B West Joined by Stablemates Prince of Jericho, Circling the Drain
Stakes winner Mavilus in Season Debut as Live Racing Returns Friday

LAUREL, MD – Laurel Park-based Prince of Jericho and B West, respectively first and third in the Jan. 21 Spectacular Bid, and Circling the Drain were among 369 3-year-olds made eligible during the early nomination phase to compete in the 2023 Triple Crown races.

To be eligible, horses had to be nominated by Jan. 28 at a cost of $600. Horses can also be made eligible by the second deadline, March 27, for $6,000.

Michael Dubb and Morris Bailey’s Prince of Jericho owns three wins from five career starts, all coming at Laurel. Trained by Brittany Russell, the Munnings colt was third in his debut last October returning 21 days later to graduate by 11 ¾ lengths.

Second as the favorite in the Dec. 26 Heft, Prince of Jericho opened his sophomore campaign with a popular four-length triumph in the Spectacular Bid over Heft winner Coffeewithchris.

Circling the Drain, bred and owned by Sycamore Hall Thoroughbreds, is also trained by Russell. The gelded son of West Coast was second to Feeling Woozy – also bred by Sycamore Hall – both in a maiden special weight Nov. 20 and an optional claiming allowance Jan. 29. In between, he was an easy seven-length maiden claiming winner in December, all at Laurel.

Lucky 7 Stables’ B West has raced five times for trainer Jerry Robb with two wins, one second and a third in the Spectacular Bid. By Mineshaft, B West graduated in his third start, a maiden claimer last November, and followed up with a two-length victory as the favorite in an optional claiming allowance Dec. 17, both going one mile.

Russell leads all trainers at Laurel’s winter meet, which began Jan. 1, with 12 wins and $551,205 in purse earnings from 53 starters. Robb is third with $303,718 in purses and fourth with seven wins from 34 starters.

Prince of Jericho, Circling the Drain and B West are each among 23 nominees to the $100,000 Miracle Wood Feb. 18 at Laurel, the second in Maryland’s series of stakes for 3-year-olds leading up to the 148th Preakness Stakes (G1), Middle Jewel of the Triple Crown, May 20 at historic Pimlico Race Course.

The seven-furlong Spectacular Bid and one-mile Miracle Wood are followed by the $100,000 Private Terms going 1 1/16 miles March 18 and the $125,000 Federico Tesio April 15. The 1 1/8-mile Tesio is a ‘Win and In’ for Triple Crown-nominated horses to the Preakness.

If horses are not made Triple Crown eligible by the late deadline, they can be supplemented on the day of entry for $200,000 to the May 6 Kentucky Derby (G1), $150,000 to the Preakness and $50,000 to the June 10 Belmont Stakes (G1).

The early nomination phase saw an increase of 57 horses (18.2) percent over 2022.

Stakes Winner Mavilus in Season Debut as Live Racing Returns Friday

Michael Scheffres’ Mavilus, popular winner of the Maryland Million Distaff Starter Handicap last fall, is entered to make her 5-year-old debut Friday against six rivals as live racing returns to Laurel Park.

Trained by Carlos Mancilla, Mavilus takes a two-race win streak into Friday’s eighth, an entry-level allowance for fillies and mares 4 and up sprinting seven furlongs. She has been third or better in 23 of 35 starts with eight wins, four since being claimed for $5,000 last January.

The narrow 3-1 program favorite is Brereton Jones’ Skipper Sue, an 11-length debut winner over elders in an off-the-turf maiden special weight sprint last October. The 4-year-old Cairo Prince filly was second going seven furlongs and third sprinting 5 ½ furlongs in a back-to-back allowances, the latter Jan. 1, both by less than two lengths.

Nine races are also on tap Saturday, highlighted by back-to-back optional claiming allowances sprinting six furlongs in Races 7-8. Among the seven entered in Race 7, for 4-year-olds and up, are multiple stakes-placed Al Loves Josie and 9-year-old Union Rags gelding Sevier, a winner of 26 of 64 lifetime starts including two straight, both at Laurel, Jan. 14 and Dec. 17.

Race 8 also drew seven horses including Tappin Josie, racing first off the claim for trainer Horacio DePaz after winning a 5 ½-furlong sprint Jan. 20 at Laurel; fellow 124-pound topweight Stryda, exiting a 7 ½-length maiden special weight win over fellow West Virginia-breds Jan. 6 at Charles Town; and Happy Clouds, riding a two-race win streak.