Jockey Yedsit Hazlewood raised his whip to the heavens after he and Big Cuddle get the victory. (The Maryland Jockey Club photo)
Dan Illman/Laurel Park
LAUREL, Md.—Jockey Yedsit Hazlewood raised his whip to the heavens and swung it jubilantly as Big Cuddle overcame a seemingly disastrous start to rally past them in Saturday’s $100,000 Fasig-Tipton Maryland Million Nursery for 2-year-olds racing six furlongs at Laurel Park.
It was the fourth win for Hazlewood, his second stakes victory, and his third consecutive score on the program. He has won at least two races on each of the last five cards at Laurel Park.
Gary Capuano trains both of Hazlewood’s Jim McKay Maryland Million stakes winners.
Big Cuddle showed that he might be a force to be reckoned with going forward after he broke slowly and was pinched back shortly after the start. Many 2-year-olds would call it a day, but Big Cuddle gathered himself and advanced under a hustling Hazlewood to race three wide in midpack.
Big Cuddle started passing horses three wide on the turn, swung even deeper onto the track turning for home, then sustained that prolonged rally to wear down 20-1 shot Mo’s Glitter by three-quarters of a length in 1:12.10 over the fast main track.
“Today, that was phenomenal,” Capuano said. “Getting away bad like that and having to overcome. Gets dirt in his face, goes really wide, but still was able to grind them down.”
Capuano thought, “This isn’t good,” when Big Cuddle broke awkwardly. “Just had [Buds Notion] scratched in the post parade, and then he gets away bad. I thought it’s downhill from here. You think they’re going to make that run and then flatten out because most of them don’t have that kind of sustained run, especially a 2-year-old. I was rooting hard coming through the stretch. I could see him coming. Just whether or not he had enough ground to make up and enough time to get there.”
Lundi Loot placed third, a neck behind Mo’s Glitter. Hell Ofa Hillbilly, Mr. Supreme, Code of Silence, Golden Sand, Mose Smokin, Live Stream, Guitar Money, Feels So Right, Jessica’s Eyes, and The Big Lep completed the order of finish. Jigger and Flatter My Dad scratched early. Buds Notion was removed from consideration at the gate.
Big Cuddle returned $3.40 as the odds-on favorite.
Bred by Two Legends Farm, Big Cuddle is by Great Notion, the winningest active stallion in Jim McKay Maryland Million history. A $30,000 yearling purchase by Pocket 3s Racing, Big Cuddle rallied wide from off the pace to take his career debut, a 5 1/2-furlong maiden special weight at Delaware Park on Sept. 11.
“He acts like he’ll run all day,” Capuano said when asked if he felt Big Cuddle would appreciate more distance. “He’s built more of a sprinter.”
Capuano mentioned Laurel’s $125,000 Juvenile Stakes for state-bred or -sired runners racing seven furlongs on Dec. 6 as a potential next target for Big Cuddle
