Trained by Graham Motion for Team Valor International, Unwavering Monarch trailed as the field passed the stands the first time.

Meanwhile, Gripen grabbed the bit and sped to an uncontested early lead, covering the first quarter mile in 23.97 seconds. Her jockey, Taylor Kingsley, eased the pace to a 49.11 half-mile clocking, and they held a short lead over Let’s Dance Again after six furlongs in 1:13.97.

Let’s Dance Again surged to the front at the three-sixteenths pole, but Rodriguez had Unwavering Monarch in full flight. They had crept closer to the leaders through the slow second quarter, made a five-wide bid into the stretch, and passed Let’s Dance Again to prevail by three-quarters of a length in 1:43.79 on good turf.

Miss Picky finished third, just a length behind Let’s Dance Again. The remaining positions were taken by Cozy Rosie, Sleepwalker, Finch, Gripen, Devastating, Fire’s Out, and Buzzaway.

Unwavering Monarch paid $9.20 as the second choice in the betting market. She was Rodriguez’s second winner of the day after On the Level’s open-lengths victory in the fourth race.

“I thought she might want to go a little further,” Motion said. “But she actually had a pretty good turn of foot. I think a little cut in the grass helped her today.”

Unwavering Monarch, a 4-year-old filly by Wootton Bassett, is out of Vadsariya, a stakes-placed mare by Exceed and Excel. Her second dam was also stakes-placed on turf in France, and this is the female family of French champion Valtyra.

Bred in France by S.A.R.L. de Chambure Haras d’Etreham, S.A.R.L. Riviera Equine, and partners, Unwavering Monarch sold for $115,949 as a weanling, was bought for $326,184 as a yearling, and was purchased for $57,090 last year as an unraced 3-year-old.

Originally trained by Andrew Slattery in Ireland, Unwavering Monarch made her career debut in a one-mile maiden race on yielding ground, rallying from off the pace to post a 40-1 upset.

After that race, Team Valor acquired Unwavering Monarch, and the filly competed in two tough stakes races at 1 ¼ miles in France. She recorded her first workout for Motion at Fair Hill on August 1.

“Barry [Irwin, Founder and CEO of Team Valor] wanted to keep it simple the first time over here,” Motion said about choosing this allowance race for Unwavering Monarch’s first start in the United States. “She’s a little keen in the morning, but she’s handled [everything very well]. I think she’ll go a little further. I really do. I think it’s what she wants, actually. I think she’s just better than these horses.”

Motion noted that Unwavering Monarch may opt for a second-level allowance in her next race.

*Around the track:

Trainer Jamie Ness achieved a natural double on Sunday’s card. He teamed with jockey Jaime Rodriguez to win the fourth race with On the Level ($3), then came right back to win the fifth with Metallican ($6.20), ridden by Carlos Lopez.

Jockey Angel Cruz rode two winners. Kissedbyanangel ($6.80) wired the field in the seventh race for trainer Joanne Shankle, while Change My World ($11.80) rallied from last to win the ninth for trainer Mary Eppler.

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 provides picks, analysis, trainer stats, trip notes, horses to watch, track bias info, and more from The Maryland Jockey Club’s team of handicappers. Friday’s guide is available Thursday evening. 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 Unwavering Monarch Reigns in Sunday Co-Feature first appeared on Maryland Jockey Club.

LAUREL, MD—Slewperstitus didn’t need a rabbit’s foot, a four-leaf clover, or any other lucky talisman on Saturday at Laurel Park.

Ridden confidently throughout by jockey Jevian Toledo, the Maryland-bred burst to the front turning into the stretch and successfully defended her home turf in the $100,000 Weather Vane Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at six furlongs.

Toledo gave Slewerpstitus a few strides to find her footing, then sent her up to track the pace while she was three wide and in the second flight of runners.

Just Philtored and Embrace the Moment battled for the lead through the opening quarter in 22.84 seconds, but Slewpersitus loomed directly outside them after a half-mile clocking of 45.99.

As Slewperstitus traveled sweetly, Toledo took a long look back, realizing that Just Philtored and Embrace the Moment were his for the taking.

With ears pricked, Slewperstitus grabbed the lead at the three-sixteenths pole and lengthened her stride. She held firm through the stretch, beating the Brad Cox-trained, rail-skimming favorite Sneaky Good by 2 ¼ lengths in 1:10.87 on the fast main track.

Kentucky shipper French Friction rallied belatedly to finish third. Then came Embrace the Moment, Just Philtored, Late Night Text, and For the Ladies. Celtic Harp scratched out.

The third choice in the betting, Slewperstitus, paid $9.20 to win. It marked Toledo’s second victory on the program.

“She broke good,” Toledo said. “I knew [Embrace the Moment] was going to go. My filly got into the clear, and she just dragged me. The whole way, she was there for me. She’s a nice filly. She always tries.”

Bred by Nancy and Eric Rizer and owned by Eric Rizer, Slewperstitus has been masterfully trained by Robbie Bailes, hitting the board in all 12 starts, including a win in last year’s Maryland Million Lassie Stakes and six stakes placings.

Slewperstitus finished second in all three starts at Colonial Downs this summer, including a second-level allowance on August 27, her final start before the Weather Vane.

“She runs so hard,” Bailes said admiringly. “She deserved to win a couple of those races. She just hooked a couple of monsters. She had a really good workout the other day and put us where we needed to be. Toledo did a great job. He did everything right.”

Slewperstitus is by Great Notion, out of Slew of Bullets, a stakes-placed daughter of Slew City Slew.

“She’s really wonderful,” said Nancy Rizer, who foaled Slewperstitus. “She’s just like her mother. She’s third generation on our farm. She’s fabulous. I’m so proud of her.”

Bailes said Slewperstitus is likely to next compete in the $100,000 Maryland Million Distaff Stakes at seven furlongs at Laurel on October 24.

*Around the track:

Trainer Hugh McMahon, who won two races last Sunday, captured two more on Saturday’s card. He saddled Biker Baley ($3.80), Toledo’s first winner this afternoon, to a dominant victory in the fourth race, then took the finale with Boujee Bubblez ($7) and jockey Charlie Marquez.

