Cotillion (G1) Runner-Up Morning Matcha Nominated to $100,000 Twixt
Juvenile Sky Mesa Filly Daze Dazzles in Career Debut Friday
Three $100,000 Stakes, Two on Turf, Headline 11-Race Program Saturday

LAUREL, MD – Three-time graded-stakes placed Youalmosthadme and fellow multiple stakes winners Carmelina, Miss Harriett, Roanan Goddess and Tricky Temper top 25 3-year-old fillies nominated to the $100,000 Weather Vane at Laurel Park.

The six-furlong Weather Vane co-headlines a Sunday, Sept. 22 program with the $100,000 Twixt for fillies and mares 3 and up going one mile.

Resolute Racing’s Youalmosthadme has won five of 10 starts, four of them in stakes including a last out head triumph in the Aug. 5 Lady Erie on the all-weather surface at Presque Isle Downs. Second as the favorite in the six-furlong Miss Preakness (G3) May 17 at historic Pimlico Race Course, she is one of four nominees trained by Brad Cox along with Ellen Jay, riding a two-race win streak; stakes-placed Ms. Tart and Silver Rose, ninth in the Lady Erie.

Cash is King and LC Racing’s Carmelina is also a four-time stakes winner, among them the 2023 Gin Talking at Laurel in her 2-year-old finale, and exits a fifth in the six-furlong Prioress (G3) Aug. 31 at Saratoga. Narrow Leaf Farm’s Maryland homebred Miss Harriett, a 62-1 debut winner in the Maryland Million Lassie last fall, most recent registered a front-running score in Laurel’s seven-furlong Miss Disco July 21.

Mens Grille Racing’s Roanan Goddess opened her sophomore campaign with a victory in the six-furlong Xtra Heat Jan. 27 and won the one-mile off-the-turf Searching two starts back for trainer Hamilton Smith, both at Laurel. Mark Stanley’s Tricky Temper owns a pair of stakes wins against fellow New York-breds, most recently the six-furlong Union Avenue Aug. 16 at Saratoga.

Stakes winners Cap Classique, Haulin Ice and Princess Indy are also among the nominees.

James Wigan and Denford Stud’s Evidencias, a Group 1 winner on turf and Group 2 winner on dirt in her native Brazil, is prominent among 20 Twixt nominees. The 5-year-old mare, based in New York with trainer Christophe Clement, ran third behind fellow nominees Malibu Beauty and Saddle Up Jessie in the 1 1/16-mile Caesar’s Wish Aug. 4 at Laurel.

ZWP Stable, Inc. and Non Stop Stable’s Malibu Beauty, entered for main track only in Saturday’s $100,000 All Along on the Laurel grass, has won three straight including Laurel’s off-the-turf one-mile All Brandy Aug. 18. Mike Ryan’s Saddle Up Jessie owns two wins and two seconds in four starts at Laurel led by the 2023 Carousel, and was second in the 1 3/16-mile Delaware Handicap (G2) prior to the Caesar’s Wish.

LC Racing, Cash is King and Gary Barber’s Morning Matcha exits an 11 ¾-length romp in an off-the-turf 1 1/16-mile Mrs. Penny against fellow Pennsylvania-breds Aug. 26 at Parx. The 5-year-old mare has placed three times in graded company including a runner-up finish in the 2022 Cotillion (G1).

Stakes winners Miss New York, Olga Isabel, Reclusive, and Venti Valentine and Grade 3-placed Frosty O Toole, Peacock Lass and Yesternight are also among the nominees.

Entries will be taken and post positions drawn Monday, Sept. 16 for both stakes.

Juvenile Filly Daze Dazzles in Career Debut Friday

Dark Hollow Farm, Dorsey Brown, Mr. & Mrs. Arnold Davidoff and Mr. & Mrs. David Schwaber’s Maryland homebred filly Daze got her racing career off to a fast start by rolling to a 7 ½-length debut victory Friday at Laurel Park.

Ridden by Sheldon Russell for his wife, trainer Brittany Russell, Daze ($4.20) covered six furlongs over a fast main track in 1:12.12 in the featured maiden special weight event for 2-year-old fillies.

A daughter and granddaughter of Grade 1 winners Sky Mesa and Super Saver, respectively, out of the unraced mare Dazzle’m, Daze broke alertly and immediately established herself on the lead through splits of 23.04 and 46.71 seconds, pressed by 10-1 Hiya Love. Daze put that rival away at the top of the stretch and pulled clear through the lane.

Favored at even money in a field of eight, Daze registered 10 timed works for her unveiling starting in mid-May at the Fair Hill Training Center in Elkton, Md. with the two most recent at Laurel Aug. 31 and Sept. 8. Hiya Love held second in her debut, with Queen’s Wreath third.

Brittany Russell completed a training double when another first-time starter, Five Hellions Farm’s U Know When U Know, captured the Race 10 finale – a maiden special weight for 2-year-old fillies – in 1:03.20 for 5 ½ furlongs over a firm Fort Marcy Turf Course.

Notes: Saturday’s 11-race program is highlighted by the first stakes of the calendar year-ending fall meet. Multiple graded-stakes winner and two-time Grade 1-placed Post Time tops the $100,000 Polynesian for 3-year-olds and up going one mile on the main track; Italian Group 3 winner and four-time graded-stakes placed Atomic Blonde looks to snap No Show Sammy Jo’s three-race win streak in the $100,000 All Along and five stakes winners are set to line up in the $100,000 Sensible Lady Turf Dash, both for fillies and mares 3 and up scheduled for the grass.