Trainers Stidham, Smith Closing in on 2,000 Career Wins

LAUREL, MD – Post time for the remainder of Laurel Park’s calendar year-ending fall meet moves to 12:25 p.m. beginning with the return of live racing Thursday, Oct. 24.

Thursday’s 10-race card is highlighted by Race 6, an open $55,000 allowance for 3-year-olds and up going six furlongs on the main track led by 9-5 program favorite Fort Fortitude. Trained and co-owned by Jamie Ness, the 5-year-old gelding has won three straight races, two since being claimed for $40,000 last month.

Also in the field are American Power, who had a three-race win streak snapped when fourth in the Vosburgh (G1) Sept. 28 at Belmont Park; Sonny Inspired, a multiple stakes winner of more than $640,000 in purses; Old Time Revival, winner of Laurel’s 2018 Challedon Stakes and exiting the Frank J. De Francis Memorial Dash (G3) Sept. 21; and stakes-placed Share the Ride.

The Thursday program also includes a $40,000 maiden special weight in Race 2 that drew a field of 11 2-year-olds topped by Sea Gull Capital’s 7-2 program favorite Sagamore Mischief, a $290,000 purchase in May 2019 that is 0-for-2 lifetime; split divisions of a $45,000 second-level optional claiming allowance for 3-year-olds and up at one mile on the Bowl Game turf course in Races 5 and 7; and a $42,000 optional claiming allowance for 2-year-olds going one mile on the main track in Race 8 featuring Jeremiah O’Dwyer-trained stablemates Rookie Salsa, the 2018 Kentucky Juvenile Stakes winner, and Shotski, second-out winner at 11-1 Oct. 3 at Laurel. The 9-5 morning line favorite is Independence Hall, an impressive debut winner Sept. 21 at Parx for trainer Mike Trombetta.

Laurel will also serve up a 10-race program on Friday, Oct. 25. Race 8 is an open $55,000 allowance for 3-year-olds and up scheduled for 1 1/16 miles on the Exceller turf course which drew an accomplished field of 11. Among the contenders are multiple stakes winner River Deep; 2018 Kent (G3) winner Golden Brown; Abiding Star, 11th in the 2016 Preakness (G1) whose three career stakes wins include the Private Terms at Laurel; 2019 Find Stakes winner English Minister; O Dionysus, front-running winner of the 1 ½-mile Japan Turf Cup last out; 2018 Laurel Dash winner Class and Cash; and stakes winner Gunnison.

Jockeys Trevor McCarthy and Sheldon Russell are tied for the meet lead with 19 wins, while U.S.-leading apprentice Julio Correa is next with 16. Mike Trombetta holds a 14-13 edge over Claudio Gonzalez in the trainer standings.

Two trainers are closing in on the 2,000-win milestone. According to Equibase statistics entering Oct. 22, Fair Hill, Md.-based Mike Stidham was at 1,997 with 10 horses entered in nine races at four tracks through Friday. At Laurel, he has Breckenridge entered in Thursday’s Race 8 and Hedonism entered in Friday’s Race 10.

Hamilton Smith enters Thursday’s card at Laurel with 1,992 wins and horses entered in Races 2 and 10 as well as Friday’s Race 10.

Laurel Park also announced it has cancelled the partial LARC simulcast from Chile scheduled Thursday to follow the 10-race live card.