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

Come out to Laurel Park on Sunday for “Family Day at Laurel Park.” From 8 am to 10 am ET, enjoy the “Morning Workout Show.” Meet Laurel Park’s trainers and jockeys, take photos in the winner’s circle, watch morning workouts, enjoy a complimentary sausage biscuit and a pancake station for kids, and learn more about the daily life of a thoroughbred. Then, from 11 am to 5 pm, enjoy exciting live racing and events for fans of all ages. Watch pony races, featuring young riders from local pony clubs, and enjoy a petting zoo, bounce house, face painting, and more. Admission is free. Register today 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 Slewperstitus Sensational in Weather Vane Stakes first appeared on Maryland Jockey Club.

In Friday’s co-featured eighth race at Laurel Park, a $48,000 allowance for Maryland-bred or -sired 3-year-olds and up at 5 ½ furlongs on the All Along Turf Course, Supercruiser delivered a carbon-copy performance, this time storming home on the outside to narrowly edge out Brightshininglight.

A 3-year-old gelded son of Great Notion, Supercruiser didn’t break the best, but Sheldon Russell allowed him to settle, and he relaxed three paths off the rail while racing in midpack.

Meanwhile, Matthew’s Ticket and Brightshininglight sparred for the early lead through an opening quarter in 22.89 seconds. Brightshininglight emerged from that skirmish with a short lead under jockey Tais Lyapustina and looked strong through the final furlong.

Sheldon Russell got down to business with Supercruiser, and the robust runner finally kicked it into gear, prevailing by a head in 1:03.03 on good going.

Brightshininglight was a valiant runner-up, half a length ahead of Matthew’s Ticket. Enduring Gold, Rye Diggitydog, Big Bolton, and Virginia Fitz completed the order. Paul’s Guitar scratched.

Favored in his second start, Supercruiser paid $4.80 to win.

Bred by Bowman and Higgins Stable, Supercruiser is out of Fly Girl, a stakes-placed dirt sprinter by Jump Start. He was bought for $35,000 as a yearling and sold for $180,000 last February.

Supercruiser is owned by Michael Golden’s Golden Lion Racing, Mrs. Ellen Charles’s Hillwood Stable, and Cary Frommer.

“I know they all got excited when they bought him,” Sheldon Russell said. “He had a few baby issues along the way and never made it to the races as a 2-year-old. We took him to Colonial, and he was working well. I knew Brittany was excited.”

Sent off at 6-1 at Colonial, Supercruiser broke slowly, saved ground behind horses, then uncorked an eye-catching kick to drive past the leaders. Sheldon Russell was suitably impressed.

“He sort of balked coming out of the gates,” he said about the debut try. “I put him in behind, and it looked like he was just going to follow them around. The good horses, when you call on them, respond. He surprised me by catching that horse the first time.”

Russell noticed the maturity Supercruiser displayed this afternoon.

“He learned a lot,” he stated. “He broke better. I had a great post. I always felt he was going well the whole way. He was really eager. It was good because he always had something to focus on. He’s done nothing wrong, and I feel like he’ll keep getting better and better with more races, and when he’s put in different situations. I liked what I felt.”

Supercruiser has earned $70,800.

*Around the track:

At M&T Bank Stadium on September 10, Brittany Russell was honored by the Baltimore Business Journal as one of the 2026 “40 Under 40” winners. The awards highlight 40 exceptional young professionals in the Greater Baltimore business community.

Jockey Jaime Rodriguez won two races on Friday’s card. Rodriguez was a patient pilot aboard Crab Mentality ($3.80), who rallied from far off the pace to win the sixth race for trainer Keri Brion. Rodriguez also captured the nightcap, riding Brikeli ($19.20) to a gate-to-wire win for trainer Kyle Horlacher.

Apprentice rider Leandro Briceno also secured two wins. Robert’s Moon ($5.20) won the seventh race for trainer John Salzman Jr., and Great Quality ($11.40) dominated the co-featured ninth for trainer Gary Capuano.

Live racing resumes Saturday with ten races, including the $100,000 Weather Vane Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at six furlongs. Two “Value Pick 5” wagers feature a LOW 12% takeout. First post time is 12:00 pm. Read the Weather Vane Stakes advance 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.

Come out to Laurel Park on Sunday for “Family Day at Laurel Park.” From 8 am to 10 am ET, enjoy the “Morning Workout Show.” Meet Laurel Park’s trainers and jockeys, take photos in the winner’s circle, watch morning workouts, enjoy a complimentary sausage biscuit and a pancake station for kids, and learn more about the daily life of a thoroughbred. Then, from 11 am to 5 pm, enjoy exciting live racing and events for fans of all ages. Watch pony races, featuring young riders from local pony clubs, and enjoy a petting zoo, bounce house, face painting, and more. Admission is free. Register today here.

Reserve your spot for our weekly “Bubbly Brunch Sundays.” Relax with friends over delicious brunch favorites and bottomless mimosas at our vibrant Stone Bar Restaurant and Bar. Sunday Brunch begins at 11:00 am ET. Learn more 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 Supercruiser Kicks Home Strong in Friday Co-Feature first appeared on Maryland Jockey Club.

LAUREL, MD—Horse Racing Nation installed NK Racing and LNJ Foxwoods’ Sneaky Good as the 2-1 morning-line favorite in the $100,000 Weather Vane Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at six furlongs on Saturday at Laurel Park.

The Weather Vane is the ninth race on a 10-race card. The first post time is 12 pm ET, and there are two “Value Pick 5” wagers, each with a low 12% takeout.

Trained by Brad Cox, Sneaky Good won both of her starts last year, including the Sandpiper Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs. Since then, the daughter of perennial leading stallion Into Mischief has competed exclusively in stakes races and has placed in three graded stakes.

In her most recent start, the Grade 3 Victory Ride Stakes at Saratoga on July 10, Sneaky Good stumbled at the start but rallied to finish fourth.

Sneaky Good’s family is very familiar with success at Laurel Park. Her dam, Gale, by Tonalist, won the Geisha Stakes for Maryland-breds in 2021.

Jaime Rodriguez rides Sneaky Good from post 4.

D. J. Stable’s French Friction ships up from her Kentucky base for trainer Mark Casse. The speedy daughter of City of Light won her first two races by a combined 11 ¾ lengths before finishing off the board in two tough graded stakes.

