 3 Endine Stakes at Delaware, Xtra Heat captured the Grade 1 Prioress Stakes on July 4, 2001.

In a Washington Post article by John Scheinman, published on December 30, 2000, Salzman described Xtra Heat’s upcoming 3-year schedule leading up to the Prioress. “I’m not letting up on her,” Salzman said after Xtra Heat won the Kattegat’s Pride Stakes at Laurel Park. “She’s getting 30 days, six weeks between races. Putting a horse like her out in the field is asking for trouble. She won’t stop running. I check her four or five mornings a week, and she eats everything.”

After winning the Prioress, Salzman said, “She’s as good as they got. She can’t prove much more than she did today.”

Xtra Heat finished a close second in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Sprint in 2001 and placed third in the Group 1 Dubai Golden Shaheen the following year.

She won 25 black-type stakes races in her career, a record for a filly or mare. She was named the champion 3-year-old filly in 2001 and retired in 2003 with lifetime earnings of $2,389,635. Xtra Heat was inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in 2015.

Salzman was known for his prowess with 2-year-old runners. In a 1994 Daily Racing Form piece, Tom Atwell wrote that Salzman “got his start in Maryland racing circles rubbing horses for the late Tex Anderson. Then, 25 years ago, he began winning races on his own. A few years later, [he] began going to Florida every winter to buy 2-year-olds. [He knew] talent when [he] saw it. First winners, then stakes-winners.”

In a Daily Racing Form article by Atwell, published September 10, 1992, Salzman said, “The first horse I bought was Noble Holme, and he made $250,000, back when that was quite a bit of money.”

The following month, Salzman’s 2-year-old Lord of the Bay won the Grade 3 Laurel Futurity. He also trained Tee Kay to win the Grade 3 Martha Washington Stakes at Laurel in 1994. His final win came on April 13, 2025, with Happy Hour Joker at Laurel.

Salzman’s training legacy lives on through his family. His son, John Salzman Jr., is a successful trainer based in Maryland. His daughter-in-law, Megan, won her first race as a trainer on September 13. Megan is the widow of Salzman Sr.’s son, Tim, who passed away earlier this year after a long, brave battle with cancer.

The post Laurel Park Remembers John Salzman Sr. first appeared on Maryland Jockey Club.

LAUREL, MD—“He’s my best friend. He’s my first-born,” said owner-trainer Anthony “T. J.” Aguirre Jr. after 9-year-old Benny Havens splashed home first in Sunday’s opening race at Laurel Park, a $16,000 claimer for 3-year-olds and up who had never won three races.

Due to heavy rainfall over the previous 24 hours, the race was moved from the Exceller Turf Course and contested at 5 ½ furlongs on the main track.

On paper, the surface switch posed an interesting dilemma for handicappers. What to do with Benny Havens, a gelding who hadn’t raced on dirt in more than six years, had never won on the surface, and was a confirmed late-runner in a three-horse field?

Aguirre considered scratching the crotchety veteran, a horse that had acted up badly before the start of his last three races and hadn’t raced since June 7.

“Absolutely,” he said. “And then I went into my handicapping expertise. I [thought] if we could get a three- or four-horse field, then we could win this thing. It could set up for us, because there’s speed [in the race]. And it went according to plan.”

The race went exactly as Aguirre’s script called for, with odds-on favorite Stone Cold Jones and Borletti sparring for the lead through an opening quarter in 22.59 seconds on the sealed, sloppy track. Jaime Rodriguez, riding Benny Havens, had his mount perched outside them, ready to pounce.

“Jaime gave him a patient ride,” Aguirre noted. “He said he was going to keep him clean and let him do the running.”

Once set down for the stretch drive, Benny Havens sealed the deal, drawing away to win by 2 ½ lengths over Borletti in 1:06.97. Stone Cold Jones finished a well-beaten third.

Benny Havens paid $6.20 as the second choice in the wagering.

Bred in Maryland by Douglas Brown’s Little Man Farm, Benny Havens, an Outflanker brother to Aguirre’s multiple stakes-placed turf sprinter Tidewater and a half-brother to stakes-winning Lotsa Mischief, was purchased by Aguirre for $1,500 as a yearling.

He has won three times in 51 starts, but that record doesn’t tell the whole story, as he’s raced for a tag only three times and usually faces tough allowance competition.

