City of Laurel, Safely Kept Stakes ‘Win and In’ for Malibu, La Brea

LAUREL, MD – Two of the four stakes on Laurel Park’s Saturday, Nov. 30 program will serve as ‘Win and In’ qualifiers for a pair of Grade 1 races at Santa Anita Park next month, the Maryland Jockey Club announced today.

Winners of the $100,000 Force the Pass City of Laurel for 3-year-olds and $100,000 Imagining Safely Kept for 3-year-old fillies, both at seven furlongs, will earn automatic entry into the $300,000 Malibu (G1) and $300,000 La Brea (G1), respectively, on Wednesday, Dec. 26, opening day of Santa Anita’s winter-spring meet.

Both the Malibu and La Brea are contested at seven furlongs. If the winner of Laurel’s races go in either race, they will be given a $2,500 stipend toward travel costs.

“The Maryland Jockey Club is excited to have this incentive for not only our owners and trainers stabled in Maryland, but also the Mid-Atlantic Region,” said Laurel’s Racing Secretary Chris Merz. “I would like to thank Santa Anita for working with us and making this great incentive possible.”  

Laurel will host four $100,000 stakes on Nov. 30. The City of Laurel and Safely Kept will be joined by the Richard W. Small for 3-year-olds and up at 1 1/8 miles and the Thirty Eight Go Go for fillies and mares 3 and older going about 1 1/16 miles.