The stakes-winner returned from a three-month layoff to finish second in a high-level allowance race on turf at Ellis Park on August 8. Sheldon Russell will pilot French Friction, the potential controlling speed, from the inside post position. She was listed at 7-2 on the morning line.

Eric Rizer’s Slewperstitus, last year’s Maryland Million Lassie winner, defends her home turf for trainer Robbie Bailes. The Great Notion filly has never finished off the board in 11 career starts and exits a runner-up effort in a second-level allowance at Colonial Downs on August 27. Jevian Toledo rides Slewperstitus, 5-2 on the morning line, from post 6.

Red White and Blue Racing and London Reid Thoroughbreds’ Just Philtored has been in a career-long rivalry with Slewpertitus, and they’ll clash again in the Weather Vane.

Also by Great Notion, Just Philtored secured three stakes wins last year, notably the Maryland Juvenile Filly Stakes at Laurel on December 6. Her latest race was a restricted turf handicap against older horses at Colonial Downs on August 29, where she finished fourth.

“We were hoping for a little better than what we got out of her that day,” said trainer Michael Trombetta. “I’ve always gone back and forth, trying to figure out whether she’s better on the turf or on the dirt. But now that I’ve had a few more opportunities on each, I’m pretty much leaning toward the idea that she’s maybe just a tick more competitive on the dirt than on the turf.”

Trombetta is happy to have another chance to race against fellow 3-year-olds. “They’re getting slim,” he said. “We’re going to be running out of those here real shortly. She needs to get a little bit better. She did so well at two. She’s right in the ballpark. Her race before last [third in the restricted Miss Disco Stakes] was a solid race. She was just a little unlucky not to be half a length better.”

Jorge Ruiz rides Just Philtored for the first time. She drew post 2 and is 10-1 on the morning line.

Nazario Racing Stable and Heart’s Desire Farm’s For the Ladies has won her last three starts, including a breakthrough performance in Timonium’s Shine Again Stakes three weeks ago.

Rallying from off the pace in the Shine Again under jockey Raul Mena, For the Ladies gave her trainer, Pedro Nazario, his first stakes win.

“Raul and I had a plan,” Nazario said in the winner’s circle after the Shine Again. “There was a lot of speed in the race, so we tried to relax her and make a run, and it worked out perfectly.”

For the Ladies was claimed for $25,000 following a win at Delaware Park on July 25. “She came out of that race really good,” Nazario said. “We brought her back three weeks later in a starter allowance, and she got it done. She was bouncing out of that race.”

Mena retains the mount from post 5 at 15-1 on the line.

Mag Racing Stable’s Embrace the Moment won wire-to-wire in a second-level allowance at Timonium on August 30.

“I think it’s not necessarily the front, but [you have] to let her do her thing,” said trainer Greg Compton about Embrace the Moment’s running style. “I like that she’s on the outside. She can break and let everything settle inside her. She’s a big, leggy filly. She covers a lot of ground and has a huge stride.”

A debut winner at Delaware last year, Embrace the Moment then finished sixth in a field of seven in the Grade 3 Pocahontas Stakes at Churchill Downs.

“She ended up with a tiny chip in her ankle, and we gave her plenty of time off,” Compton said. “Ever since she came back, she has been firing on all cylinders. She’s a really nice filly and easy to train.”

Vincent Cheminaud rides Embrace the Moment from post 8. The horse was listed at 4-1 on the morning line.

Stakes-placed Late Night Text and Celtic Harp complete the field.

The Weather Vane is named after the Maryland-bred mare who won 17 races and $724,532 in purses from 1996 to 1998. Weather Vane recorded 14 stakes victories, including the Grade 3 Safely Kept in 1997. She capped her career by being named the Maryland-bred champion older female of 1998.

The post Sneaky Good 2-1 Morning Line Favorite in Weather Vane Stakes first appeared on Maryland Jockey Club.

LAUREL, MD—Laurel Park hosts a special Family Day on Sunday, September 20.

The two-part program begins with “The Morning Workout Show,” which runs from 8 to 10 am ET. Admission is free. The first 200 guests will receive a complimentary sausage biscuit. All visitors can enjoy fresh coffee and a pancake station for kids. The Trackside Grill Breakfast Bar will also be open, offering additional breakfast options.

Meet some of Laurel Park’s jockeys, collect their autographs, watch horses train on the racetrack, and learn about the daily life of a Thoroughbred racehorse. Kids of all ages can get up close to a Thoroughbred in the paddock, see John Deere tractors prepare the track, and tour the winner’s circle.

Family Day continues at 11 am ET with a full schedule of exciting events.

Root for our future jockeys as kids compete in special pony races. Live racing begins at 12 noon ET with a ten-race card. Throughout the day, kids can enjoy a petting zoo, a bounce house, face painting, and more.

Reserve your spot for Family Day at Laurel Park here.

The post Laurel Park Hosts Family Day Sunday first appeared on Maryland Jockey Club.

The late-morning sunshine bathed the barn in happiness and a peaceful glow. As I walked through the side door, I took in the soft sounds of happy horses. As I crossed the walkway between flourishing vegetable gardens, I met an old friend.

Rigoberto is a quiet man who has worked with horses for more than 30 years. He grew up on a farm with horses and helped with the farm’s agricultural needs. Being around them sparked a younger Rigoberto’s interest and helped him find his passion for caring for, riding, and training horses.

He was the second-oldest among five siblings.

“I went to school all the way through secondary school,” he said. “But my mind was always on the horses.” Of his five siblings, three went on to work in the horse-racing industry.

Rigoberto has groomed horses in many states, and now he’s in Maryland. “I have worked in this barn for about ten years with Phillip Capuano,” he said, smiling. “I like it here. I like the horses.”

As I took in the atmosphere of his shed row, I found it clean, tidy, and calm. I asked Rigoberto about his favorite horse. Without hesitation, he replied, “All of them are my favorite.”

He looked at his row of stalls and said slowly, “From the past, Sleepy Potion. He was very pretty, a chestnut. He was a decent racehorse. I really liked how relaxed he was and how easy he was to work with. I have worked with lots and lots of horses. I remember most of them.”

I had to ask about his quiet and relaxed demeanor.