“If you look at his past races, when he’s sitting four or five lengths out, he closes and finishes well, whether he wins or gets beaten by a length or a half-length. He always tries,” Aguirre explained.

Although Benny Havens looked good over the wet track today, Aguirre isn’t convinced he’s the next Cigar.

“I guess next time, when it comes off the turf, I’m not afraid of scratches,” he admitted. “Jaime says he runs like a turf horse and feels like one.”

Benny Havens was Aguirre’s first winner when the barn started up and running in 2019.

“He’s everything I’ve ever asked for. He’s a horse who shows up every day and never complains. I know he’s a little rowdy in the afternoons, but that’s just his personality. I told Jaime I entered for [yesterday], but the race didn’t go. It was brought back for [today].”

“Everything happens for a reason.”

*Mychel Sanchez rides four winners

Jockey Mychel Sanchez rode four winners on Sunday’s card, three of which were trained by Brittany Russell.

Russell, Maryland’s leading trainer by victories over the past three years, saddled Silver Strings ($4.80) to a dominant 12 ½-length win in the fifth race, a $30,000 maiden claimer for juvenile fillies. Silver Strings, a daughter of first-crop stallion Nashville, was claimed by trainer Jamie Ness after the race.

Russell and Sanchez came right back in the sixth race, a second-level allowance moved from the turf to the main track. Mizner ($2.40) ran away and hid by 19 ½ lengths. A 3-year-old gelding by Munnings, Mizner has now won his last three starts on dirt.

Barbados Buzz ($8.40) completed the natural triple for Russell and Sanchez, winning the seventh race by 8 ½ lengths. Making his first dirt start after graduating on turf at Colonial Downs, Barbados Buzz is a 3-year-old gelding by Speightstown.

A native of Venezuela, Sanchez enjoyed a breakout year in 2025, posting career-bests in wins (307) and earnings ($11,463,434). He rode 23 stakes winners, including a double at Parx on New Year’s Eve.

Sanchez began riding in the United States in 2013 and has won 2,040 races, earning $71,769,464. He has won more than 200 races each year since 2023.

Sanchez is currently third in the jockey standings this meet, trailing Jaime Rodriguez by two wins and Jorge Ruiz by one.

*Around the track:

*Jockey Jose Vargas rode two winners on Sunday. He guided All Fruits Ripe ($7.80) to a popular victory in the fourth race for trainer Valrie Smith. Vargas then set up a stalking trip on the outside aboard Kiss Me Mo ($3.40) in the eighth race for trainer Kerry Hohlbein.

Live racing resumes Friday with ten races. First post time is 12:00 pm, and there are two “Value Pick 5” wagers with 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 team of handicappers. Friday’s guide is available Thursday evening. Click here to view it.

Oyster Fest returns to Laurel Park on Saturday, October 3. Join us for an afternoon of Chesapeake-region oysters, cold drinks, and live racing. Enjoy oysters from True Chesapeake, Choptank Oyster Company, Tom’s Cove Aqua Farms, and more. Admission is free. Reserve your spot here.

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.

The post “Best Friend” Benny Wins On Dirt first appeared on Maryland Jockey Club.

LAUREL, MD—After a lengthy stewards’ inquiry and multiple jockey objections, Coast Highway’s number remained up following Saturday’s $125,000 Laurel Futurity for 2-year-olds at 1 1/16 miles on the Exceller Turf Course.

Ridden by Jorge Ruiz for trainer Graham Motion, Coast Highway raced three wide near the back of the pack as Fullcup and Bishop Moon set fractions of 24.63 and 51.02 seconds on a rain-soaked course that was downgraded to yielding conditions throughout the day.

Coast Highway was forced out four paths wide on the second turn as his inner counterpart, Broadcast, checked severely.

After six furlongs in 1:17.12, Fullcup drifted off the rail, allowing Broadcast to rally inside. Coast Highway moved in slightly, and Fullcup lugged out, causing Howard’s Hope to clip heels and fall between them, unseating jockey Jose Lezcano.

Coast Highway won by a head in 1:48.38, beating an unlucky Broadcast. Fullcup was third, with Bishop Moon, Perfect Dream, and Moneta Agenda behind.

Howard’s Hope walked off the track under his own power. Lezcano reported dizziness and shoulder pain and was transported to a local medical facility for precautionary X-rays. Attendants at the racetrack noted that Lezcano had a full range of motion in his joints.

