Page McKenney Leads Nominations for $75,000 Native Dancer
Page McKenney Leads Nominations for $75,000 Native Dancer
109 Nominees to Four Stakes Worth $300,000 in Purses Saturday, Jan. 21
LAUREL, MD – Multiple stakes-winning millionaire Page McKenney, unraced since finishing second in the Charles Town Classic (G2) last April, is nominated to begin his comeback in the $75,000 Native Dancer Saturday, Jan. 21 at Laurel Park.
The Native Dancer for 4-year-olds and up, run at about 1 1/16 miles, is one of four stakes worth $300,000 in purses on the program which drew a total of 109 nominations.
Adam Staple and Jalin Stables’ Page McKenney is the defending champion in the Native Dancer, one of only three starts last year. He earned his first graded victory in the General George (G3) last February, but was sidelined with a minor tendon issue that forced him to be scratched the morning of the Pimlico Special (G3) in May.
The 7-year-old gelding returned to trainer Mary Eppler’s barn in late October and has been training steadily at historic Pimlico Race Course for his return. Page McKenney breezed five furlongs in 1:01.40 Friday, the fastest of three horses.
“My plan was maybe running him [Jan. 14] in New York, but I missed a work because it was just too cold,” Eppler said. “We’re excited. He’s doing great.”
The Eppler-trained Double Whammy, a winner of three straight, is also nominated to the Native Dancer along with multiple stakes winners Bodhisattva, Charitable Annuity, John Jones, Grade 3 winner Kid Cruz, and Turco Bravo; Diversify and Red Dragon Tattoo, each unbeaten in three starts; and Chilean-bred Tu Brutus, a winner of four straight looking to make his North American debut.
The most popular race with 31 nominations was the $75,000 Frank Whiteley Jr. for 3-year-olds at seven furlongs. Multiple Grade 3-placed Recruiting Ready heads the list along with stakes winners Cool Arrow, Even Thunder, O Dionysus and Pachi Cruze, and True Timber, most recently third in the Jerome (G3) at Aqueduct.
Buckingham Farm’s Crabcakes, undefeated in three starts including the Maryland Juvenile Filly Championship Dec. 10 at Laurel, is among 28 3-year-old fillies nominated to the $75,000 Nellie Morse at six furlongs along with stakes winners Item and Unaquoi and multiple stakes-placed Star Super.
A trio of horses from New York-based trainer Linda Rice top 23 horses nominated to the $75,000 Nellie Morse for fillies and mares 4 and older at about 1 1/16 miles: Grade 3 winner Hot City Girl, stakes winner High Ridge Road, unbeaten in three lifetime starts at Laurel, and stakes winner Flatterywillgetyou. Also nominated are Chapel of Chimes, 12-length winner of the Maryland Million Distaff Starter Handicap Oct. 22 and stakes winners Marabea, Mecke’s Madalyn and Power of Snunner.