“Did you ever want to do other things with the horses? Train or ride?”

“I’m very happy grooming the horses,” he replied. “That’s what I wanted to do. I’m very content. When I’m not working, I like to garden, do some farm work, and spend time with my family.”

Many days, you can find Rigoberto working in and around the barn. It’s the consistency and patience he exudes that have kept him on good horses and in good barns. His enjoyment of the horses and his help for the younger generations coming up are things the industry can never appreciate enough.

About the Author:
As a jockey, Emily Fewster rode winners at Colonial Downs, Evangeline Downs, Fair Grounds, Laurel Park, Meadowlands, Pimlico, Timonium, and Yavapai Downs. She actively supports Thoroughbred Aftercare and OTTB promotion. She now works as an equine appraiser, an exercise rider at Laurel Park, and contributes to TMJC broadcasts as a handicapper and paddock analyst.

The post Catching Up: Rigoberto first appeared on Maryland Jockey Club.

LAUREL, MD—Where’s Ray was the last starter for trainer Tim Salzman, who passed away on February 7 at age 54 after a long battle with cancer.

“I’m so grateful for this horse,” said his widow, Megan Salzman, after Where’s Ray was placed first via disqualification in a second-level allowance at Laurel Park on April 12. “This was one of the last ones he picked out, and he loved this horse. He always had so much faith in this horse.”

Megan Salzman soon kept the family tradition alive by obtaining her trainer’s license, and Where’s Ray became her first winner, getting his nose down right on the wire in Sunday’s sixth race, a Ratings-Optional Claimer for 3-year-olds and upward at 5 ½ furlongs over the Fort Marcy Turf Course.

It was Megan Salzman’s ninth career start after she took over Where’s Ray’s training from her brother-in-law, John Salzman Jr.

“I wish so much I could be there. It’s my niece’s wedding,” Megan Salzman said by phone after Where’s Ray’s dramatic victory. “It’s Timmy and my anniversary today. For my first win to come like this, it’s just unreal. [Where’s Ray] is so, so special. What a game horse!”

In Megan’s absence, John Salzman Jr. once again saddled Where’s Ray. “He lost a front shoe, too,” Salzman Jr. marveled as he watched the replay on the infield tote board.

Tim Salzman began his training career in 2003, winning with his only starter that year. Over his career, he secured 425 wins and earned a total of $10,259,438.

Among his best runners were Bsharpsonata, a multiple Grade 2 winner, and Sensible Lady, a six-time stakes winner. Sensible Lady is honored annually at Laurel Park through the Sensible Lady Turf Dash Stakes. Gift of Gab captured the 2026 edition of the Sensible Lady Turf Dash, held yesterday afternoon.

Where’s Ray is a 6-year-old gelding by Mshawish, out of Edgehill Road by Old Forester. Bred in Kentucky by Susan Moulton, Where’s Ray was purchased for $10,000 as a short yearling. He’s won 8 of 29 races and earned $254,250.

*Trainer Bobby Leaf III earns first victory

Perseverance paid off for trainer Bobby Leaf III in Sunday’s second race at Laurel Park, when the 32-year-old saddled his first winner after 25 previous attempts.

“I tried to get my trainer’s license three years ago, but I failed,” Leaf said in the winner’s circle after Fan Club’s stalk-and-pounce victory with jockey Warren Ebow III.

Leaf said he procrastinated on the application process, but he passed the exam in March.

“I’m a farrier,” said Leaf. “That’s what I do as a full-time job, but I’ve always loved horses, and it snowballed into some clients and some people sending me some horses, and now I’m just taking it a little more seriously.”

Leaf’s father, Robert Leaf Jr., is also a trainer in Maryland. “Me and my dad are a team. He was [Fan Club’s] trainer until March, and now I’m the trainer.”

In addition to the 13 horses he has in training, Leaf also owns mares, yearlings, re-homed horses, and retired horses on his farm. “This win really helps take care of all of them. Fan Club is taking care of the whole barn,” Leaf exclaimed.

Fan Club is an 8-year-old gelding by Street Sense, out of Secret Return by Put It Back. Leaf claimed him for $12,500 after a runner-up effort at Laurel on February 28.

“When I claimed him, I didn’t even know he was 8 years old,” Leaf admitted. “I just saw how much heart he had, and he tried every time. I didn’t really care about the rest of the information about him. And I liked that he was by Street Sense. I like going by good sires.”

Fan Club finished second in his first start for Leaf, then sixth of eight in a $20,000 claimer on turf on April 25. After a freshening, the bay just missed in an $8,000 at Timonium on August 29.

“I gave him some time off because he had some wear and tear,” Leaf said about the layoff. “He had four months on the farm, and he spruced right back up. He’s been perfect. I love him.”

Leaf had immense confidence in Fan Club this afternoon. “I knew [he] was gonna pull it off for us and give me my first win because he’s all heart.”

Fan Club, a $325,000 yearling purchase in 2019, has won 8 of 40 starts for $326,464. He was claimed for $7,500 by trainer Mike Geralis, but Leaf said he’ll continue to keep an eye on his first winner.

*Quint’s Brew possible for Maryland Million Sprint

Trainer Ned Allard provided an update on multiple stakes-winner Quint’s Brew, who was scratched from Friday’s New Castle Handicap at Delaware.

“The day before his race, when we came into the barn that morning, he was hiding in the back of his stall,” Allard said after saddling Alogon to win Saturday’s $100,000 Laurel Dash. “He’s a very animated horse. The vet was there five minutes after that. We brought him out, put the foot testers on him, and he had a tremendous amount of pulse on the outside heel. He was really lame.”

Allard felt like Quint’s Brew dodged a bullet.

“The blacksmith came in and took off a quarter of the outside, and it exploded,” he explained. “He had a pus pocket that just popped right out. [Friday], he walked sound enough to run, but was still a little off at the jog. [Saturday], he’s perfect, so I think maybe the Maryland Million for his next start.”

Bred in Maryland by Paul Berube, Karen Linnell, and Spinnaker Hill Farm, Quint’s Brew, a 5-year-old gelding by Mosler, is owned by Berube, Linnell, and Heather Hunter.