Mychel Sanchez, riding Broadcast, and Chantal Sutherland, riding Perfect Dream, both filed claims of foul against Ruiz, but the stewards did not accept their objections.

However, the stewards concluded that Fullcup was at fault in the incident involving Howard’s Hope. As a result, Fullcup was disqualified and placed sixth.

Ruiz told reporters during the inquiry that he felt Sanchez initiated contact with him while attempting to angle out for racing room on the far turn.

Coast Highway paid $13 to win. Fire Marshal was scratched. It was Ruiz’s third turf win of the day.

Coast Highway, bred in Kentucky by New Horizon Farm, is the third stakes-winner sired by Corniche in his first crop. He was bought for $25,000 as a yearling and later purchased by Amerman Racing for $105,000 at Ocala in April.

Motion unveiled Coast Highway in a 5 ½-furlong maiden special weight race at Colonial on September 4, and the colt responded with a comfortable 3 3/4-length win under Ruiz.

*Hidden Overture takes turf debut in Selima

Horse racing celebrates resilience, and perhaps no jockey has demonstrated more of that trait in recent years than Julian Pimentel.

The 45-year-old Pimentel, a winner of more than 1,800 races in his career, took a hiatus from riding after recording 42 wins in 2021. He returned to the track earlier this year and reached the winner’s circle for the first time on June 27.

“I was fighting with my weight for a long time,” Pimentel said after riding Hidden Overture to victory in the $125,000 Selima Stakes for juvenile fillies at 1 1/16 miles on the Bowl Game Turf Course. “I had injuries. Finally, I was able to get my weight down and come back. It’s been fun.”

Pimentel’s comeback has been quite successful so far, with six wins in 26 races. The Selima marked his first stakes win since Virginia Beach’s Camptown victory at Colonial Downs on September 1, 2021.

Beginning at post six, Hidden Overture stalked the pace from the outside while Sun Valley sped clear through fractions of 24.16 and 49.94 seconds. Hidden Overture made her intentions known with a three-wide brush after a six-furlong clocking of 1:16.24, then took over the lead without much fuss in the upper stretch.

Despite racing greenly, Hidden Overture held sway by three-quarters of a length over Homewawayfromhome, with Sea Isle City another half-length behind in third. Sun Vally was fourth. Then came Maybe Gold, favored Dance to Glory, Millford Lass, Gypsy Lullaby, and Cherokee Purple. Cash Or Credit scratched.

“She broke very sharply, and I was sitting in a great spot,” Pimentel said. “In the lane, she was pretty erratic, going in and out. She was a little green, but she ran huge.”

Sanchez, aboard Homeawayfromhome, claimed a foul against the winner, but the claim was not upheld. Hidden Overture paid $14.20 to win after covering the distance in 1:47.02 on good going.

Trained by Brittany Russell for Golden Lion Racing and Hidden Brook Farm, Hidden Overture is by Mendelssohn and is a half-sister to Grade 2-placed turf runner Bojaca Blessing. Tanya Lobsiger bred her in Kentucky.

Purchased for $15,000 as a yearling, Hidden Overture sold for $180,000 at Ocala in June. She made a striking career debut in an off-turf heat at Delaware on September 3, winning by 13 ¾ lengths as the overwhelming favorite.

When asked about his feelings on the stakes win, Pimentel replied: “I was waiting for this one.”

*Around the track:

Yedsit Hazlewood, Maryland’s leading jockey in 2025, returned home with a riding triple. The teenage sensation, currently riding regularly in Kentucky, guided Sometime ($6.60) to victory in the fourth race for trainer Phil Capuano. He returned to the winner’s circle in race 7 aboard Honor Mags ($9.80) for trainer Mark Shuman, then closed out the day aboard Baru ($5) for trainer Jose Corrales.

Jorge Ruiz rode two turf winners on Saturday. Ruiz kicked down the leaders in the day’s opening contest on Meadowlark Drive for trainer Kathleen DeMasi. Ruiz was unseated before the fifth race by plucky 2-year-old Alborz ($8.20). He dusted himself off and weaved through traffic to win.

Live racing resumes Sunday with ten races. First post time is 12:00 pm, and there are two “Value Pick 5” wagers with a LOW 12% takeout.

