Gravity’s Rainbow Stretches Out Off Maiden Win in Sunday Feature

LAUREL, MD – Michael Dubb and Bethlehem Stables’ stakes winner Maythehorsebwithu, first or second in six of his seven career starts, breezed a sharp half-mile Saturday ahead of an expected start in the $100,000 Private Terms March 13 at Laurel Park.

Maythehorsebwithu is among 19 nominees to the Private Terms at about 1 1/16 miles, which follows the one-mile Miracle Wood Feb. 20 and precedes the 1 1/8-mile Federico Tesio April 17 in Laurel’s series of stakes for sophomores.

Trained by Brittany Russell, Maythehorsebwithu worked four furlongs in 48 seconds over Laurel’s main track, third-fastest of 60 horses. Russell’s husband, jockey Sheldon Russell, was aboard.

It was the first timed move following a front-running four-length triumph in the Miracle Wood for Maythehorsebwithu, a son of 2009 Whitney (G1) winner Bullsbay. The Private Terms comes three weeks after the Miracle Wood, which had its original Feb. 13 date pushed back due to inclement weather.

Maythehorsebwithu, a $55,000 yearling purchase out of Fasig-Tipton’s Midlantic fall 2019 sale at the Maryland State Fairgrounds in Timonium, was beaten a neck by multiple stakes winner Kenny Had a Notion in the seven-furlong Spectacular Bid Jan. 16 at Laurel in his 2021 debut.

“He makes us look good because he seems to have a lot of energy, and he worked a bit better than I was kind of expecting this morning” Russell said. “I just wanted to get a feel from Sheldon and see what he thought. He came back and was really pleased with him.

“I know it’s back in three weeks, but he’s a horse that doesn’t really seem to mind,” she added. “So, hopefully it works out for us.”

Russell-trained stablemate Whereshetoldmetogo, a winner of back-to-back Laurel stakes to cap his 2020 campaign, worked five furlongs in a bullet 1:00 Saturday, fastest of 20 horses, in preparation for his 6-year-old debut in the $75,000 Not For Love for Maryland-bred/sired horses March 13.

“He’s been working well every week since we got him back on the tab,” Russell said. “Today was sort of that final work that we wanted to see. He has plenty of energy and he was moving well, so I was very pleased with him.”

Also working Saturday and pointing to the Private Terms were Royal Number, most recently fourth in the 1 1/8-mile Withers (G3) Feb. 6 at Aqueduct, and Zertz, an 11 ¼-length open allowance winner Feb. 17 at Penn National.

R. Larry Johnson and R.D.M. Racing Stables Royal Number breezed a half-mile in 48.80 seconds at Laurel for trainer Mike Trombetta. The chestnut son of 2013 Belmont (G1) winner Palace Malice romped to a 7 ¾-length optional claiming allowance score Jan. 9 at Laurel prior to his Withers run.

Joseph Besecker’s Zertz, trained by Tim Kreiser, worked five furlongs in 1:01.20 at Penn National, third-fastest of 23 horses. By 2011 Kentucky Derby (G1) winner Super Saver, Zertz won in debut last October over his home track and was second or third in three straight starts before his breakthrough triumph sprinting six furlongs last out.

The March 13 Good Samaritan Day program includes five stakes worth $450,000 in purses including the $100,000 Beyond the Wire for 3-year-old fillies, $100,000 Harrison E. Johnson Memorial for 4-year-olds and up and $75,000 Conniver for older Maryland-bred/sired fillies and mares.

Working for the Beyond the Wire at Laurel were BB Horses’ Miss Leslie, winner of the about 1 1/16-mile Anne Arundel County Dec. 26, four furlongs in 49.20 seconds; and Mens Grille Racing’s Buckey’s Charm, the Anne Arundel County runner-up, a half-mile in 48 seconds.

Gravity’s Rainbow Stretches Out Off Maiden Win in Sunday Feature

The Elkstone Group’s homebred filly Gravity’s Rainbow, an impressive debut winner last month, returns to face winners for the first time in Sunday’s featured seventh race at Laurel Park.

Post time for the first of eight races Sunday is 12:25 p.m.

Gravity’s Rainbow, by Distorted Humor, is the 2-1 program favorite in a field of six 3-year-old fillies for the entry-level optional claiming allowance going about 1 1/16 miles, having drawn the far outside post under jockey Sheldon Russell.

Unraced at 2, Gravity’s Rainbow launched her career Feb. 7 at Laurel, splashing to a 4 ¼-length maiden special weight triumph over a sloppy and sealed main track in 1:19.62 for 6 ½ furlongs. She is out of the Medaglia d’Oro mare Lady of Gold.

“We’ve got Rainbow in going long, so I hope that works out,” trainer Brittany Russell said. “Her pedigree suggests that she should want to go further and she trains like she should in the morning. This seemed like the next logical move, so hopefully we learn something about her tomorrow.”

Among the competition are Gary Broad’s Promise the World, herself a debut winner at Laurel Jan. 24 for trainer Graham Motion; Claudio Gonzalez-trained Wonderwall, the 5-2 second choice whose two Laurel wins came by 17 ¾ combined lengths; and Guns Blazing, a maiden special weight winner at Laurel last November for trainer Mike Trombetta.

Notes: Jockeys Sheldon Russell registered a hat trick Saturday, winning aboard Commanding General ($4) in Race 1, Swirrlie Shirlie ($6) in Race 6 and Fole’s Notion ($15.20) in Race 9. Kevin Gomez doubled with Tequila Fog ($6.80) in Race 3 and Darling’s Cure ($18.80) in Race 5 … There will be a carryover jackpot of $8,539.71 in the 20-cent Rainbow 6 Sunday. Multiple tickets with all six winners Saturday returned $1,192.60.