Quint’s Brew won four of his first five starts, including the Jennings Stakes and the General George Stakes at Laurel Park. He then placed in two graded stakes in New York before closing out his 2025 campaign with a second-place finish in Laurel’s restricted Howard and Sondra Bender Memorial Stakes.

Quint’s Brew successfully defended his Jennings title in his first start of the year and added three more stakes wins during the spring. He finished second in his most recent start, Monmouth’s Mr. Prospector Stakes on July 17.

Quint’s Brew has won 8 of 15 starts and has $326,460 in career earnings.

“He’s been [healthy] all year,” Allard said. “Surprisingly so. Sooner or later, you know there’s going to be a bump in the road, and it looks like this is one he can get over right away.”

*Around the track:

Trainer Jamie Ness and jockey Jaime Rodriguez teamed up to win two races. Reckless ($4) won with a pace-prompting trip in the third race, and Our Notion ($4.20) wired the field in the eighth.

Rodriguez notched his third win in the week’s final race. Kool Kay ($99.60) exploded from off the pace to pull off a huge upset for trainer Alisa Sarson.

Trainer Hugh McMahon also had a two-win Sunday, scoring with maiden-breakers Pippin the Warrior ($18.40) in the fifth race and with first-time starter Monster Mitch ($17.80) in the seventh. Mychel Sanchez was aboard Pippin the Warrior, and Tais Lyapustina rode Monster Mitch.

Live racing resumes Friday with ten races. Two “Value Pick 5” wagers feature a LOW 12% takeout rate. There is a $19,634 CARRYOVER into Friday’s late “Value Pick 5” (races 6-10). The first post time is 12:00 pm.

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. Friday’s guide is available Thursday evening. Click here to view it.

Reserve your spot for our weekly “Bubbly Brunch Sundays.” Relax with friends over delicious brunch favorites and bottomless mimosas at our vibrant Stone Bar Restaurant and Bar. Sunday Brunch begins at 11:00 am ET. Learn more here.

Come out to Laurel Park on Sunday, September 20, for “Family Day at Laurel Park.” From 8 am to 10 am ET, enjoy the “Morning Workout Show.” Meet Laurel Park’s trainers and jockeys, take photos in the winner’s circle, watch morning workouts, enjoy a complimentary sausage biscuit and a pancake station for kids, and learn more about the daily life of a thoroughbred. Then, from 11 am to 5 pm, enjoy exciting live racing and events for fans of all ages. Watch pony races, featuring young riders from local pony clubs, and enjoy a petting zoo, bounce house, face painting, and more. Admission is free. Register today 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 First winner for trainer Megan Salzman first appeared on Maryland Jockey Club.

LAUREL, MD—Alogon received a lovely, pace-tracking, ground-saving ride from jockey Forest Boyce, slipped through the inside in the stretch, and gamely passed favored pacesetter Victory Achieved to win Saturday’s $100,000 Laurel Dash for 3-year-olds and up.

The Laurel Dash and the $100,000 Sensible Lady Turf Dash for fillies and mares were both run at six furlongs on the Fort Marcy Turf Course and served as the featured races on a special “First Responders Day” at Laurel Park. A ceremony honoring firefighters, police officers, EMS workers, and all first responders took place in the Laurel Park winner’s circle.

Earlier this week, trainer Ned Allard expressed confidence that Alogon would bounce back from his seventh-place finish in last month’s Van Clief Stakes at Colonial Downs.

“His first start this year [fourth in Monmouth’s Get Serious Stakes on June 21], he stumbled badly and almost lost the rider,” Allard said. “Then he got back in gear. He hadn’t run in eight months. I think he might have even needed one. He needed a perfect trip, but he didn’t get it.”

Allard also felt that Alogon didn’t get the best trip in the Van Clief, but Boyce needed only a little more than a minute to rectify the situation.

Alogon rode the pocket directly behind Victory Achieved through a moderate opening quarter in 24.24 seconds, then summoned his class to prevail by three-quarters of a length in 1:09.09 on good going.

“The horse broke great today,” Boyce said. “That day at Monmouth, he fell on his face and kind of blew the whole thing. Today, he broke sharp and was right there. We had the perfect trip. I was a little worried about having to drive him up inside [Victory Achieved]. You don’t ever really want to do that, but there was nowhere else to go. He hesitated for a second, but then he went in there.”

Victory Achieved tried hard but was second best, three-quarters of a length ahead of Senbei. Witty, Card Trick, Isivunguvungu, and Bold Diversion followed.

Alogon returned $14.60 as the fifth choice.

Ned Allard has trained several generations of Alogon’s family. In fact, Allard saddled Shananie, the sire of Alogon’s third dam, to win the Grade 3 Sport Page Handicap at Aqueduct in 1985.

“They can all run,” Allard said when asked whether the family shared any genetic traits.

Allard has won more than 2,800 races in his career, and Boyce has nothing but praise for the affable 80-year-old.

“I love him,” said Boyce. “It’s like riding for [the late] Dickie [Small]. He, Dickie, and Shug [McGaughey] are all such great horsemen.”

Alogon, a 7-year-old homebred son of Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes winner California Chrome, is owned by Charles Matses. He made his first two starts for trainer Dan Peitz before being sent to Allard.

Starting with a $25,000 maiden claiming win at Meadowlands in 2022, Allard’s Alogon has secured eight wins in 27 starts, including the Grade 3 Belmont Turf Sprint at Aqueduct last fall. The gelding has earned $699,999.

Allard is considering another run in the Belmont Turf Sprint, which is being held this year at the new Belmont Park on September 27.

“It’s a little bit quick back, but he’s only had three starts this year,” Allard said. “He’s a very fresh horse. It’s funny. Every year, it’s almost as if he comes alive [in the fall].”

*Gift of Gab gives Stettinius her first stakes win

Gift of Gab’s late-running victory in the $100,000 Sensible Lady Turf Dash for fillies and mares at six furlongs on the Fort Marcy Turf Course marked the start of a series of firsts.

It was the mare’s first stakes win after 33 previous starts.

Trainer Suzanne Stettinius achieved her first stakes win.

It was the first two-win day of Stettinius’ career, following Brewmaster’s last-to-first victory in the opening race of the Saturday program.