The free “Laurel Park Handicapping Guide” is available on every race day. It provides picks, analysis, trainer stats, trip notes, horses to watch, track bias info, and more from The Maryland Jockey Club’s team of handicappers. Sunday’s guide is available. Click here to view it.

Oyster Fest returns to Laurel Park on Saturday, October 3. Join us for an afternoon of Chesapeake-region oysters, cold drinks, and live racing. Enjoy oysters from True Chesapeake, Choptank Oyster Company, Tom’s Cove Aqua Farms, and more. Admission is free. Reserve your spot here.

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.

The post Coast Highway Remains Unbeaten in Laurel Futurity first appeared on Maryland Jockey Club.

By Vinnie Perrone

LAUREL, MD–Mischief in Motion, acknowledged by her stable as slender and petite, effected a giant-size upset today in the $100,000 All Along Stakes at Laurel Park.

At 25-1, the highest price among six fillies and mares, Mischief in Motion advantaged a masterful ride by Angel Cruz and dazzled in the drizzle. A bit edgy in the starting gate, she more hopped than strode into the race but made the lead comfortably enough, broadened her advantage in midstretch and weathered late advances by Awesome Czech and Grayosh for a half-length victory.

Grayosh, the odds-on favorite from Chad Brown’s potent New York barn, finished three-quarters of a length behind the runner-up after breaking slowly and giving her rivals a head start.

Regarding Mischief in Motion, Cruz said, trainer Mike Trombetta offered no strategic guidance by phone, so the seasoned jockey leaned on experience. In his solitary trip aboard the filly, he acknowledged how well she’d relaxed as pacesetter the day she won her only stakes, Delaware Park’s Christiana, on another soft course 364 days earlier.

Cruz thus patterned his All Along game plan: “If they’re gonna give me the lead,” he said, “I’m gonna take it.”

That task likely became easier after Storm Miami, second program choice at 5-2, and Salty Senorita (20-1) were withdrawn; both had speed to influence the pace.

Shore War, another New York shipper from Amelia Green’s stable, posed an inside challenge the first time past the stands but yielded before the clubhouse turn. Under Jaime Rodriguez, Shore War took a stalking position, a length off the front-runner, into the backstretch.

As Mischief in Motion set quarter-mile fractions of 23.99 seconds, 49.65 and 1:14.87 on a spongy grass course, Jorge Ruiz advanced the gray Grayosh without asking too much of her. The slow-but-steady progress put the 4-5 favorite into striking position well through the far turn.

Mischief in Motion opened a four-length advantage soon into the homestretch and proceeded with purpose on her right lead. By then, Grayosh had overtaken Shore War for second and Awesome Czech tried to sustain a potent four-wide move into the lane. But she drifted in from Jose Lezcano’s right stick, briefly losing momentum before the jockey re-maneuvered her outside.

Second choice at 9-5, Awesome Czech edged ahead of Grayosh nine strides from the wire. The two converged on Mischief in Motion but ran out of room, the winner finishing nine furlongs in 1:51.43 on a turf course deemed good.

A 4-year-old bay with a crooked stripe along her nose, Mischief in Motion excited a $52 win mutuel with her fourth victory in 12 starts. The All Along marked her second start this year following an eight-month layoff.

Tana Aubrey, the longtime assistant trainer who runs Trombetta’s Laurel stable, said she welcomed Mischief in Motion from Fair Hill and directed her toward the All Along. She explained it like this: “We got her off the trailer this morning, we gave her a little walk, we gave her a snack, got her ready and brought her over.”

Aubrey said she hadn’t seen the filly in a while but recognized her narrow frame, adding, “She’s always been that way. She seems to be a bit of a hard keeper. I was lookin’ at her this morning and said, ‘Well, you haven’t changed. You’re still on the thin side.'”

Mischief in Motion fattened her earnings to $245,250 for Live Oak Plantation, which bought her as a yearling for $525,000. Her vaunted sire, Into Mischief, stands for $250,000 at Spendthrift Farm in Kentucky; her dam, the unraced Acrobatique (by Discreet Cat), produced six-figure earners Amusing Antics and Al Qahira.

The race’s namesake, All Along, in 1983 became the first foreign-based horse to earn U.S. Horse of the Year honors. The French-bred bay took the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, Rothman’s International, Turf Classic, and Washington, D.C., International in a 42-day span that year and retired after her 5-year-old season as the world’s foremost prize-winning mare. She entered the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in 1990.