“I was hoping for a top-three finish,” Stettinius said about Gift of Gab. “When she came out wide and started flying past them, I can’t even explain that feeling.”

Stettinius, 38, represented the United States in the modern pentathlon at the 2012 Summer Olympics. Seven years later, she began her training career, and her barn has steadily grown in prominence.

With career highs in wins and earnings, Stettinius is enjoying her best year to date. She excels with turf horses and has guided Gift of Gab from a $12,500 claiming win in the mare’s final start of 2025 to the Sensible Lady Turf Dash winner’s trophy.

Gift of Gab warmed up vigorously under jockey Jorge Ruiz and settled back to last along the inside as Le Amazonia set a pressured pace with long shot Come to Mama. The 23.06 opening quarter wasn’t blazing, but Ruiz seemed very comfortable in his position, and Gift of Gab traveled sweetly into the long stretch.

Ruiz angled Gift of Gab to the outside for a clear seam at the midway point of the long stretch, then stormed home to win by three-quarters of a length over Somnium. Come to Mama stayed on well for third, half a length behind the runner-up. Les Reys, Le Amazonia, Secure’s Hope, favored Gerrards Cross, and Minty completed the order of finish.

“I think she’s really turning into a late-closing sprinter,” Stettinius stated. “[I was worried] that she was too far back and that these horses were too good for her to run them down. [Ruiz] looked like he had so much confidence in her around the turn, and he was sitting and sitting. She swung out and ran. It was really cool.”

Gift of Gab, the sixth choice, paid $24.40 to win.

“It looked like there was a lot of speed in the race,” said Ruiz, who rode two winners on the card. “Passing the quarter pole, I knew I had the horse. By the eighth pole, she responded quickly.”

Foaled in Maryland, 7-year-old Gift of Gab, owned by Richard Blue Jr. and Ann Merryman, is a homebred by Fast Anna out of World Gone Wrong. She made her first 11 starts for trainer Michael Merryman before being transferred to Stettinius in 2024.

Since then, Gift of Gab has been a racing secretary’s dream, running in races from claiming events to stakes and hitting the board in both the 2025 The Very One Stakes at Pimlico and the 2026 Jameela Stakes at Laurel. She prepared for the Sensible Lady Turf Dash with a one-length victory in a starter allowance at Colonial on August 16.

“She’s such a good-trying mare,” Stettinius said. “I’ve actually ridden her since she was two, when Michael trained her. It’s nice to have known her for so long because I know when she’s ready to run.”

Gift of Gab has captured 10 of 34 starts and has earned $373,520.

*Jockey Jasmine McGuin notches first career victory

Apprentice jockey Jasmine McGuin earned her first victory, guiding Pediatrician to win Saturday’s second race at Laurel Park, a $7,500 claiming race for 3-year-olds and upward who have never won two races.

The victory came in McGuin’s 23rd start.

“I’ve been riding horses since I was about 14,” an emotional McGuin said after posing for her first winner’s circle photo. “I’m 25. I grew up in Maryland, born and raised in Bowie. I’m a Maryland-bred. I’ve always loved horses. This is quite something for me because I won my first race at home, where I’m always working. I work here every morning.”

Pediatrician broke out slightly from the far outside post in the five-horse field, then advanced to press the pace while three wide.

Pediatrician took the lead into the stretch and drew clear to prevail by 8 ¼ lengths. The 4-year-old colt by Uncle Mo, out of Grade 3-placed Corderosa by Aldebaran, completed six furlongs in 1:11.68 on the good main track.

“Fantastic,” McGuin said when asked about her feelings. “I’ve been dying to get my first win, and I knew it was going to be on this horse. I don’t know why I kept saying it, but over the last few weeks, as I’ve been galloping him, it was ‘this one, this one, this one is going to be the one that wins it for me.’”

McGuin and Pediatrician are no strangers to one another. “He’s a fun horse to ride, and I ride him every morning,” she said. “I don’t really take him out of the gate very often, so it was a first for me. Coming out and straightening him up was pretty easy. Just getting him onto the lead was all he really needed.”

Pediatrician is trained by Marco Salazar. “He believes in me wholeheartedly,” McGuin said. “I get on all his horses in the morning, and I’ve got a couple more mounts for him tomorrow.”

When asked about some of the challenges she’s faced on her journey, McGuin replied, “Being a girl. Everybody misjudging you because you’re small and don’t have the arms of a man. That’s what it is.”

How does McGuin plan to address future challenges?

“Keep pushing, keep riding like that, and don’t give up.”

*Around the track:

Boyce also won the third race aboard juvenile filly Blo Your Mind ($9.20), who made her debut for trainer Tim Keefe.

Trainer John Salzman Jr. and jockey Joe Rocco Jr. teamed up for two pacesetting wins on Saturday. Majestic Blue ($11.20) wired the field in the fifth race, and Rerun Table ($2.20) ran them off their feet in the seventh.

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.

Reserve your spot for our weekly “Bubbly Brunch Sundays.” Relax with friends over delicious brunch favorites and bottomless mimosas at our vibrant Stone Bar Restaurant and Bar. Sunday Brunch begins at 11:00 am ET. Learn more here.

Come out to Laurel Park on Sunday, September 20, for “Family Day at Laurel Park.” From 8 am to 10 am ET, enjoy the “Morning Workout Show.” Meet Laurel Park’s trainers and jockeys, take photos in the winner’s circle, watch morning workouts, enjoy a complimentary sausage biscuit and a pancake station for kids, and learn more about the daily life of a thoroughbred. Then, from 11 am to 5 pm, enjoy exciting live racing and events for fans of all ages. Watch pony races, featuring young riders from local pony clubs, and enjoy a petting zoo, bounce house, face painting, and more. Admission is free. Register today 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 Alogon and Forest Boyce Win Laurel Dash first appeared on Maryland Jockey Club.

LAUREL, MD—Ridden expertly by Carlos Lopez, Adero splashed his way up the inside to win Friday’s featured seventh race, “The Howard E. Wolfendale Memorial,” a $56,000 high-level allowance for 3-year-olds and up over one mile on a sealed, sloppy dirt track.

Named after the extremely popular and talented Maryland trainer who passed away on July 2 at age 69, Friday’s allowance race was the highlight of the Opening Day of the Laurel Park Fall Meet.

Trained by Jamie Ness for Madison Avenue Racing Stable and Morris Kernan Jr., Adero broke from the far outside post in the eight-horse field and then moved in to stalk the pace between rivals as Derbyness set fractions of 24.71, 47.93, and 1:11.90 under jockey Sheldon Russell.

Lopez maneuvered Adero closer to the fence entering the turn, and they scooted through inside Derbyness with slightly more than two furlongs remaining. Adero snatched the lead for good with three-sixteenths of a mile to go, and they drew off to prevail by 4 ¼ lengths in 1:36.42.

Derbyness hung tough for second, 3 ½ lengths ahead of Shaft’s Bullet. Favored Zero Blitz, previously unbeaten in six starts at Laurel Park but untested at a mile, finished fourth. Power Grid, Worcester, Union Fleet, and Top Manipulator followed.

“The horse always does much better going outside, but today I saw the room inside,” Lopez said. “I wanted to keep him closer to the speed with the long stretch, and when I asked, he gave me everything right away. He finished very well.”

A 6-year-old gelding by American Freedom, Adero was bred in Kentucky by Sun Valley Farm. A $15,000 short yearling purchase, he sold for $37,000 as a yearling and was bought back for $18,000 as a 2-year-old in training.

Adero made the first 32 starts of his career for trainer John Servis and proved to be a durable, classy campaigner, winning the $75,000 Mayor’s Mile at Parx in 2024. The following year, he finished third in two stakes races there and was claimed by Ness for $50,000 after an eighth-place finish at Parx earlier this spring.

Adero quickly proved valuable to his new connections by winning an $80,000 optional claimer at Parx on June 8 and then narrowly finishing second in the $125,000 Deputed Testamony Stakes at Laurel just 19 days later.

Adero next finished fourth in Colonial’s $100,000 Yorktown Stakes on July 25, then ran a well-beaten fourth in a high-level allowance race there last month.

Howard Wolfendale grew up in Mars, Pennsylvania, a Pittsburgh suburb, and began training thoroughbreds in 1977. In 1989, he was named the Maryland Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association’s outstanding trainer.

Wolfendale was known for getting the most out of his stock. He finished in the top 100 for most annual victories six times, including in 2006, when he won 115 races, achieved a 31% strike rate, and earned $1,995,449 in purse money.

Wolfendale achieved several milestones at Laurel Park. He saddled his first winner here in 1977, earned his 1,000th win in 2005, and celebrated his 1,500th win at the track in 2015.

He retired in 2020 after capturing 1,525 races in 7,124 starts, a 21% win rate. His horses earned $22,136,929.

Wolfendale won three Maryland Million races, including the 2003 Maryland Million Sprint with Michael’s Pride and the 2007 Maryland Million Turf Sprint with Happy Surprise.

His best horse was Bold Affair, a Maryland-bred daughter of Two Punch. Bold Affair won several stakes races, including a dominant 13 ¼-length victory in the 2012 Maryland Million Distaff.

*Around the track:

Jockey Jorge Ruiz notched a riding double on Friday’s card. Known for his prowess with turf runners, Ruiz gave High View ($14) a perfect pocket trip in the sixth race and then guided Marvelous Mo ($13) to a courageous win in the finale.

Live racing resumes Saturday with a nine-race card featuring two $100,000 stakes races for 3-year-olds and up at six furlongs on the Fort Marcy Turf Course. The Sensible Lady Turf Dash is for fillies and mares. There are two “Value Pick 5” wagers, each with a low 12% takeout. The first post time is 12 pm ET. Read the stakes advance here.

Laurel Park is honored to host a special First Responders Day on Saturday to mark the 25th anniversary of September 11 with a meaningful afternoon of remembrance, gratitude, and community. Together, we will honor those lost, recognize the courage and sacrifice of first responders, and thank the local heroes who continue to serve our communities every day. For more information, click here.

Guests will receive a commemorative pin while supplies last. A special tribute to first responders will take place in the winner’s circle at approximately 2 pm ET.

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.

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 Adero Skims Fence in Opening Day Feature first appeared on Maryland Jockey Club.

LAUREL, MD—Horse Racing Nation named Live Oak Plantation’s Victory Achieved the 5-2 morning-line favorite for Saturday’s $100,000 Laurel Dash, a six-furlong race for 3-year-olds and up on the Fort Marcy Turf Course.

The Laurel Dash shares top billing on the nine-race program with the $100,000 Sensible Lady Turf Dash for fillies and mares, also run at six furlongs over the Fort Marcy.

Gates open at 11 am ET, and the first post time is 12 pm ET. There are two “Value Pick 5” wagers, each with a low 12% takeout.

Victory Achieved has raced three times in 2026, winning a high-level Gulfstream allowance on Tapeta on May 30, placing second in the Karl Boyes Stakes at Presque Isle Downs on July 3, and finishing a close second in Colonial’s Van Clief Stakes on turf at 5 ½ furlongs on August 1.

“At one time, we thought Victory Achieved really might be a top horse,” said trainer Mark Casse about the Grade 3-placed 5-year-old gelding by Street Sense. “He’s had a few little things along the way, but he’s come back this year and run very consistently. He looks like he should be fairly tough, and I think he’ll like that three-quarters on the turf.”

Kentucky Derby-winning rider Sonny Leon rides Victory Achieved, whom Casse believes will race near the pace.

One of the horses that finished behind Victory Achieved in the Van Clief is Witty, owned by Elizabeth Merryman and Marc Detempel. The popular 7-year-old finished second in the 2023 Laurel Dash and became a millionaire by winning the restricted Ben’s Cat Stakes here on June 20.

Trainer Merryman said during Laurel’s spring meet that Witty, a half-brother to Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint winner Caravel, missed the end of the 2025 turf season due to a wrenched ankle but healed beautifully over the winter.

He won his first two races this year, including the Ben’s Cat, then finished eighth in the Van Clief after a slow start compromised him.

Reeves Thoroughbred Racing and Darlene Bilenski’s Senbei, a Grade 3-winning gelding by Candy Ride, ships down from his New York base. Trained by Miguel Clement, Senbei, a 7-year-old New York-bred, hasn’t raced since finishing last of seven in the restricted New York Turf Sprint Championship at Aqueduct in October.