*Darren Schweiger Tops Handicapping Challenge

Darren Schweiger finished first among 155 entrants today in Laurel Park’s Autumn Turf Festival Handicapping Challenge.

Schweiger gained a $5,600 payday (beyond parimutuel winnings) and the choice of a seat in the Breeders’ Cup Betting Challenge (worth $10,000) or the National Horseplayer Championship (worth $5,850 including travel and lodging).

Second-place Paul Buttafuoco earned $2,240 and third-place Brendan Fay $1,680, each also landing a spot in the BCBC or NHC. Michael Domabyl ($1,120) placed fourth and Mark Hagenbuch ($560) fifth.

Onsite and online horseplayers paid $500 for a tournament seat, which covered a $250 entry fee and $250 bankroll. Handicappers chose among win, place, show, exacta, and daily double wagers for Laurel Park’s 10 races, with a $50 per-race minimum.

The post Mischief in Motion Turns Devilish, Steals the All Along first appeared on Maryland Jockey Club.

One potential stumbling block remained. The 5-year-old gelding was in and among horses and was slightly hemmed in by the wide-rallying Otago.

“He usually gets that kind of trip,” said Next Level’s trainer, Hugh McMahon. “He’s all wrapped up [with] nowhere to go on that backstretch. I thought if that’s going to get him beat, then that’s probably going to get him beat today.”

Marquez had other plans. He let Otago clear to the lead turning into the stretch, shifted Next Level to the wide outside, and chirped to his mount.

Next Level responded.

He roared past Otago and stayed to his task, besting multiple stakes-winner Lure Him In by 1 ¾ lengths. Multiple stakes-winner Otago held third, a length behind the runner-up. Multiple stakes-placed Just a Fair Shake, multiple stakes-winner Pay Billy, Brindano, stakes-placed Union Fleet, and Brighty completed the order of finish.

Next Level completed the distance in 1:44.62 on the fast track and paid $8.80 as the second choice in the wagering. Crossland scratched.

“He’s a strong, powerful horse,” McMahon added. “[Charlie] did a good job of getting him out before the stretch, and used the entirety of the stretch to accomplish the win.”

Bred in Kentucky by White Fox Farm, Next Level is a 5-year-old gelding by Vino Rosso out of the stakes-placed Devious d’ Oro, by Medaglia d’ Oro. He sold for $20,000 as a yearling.

Originally trained by Keith Desormeaux, Next Level finished third in the Grade 1 Del Mar Futurity in 2023 and placed third in the Grade 3 Matt Winn Stakes the following year. Two months after the Matt Winn, Next Level finished second in the St. Louis Derby.

After that race, Next Level competed at various levels on different surfaces before being claimed for $25,000 by SAB Stables following a fourth-place finish on turf at Colonial Downs on July 12.

“That was my owner,” McMahon admitted. “He was looking. He saw him. I had a look. It wasn’t just apparent to us. There were quite a few people in the shake.”

Although Next Level’s best races have arguably come on dirt, Friday’s win was his first start on that surface this year, after six races on turf and synthetic.

“I was hoping he would be our two-other-than winter horse,” McMahon said. “It’s usually a smaller field, and it’s a nice race when that goes.”

*Around the track:

Jockey Jeiron Barbosa won two races on Friday’s card. He kept Celtic Harp ($11.20) close to the pace in the fifth race, and they wore down pacesetter Big Earn in the final furlong for trainer Hamilton Smith. Two races later, Barbosa eased Cybertime ($7.20) off the rail turning for home, and they engaged Bushido in a thrilling stretch drive. Anthony Farrior trains Cybertime.

Live racing resumes Saturday with ten races, including three stakes on turf. First post time is 12:00 pm, and there are two “Value Pick 5” wagers with a LOW 12% takeout. Read the stakes advances here.

The free “Laurel Park Handicapping Guide” is available on every race day. It provides picks, analysis, trainer stats, trip notes, horses to watch, track bias info, and more from The Maryland Jockey Club’s team of handicappers. Saturday’s guide is available. Click here to view it.