Hollywood Racing’s Isivunguvungu drew into the Laurel Dash from the Also Eligible list. Conditioned by Graham Motion, Isivunguvungu won his seasonal debut at Laurel Park in a high-level allowance race on June 19.

“That was really cool,” said Motion’s assistant trainer, Ian Wilson, in the winner’s circle. “We thought he needed a little more time to get him to the races this year, and it obviously worked out well today.”

A true globe-trotter, Isivunguvungu was bred by Narrow Creek Farm and made his first 15 starts in his home country, where he won two Group 1 sprints.

Isivunguvungu brought a strong reputation to Motion’s barn in 2024. He won Colonial’s Da Hoss Stakes immediately, then finished seventh, two lengths behind, in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint.

Motion brought Isivunguvungu back to the races for a 2025 campaign that included a trip to Dubai for the Group 1 Al Quoz Sprint. Isivunguvungu has raced once since his Laurel victory this year, finishing sixth in the Van Clief.

Trainer Ned Allard expects to saddle two horses in the Laurel Dash. Alogon, owned by the Estate of Charles T Matses, won the Grade 3 Belmont Turf Sprint at Aqueduct, completing his 2025 campaign. The son of Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner California Chrome has raced twice this year.

“His first start [fourth in Monmouth’s Get Serious Stakes on June 21], he stumbled pretty badly and almost lost the rider,” Allard said. “Then he got back in gear. He hadn’t run in eight months. I think he might have even needed one. He needed a perfect trip, and he didn’t get it.”

Allard felt that Alogon had a “less-than-perfect trip” when finishing seventh in the Van Clief. The veteran trainer is happy not to have drawn the rail post position, as he did in both the Get Serious and the Van Clief. “I think he’s ready for a good effort.”

Allard also trains Card Trick for C J T Stable. The 5-year-old rallied to finish fifth in the Van Clief.

“He really needed to be castrated, and we castrated him last winter,” Allard explained. “He’s come back, I think, a much better horse. A lot more focused and trying a lot harder. And I think sprinting is probably his game on the turf.”

Bold Diversion and Alder are also expected.

Had to Have Him, Fierce and Strong, Creeds Vision, and Jet Sweep Joe will scratch.

*Fillies and mares clash in Sensible Lady Turf Dash

It could be a family affair at Laurel Park on Saturday, as Witty’s younger half-sister, Somnium, is a strong contender in the Sensible Lady Turf Dash for fillies and mares.

Both Witty and Somnium are out of the remarkable Congrats mare Zeezee Zoomzoom, who won her maiden at Saratoga and excelled after retiring from racing.

Zeezee Zoomzoom’s first foal, Caravel, won 15 of 26 starts, including Grade 1 wins over males in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint and the Jaipur Stakes. Witty was born two years later and has 13 wins and 11 seconds from 37 starts, including nine stakes wins.

Somnium is Zeezee Zoomzoom’s latest success story. A 4-year-old filly by Street Boss, Somnium won a second-level allowance at Laurel on June 12 and then finished a close second in Colonial’s Andy Guest Stakes on August 1.

“She’s game and loves the turf,” Merryman said in the winner’s circle after her victory at Laurel.

Somnium drew the rail in the Sensible Lady Turf Dash and will be reunited with jockey Jevian Toledo.

Mopo, owned by Maury Povich’s Mopo Racing, is Horse Racing Nation’s 3-1 morning-line favorite. Forest Boyce is scheduled to ride.

Trained by Phil Capuano, Mopo won the restricted Jameela Stakes here on June 20, then finished second in Monmouth’s Incredible Revenge Stakes on August 1. Four weeks later, Mopo gamely captured a first-level allowance at Delaware Park.

“She’s always been game,” Capuano said after the Jameela. “Even when she broke her maiden at Pimlico last year, she got passed, but she digs in and finds another gear. She’s tough.”

Mopo is Capuano’s second stakes winner. He hung out his shingle in 2023 after his uncle, Dale Capuano, retired. Dale Capuano, a legendary figure in Maryland racing, won 3,662 races, led all Maryland trainers in annual wins eight times, and notched 31 meet championships at Laurel and Pimlico.

Capuano’s father, Gary Capuano, is no slouch. He trained Captain Bodgit to win the Grade 1 Florida Derby and the Grade 2 Wood Memorial as a 3-year-old, then finished second by a head in the Kentucky Derby and third by a head in the Preakness Stakes.

James Chicklos’ Gerrards Cross, a 3-year-old filly by Midshipman, trained by Kathleen O’Connell, faces older rivals for the first time on Saturday but seems fast enough to control the early pace.

A multiple stakes-winner on turf at Monmouth, Gerrards Cross is no stranger to Laurel, finishing a close second in the Stormy Blues Stakes here on June 14. In her most recent start, Gerrards Cross placed third in Saratoga’s Galway Stakes. Jeiron Barbosa rides Gerrards Cross in the Sensible Lady Turf Dash.

Vicente Stella Stables’ Le Amazonia has hit the board in 12 of 15 starts and exits a third-place finish in Saratoga’s Smart N Fancy Stakes on August 14. Conditioned in South Florida by Victor Barboza Jr., Le Amazonia won her only previous start at six furlongs, her debut on dirt in 2024. Jaime Rodriguez rides Le Amazonia.

Casse’s entrant, Minty, drew in from the Also Eligible list. Owned by Gary Barber, the versatile 4-year-old filly rallied from off the pace to win a second-level allowance at Colonial on July 24.

“She’s come along,” Casse said. “We’ve taken our time with her, and it’s paid off. She’s a hard-trying filly.”

Clement entered Les Reys, a Grade 3 winner on Woodbine’s Tapeta surface in 2025. Les Reys finished fourth in last month’s Incredible Revenge Stakes.

Multiple stakes-placed Gift of Gab, stakes-placed Obstreperous, Secure’s Hope, and Come to Mama are likely starters.

Quiet Confidence, Cougar Cocktail, and Mystic Realm remain on the Also Eligible list.

Capturing and Wisconsin Gal are expected to scratch.

The post Victory Achieved Seeks Stakes Glory in Laurel Dash first appeared on Maryland Jockey Club.