On Saturday, Laurel Park hosts the “Autumn Turf Festival” Handicapping Challenge, a hybrid on-site and online contest held at Laurel Park or via Xpressbet, TwinSpires, and TVG/4NJBETS. The entry fee is $500 ($250 entry fee, $250 live bankroll). Contest wagering is allowed on the full card of Laurel Park live races. Win, Place, Show, Exacta, and Daily Double wagers are permitted. For more information, visit here.

Join us at Laurel Park this Saturday for the “Craft Beer Festival.” Enjoy craft beer, excellent company, and top-tier racing from the Apron Tent Lounge. Talk with local brewers while exploring various tasting stations. Get your tickets here.

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.

The post Next Level Rallies Nicely in Friday Feature first appeared on Maryland Jockey Club.

LAUREL, MD—Trainer Keri Brion’s barn has become one of the more consistent outfits in the Mid-Atlantic region. Whether on the flat or over jumps, Brion regularly sends out winners.

That’s why it was surprising to learn that Brion, who has won 11 Grade 1 hurdles races, is still seeking her first stakes win on the flat.

“I’m really getting sick of being close. I’ve placed in plenty of stakes,” Brion said. “It sure would be nice to get that milestone out of the way.”

Brion sends out two live contenders in the $125,000 Selima Stakes for 2-year-old fillies at 1 1/16 miles on the Bowl Game Turf Course. The Selima joins the $125,000 Laurel Futurity for juveniles at 1 1/16 miles on the Exceller Turf Course and the $100,000 All Along Stakes for fillies and mares at 1 1/8 miles on the Exceller as the featured races on Saturday’s Autumn Turf Festival at Laurel Park.

There are ten races on Saturday’s card. Gates open at 11 am ET, and the first post time is at noon. Laurel Park offers two “Value Pick 5” wagers, each with a low 12% takeout.

In addition to high-quality racing, Laurel Park hosts the “Autumn Turf Festival” Handicapping Challenge, a hybrid on-site and online contest held at Laurel Park or via Xpressbet, TwinSpires, and TVG/4NJBETS. The entry fee is $500 ($250 entry fee, $250 live bankroll). Contest wagering is permitted on the full card of Laurel Park live races. Win, Place, Show, Exacta, and Daily Double wagers are allowed. For more information, visit here.

Laurel Park also hosts the “Craft Beer Festival.” Enjoy craft beer, great company, and top-tier racing from the Apron Tent Lounge. Chat with local brewers while exploring various tasting stations. Get your tickets here.

Brion will saddle Three Diamonds Farm’s Sea Isle City from post two, ridden by jockey Vincent Cheminaud, and Norman Lewis’s Millford Lass from post ten, ridden by jockey Jorge Ruiz.

Sea Isle City, a daughter of Jack Christopher, made her dirt debut at Saratoga on July 17. “She worked fine on the dirt early on, and we debuted her at Saratoga, and it was ok,” Brion said. “After she ran, we worked her back, and she worked so badly on the dirt that the next day we took her out on the grass. She breezed so much better.”

Sea Isle City finished second in her turf debut, a sprint at Saratoga on August 12, then graduated on September 7 over the undulating Kentucky Downs course at 6 ½ furlongs.

“She ran great at Saratoga, probably just ran into a nice filly of Chad Brown’s,” Brion analyzed. “It wasn’t by design for Kentucky Downs. She got on the also-eligible list at Saratoga the next time around. We changed plans, shipped her home to Fair Hill, galloped her up and down the hills for a couple of days, then shipped her out to Kentucky Downs, and she did the business.”

For a lightly raced filly, Sea Isle City has shown a ton of professionalism. “She’s a really mature filly,” Brion added. She’s always been pretty simple from Day One. [The Selima] is a little bit quicker back than I would normally like, but she came back from Kentucky Downs like she never even ran. We blew her out [Tuesday], and she was awesome.”

Brion isn’t concerned about the extra distance. “She acts like a filly that wants to go longer. [Flavien] Prat couldn’t pull her up [at Kentucky Downs]. [He] came back and said she’d go farther.”

Millford Lass is also stretching out in distance after two starts at Colonial. In her debut, the Galawi filly finished fourth. She rallied from off the pace to win her second start, a 5 ½-furlong restricted maiden special, on August 22.

“She’s a really nice filly, too,” Brion said. “You hate to run them against each other. I trained Lendalfoot, her full sister, so she’s bred all day long to go two turns. She ran great first time out. She had a really wide trip, chased the whole way, and just tired. Second time out, a much more patient ride and trip, and she just got up. She has really taken a step forward since her maiden win. She has figured out what racing is and has been training like it. This is what she’s bred to do. She’s a big filly, and there’s no question in my mind that she wants two turns.”

Trainer Brittany Russell also entered two fillies in the Selima. Repole Stable’s Dance to Glory drew post four and will be ridden by Jose Lezcano. Golden Lion Racing and Hidden Brook Farm’s Hidden Overture will start from post six under Julien Pimentel.

Dance to Glory, a $400,000 yearling by perennial leading sire Into Mischief, wired the field in her debut, an open maiden special weight race over one mile on turf at Colonial on July 31. She is a half-sister to stakes-winning turf router Fairchild.

Hidden Overture, a juvenile purchase costing $180,000, dominated four other opponents in an off-turf debut at Delaware Park. The horse went two turns and won by 13 ¾ lengths as the heavy favorite.

A half-sister to Grade 2-placed turf runner Bojaca Blessing, Hidden Overture is a daughter of Mendelssohn and is expected to be forwardly placed in the Selima.

Colts Neck Stable’s Maybe Gold is the 3-1 favorite on Horse Racing Nation’s morning line. A daughter of Medaglia d’Oro, Maybe Gold rallied to win her debut, a six-furlong maiden special weight race at Colonial on August 15. Emmanuel Esquivel will ride from post five.

“We’ve always thought very highly of her,” said trainer Jorge Duarte Jr. “She’s a beautiful filly. A lot of leg. I trained the mare. Being by Medaglia d’Oro, everything clicked from Day One. We got her started at Colonial. She did everything right. She got a little lost once she reached the front. She seemed to have plenty in the tank. The gallop-out was great. The Selima seems like a good stepping-stone for a two-turn race.”

Duarte is very pleased with Maybe Gold’s recent training. “She seems more engaged and has really learned from that race.”

Dede McGehee’s Cherokee Purple finished behind Dance to Glory at Colonial, then rallied to finish second in a maiden special weight race at Kentucky Downs. Kelsey Danner trains the Cairo Prince filly, who will start from post seven with Yedsit Hazlewood aboard.

Starlight Racing and Emcee Stable’s Homeawayfromhome successfully stretched out around two turns to win her maiden at Ellis Park on August 16. A $775,000 yearling by Nyquist, Homeawayfromhome is trained by Brendan Walsh and ridden by Mychel Sanchez. She breaks from post nine.

Stakes-placed Gypsy Lullaby and the speedy Sun Valley complete the field.

Cash Or Credit is expected to scratch.

The race honors Selima, a British-bred daughter of the Thoroughbred foundation stallion Godolphin Arabian. Foaled in 1745, Selima was imported to the Colony of Maryland in the mid-18th century. The bay mare won several important races and became a key foundation mare for the American Thoroughbred.

In 2019, Sharing parlayed a Selima victory into a win in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf at Santa Anita.

*New York shippers invade for Laurel Futurity

Speaking of Sharing, her younger half-brother was named the morning-line favorite at 9-5 in the Laurel Futurity.

Dahman’s Broadcast, by Into Mischief out of Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare heroine Shared Account, finished a close fourth in his debut, a maiden special weight race at Saratoga over 1 1/16 miles on turf on August 23.

“He’s a very straightforward, lovely colt,” said trainer Miguel Clement. “He was a bit unlucky on debut. He gained experience around two turns. If he had run a length faster, I’d probably be running in this stakes race or the Pilgrim [Grade 2 at Belmont on October 3].”

An $80,000 yearling purchase, Broadcast was bought for $250,000 in April. “He’s very well-bred. I thought it was very reasonable given his pedigree.”

Broadcast breaks from post four with jockey Mychel Sanchez.

Barry Schwartz’s Howard’s Hope also shipped down from New York. A son of Breeders’ Cup Mile winner Karakontie, Howard’s Hope rallied from well off the pace to win his debut, a two-turn maiden special weight race for statebreds on August 6.

“I thought he would need the race to give him a good experience, but everything he did entering the stretch to the wire was his determination,” said trainer Horacio De Paz. “In the mornings, he was very unassuming,” said trainer Horacio De Paz. “He worked like a turf horse; he’s a smaller, more refined horse. His workouts weren’t super-fast or anything, but he showed good energy doing it and galloping.”

De Paz had originally planned to run Howard’s Hope in Saratoga’s Grade 3 With Anticipation Stakes on September 5. “He did back off his feed a bit, so we skipped the With Anticipation. I wish we could have had another race in between, but winning first-time out, there aren’t many options. He won off the layoff, so I’m assuming he’s not one who needs racing to get him ready.”

Trainer Graham Motion conditioned Sharing, and he’s also trained two of the last seven winners of the Laurel Futurity, including the 2025 winner, Proton. This year, he saddles Amerman Racing’s Coast Highway, a debut winner at 5 ½ furlongs on the inner turf at Colonial on September 4. Jorge Ruiz rides Coast Highway from post seven.

Barak Farm’s Moneta Agenda stretches out over two turns for the first time after upsetting the restricted Jamestown Stakes at Colonial Downs on August 29. Yedsit Hazlewood rides from post four, and Jose Corrales trains.

Anthony Fontana’s Perfect Dream won his turf debut around two turns at Monmouth on August 15, then finished last of three in the With Anticipation. A tactical son of Corniche, Perfect Dream earned a respectable Beyer Speed Figure in that race. Jorge Delgado trains, and Chantal Sutherland guides from post six.

Wachtel Stable and Team Penney Racing’s Fullcup makes his turf debut in the Laurel Futurity for trainer Riley Mott. A debut winner on wet dirt at Saratoga, Fullcup then finished third in the Funny Cide Stakes, also for statebreds. Although his dam, Flipcup, specialized in synthetic races, she earned multiple stakes placings on the turf at longer distances. Jaime Rodriguez and Fullcup should show speed from post two.

Bishop Moon and Fire Marshal, both maidens, also entered the Laurel Futurity.

The Laurel Futurity has been run at various distances on different surfaces throughout its rich history. Past winners include legendary horses such as Count Fleet, Citation, Secretariat, Affirmed, Spectacular Bid, and Barbaro.

*Grayosh, Awesome Czech contenders in All Along Stakes

Trainer Chad Brown’s wide-ranging turf empire extends to Laurel Park, and Flanagan Racing’s Grayosh is listed as the 2-1 morning-line favorite in the All Along Stakes.

A gray mare by Yoshida, Grayosh is a multiple graded stakes winner who is dropping in class following a fourth-place finish in Saratoga’s Grade 3 Ballston Spa Stakes on August 22.

Jorge Ruiz, known for his expertise with turf horses, rides Grayosh from the outside post in an eight-horse field.

Schwartz and De Paz counter with Awesome Czech, a multiple-stakes-winning New York-bred who finished a troubled fourth while defending her title in Saratoga’s Yaddo Stakes on August 30.

“There was a horse in that race known for lugging out, and Ricardo [Santana Jr.] was sitting behind her,” De Paz said. “On the last turn, that horse started to lug out. He decided to stay inside, but they were able to overcorrect that horse and drop in. Ricardo had already committed and had nowhere to go. She was still coming with a good, strong run at the end, but didn’t get to run for a sixteenth of a mile.”

Jockey Jose Lezcano pilots Awesome Czech from post five.

Trainer Amelia Green entered two mares owned by EGL-One Racing. On Wednesday morning, she said Storm Miami might scratch from the All Along to run at Belmont instead, but she will monitor the weather before deciding.

Shore War, a gate-to-wire winner of a first-level allowance here on June 28, recently finished third in a second-level event at Saratoga on August 5.

“That was the thought for bringing her back for this stake,” Green said about the local victory. “Obviously, a win on the course goes a long way, and I think she fits in the race.”

Owner Eric Rizer and trainer Robbie Bailes teamed up to win last week’s Weather Vane Stakes with Slewperstitus. They’ll try to repeat the feat with Nick’s Notion, who has won two of her last three starts and excels on wet turf.

Stakes-winning Mischief in Motion, stakes-placed Salty Senorita, and allowance-winning So Darn Pretty should show early speed.

All Along was named Horse of the Year in both the U.S. and France in 1983 after a campaign in which she won four Grade/Group 1 races in 42 days. Bred and owned by Daniel Wildenstein, All Along became the first foreign-based horse to be named Horse of the Year in the U.S. She was also the first mare honored since Moccasin in 1965. She was inducted into Racing’s Hall of Fame in 1990.

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