Maryland Jockey Club Photo
Your MM Day Undercard Winners
Don’t Tell Deren ~ Turf Distaff Starter Handicap
Disputed Claim ~ Starter Handicap
Precious Avary ~ Ladies Handicap
Bad Temper ~ Distaff Starter Handicap
Wicked Prankster ~ Turf Stakes
Miss Harriett ~ Lassies Stakes
Seven’s Eleven ~ Sprint Stakes
Witty ~ Turf Sprint Stakes
Catahoula Moon ~ Nursery Stakes
Bonded ~ Turf Starter Handicap
David Joseph/ Maryland Jockey Club (edited and added to by Maribeth Kalinich)
LAUREL, Md. – The second biggest event for Maryland horse racing is the Maryland Million founded by renowned Sportscaster Jim McKay. Showcasing state-breds, it was the first all-state bred program of its kind inspiring the same across the country.
The Nursery for 2-year-olds and $100,000 Lassie for 2-year-old fillies, both sprinting six furlongs, were among eight stakes and four starter stakes that comprised the 38th Jim McKay Maryland Million Day program, ‘Maryland’s Day at the Races’ celebrating the progeny of stallions standing in the state.
With 12 races on the card, three were on the grass including the $125,000 Turf for 3-year-olds and up and $125,000 Ladies for fillies and mares 3 and older, both at 1 1/8 miles.
Serving as the headliner was the $150,000 Classic for 3-year-olds and up going nine furlongs on the main track complimented by the Distaff.
The first Classic in 1986 was won by John Frank’s Herat (Northern Dancer) for trainer Jack Van Berg under Hall of Fame jockey Jerry Bailey. For all of the Classic winners and winners of all Maryland Million races click here.
Trainer John J. Robb was the winner of the second Classic in 1987 with J.E. Owens III’s Little Bold John with Donnie Miller, Jr. up. Robb won two races on Saturday with Don’t Tell Deren taking the wire in the Turf Distaff Handicap and Catahoula Moon capturing the Nursery.
Also on hand for the celebrations were the Goshen Hounds and Pony Races, both crowd favorites.
You can tell everyone Don’t Tell Deren was best in Turf Distaff Starter
Kicking off the day was the $51,000 Turf Distaff Starter Handicap at a mile and one sixteenth on turf. Although the weather was less than perfect the race was run on a sloshy track rated as firm.
Coming in off a neck win at Colonial August 19 at the same distance on turf, dry turf, it would be Uptown Girl Racing and Michael Upton’s Don’t Tell Deren to the wire first by half a length in a tight finish with Chelichna (Ean Alvelo) second by a nose over Nicolar (William Humphrey).
Don’t Tell Deren broke first and then settled into third with Please Marry Me setting a 23.32 opening quarter but fading to sixth place. Nicolar was dead last in the field of 11 until making a rally on the stretch for show. Chelichna came off the pace in seventh to get up for place.
Mosala, Gold Digging Broad, Pounding Music< Peace Fire, Gennie Highway, Missawlet and Sing Scat complete the order of finish. Tanka Tough was scratched by her trainer.
Fractions were 47.21, 1:11.28 and 1:35.34 with a final time of 1:41.56. The record was set by English Mnister at 1:40.41 on August 4. 2019.
Ridden by Angel Cruz for trainer John Robb, this was Don’t Tell Deren’s first stakes win.
Players were rewarded with $7.20 for going with Don’t Tell Deren for the win, $4.40 for place and $3.00 for show. Chelichna paid $4.20 and $2.60 for second and Nicolar $4.60 for third.
With 17 starts, 11 this year, the dark bay filly also has one second and two third place earning $190,205.
The 3-year-old Tourist filly is out of Graeme Hall mare Boheme de Lavi bred by Bowman & Higgins Stable.
Disputed Claim Indisputable in $40K Starter Handicap
Going off at seven furlongs on a fast, wet main track was the $40,000 Starter Handicap with a field of 13. Thousand Watts Racing Stable’s Disputed Claim had the high beams on cruising wire-to-wire with speedy fractions.
Making the start for trainer Emanuel Geralis Disputed Claim set an opening quarter of 22.82 with Jevian Toledo in the irons, the colt was willing when asked driving to the victory by 3-1/4 lengths.
Shady Munni under Jeiron Barbosa and Clubman piloted by Xaavier Perez battled for second with the former taking second by a nose.
Free Square, Royal Spy, Gallant Gold, Citi Creek, Patriotic Party, Antipoison, Mice and Men and Wonder Water complete the order of finish.
Dathoss and Oxide were both trainer scratches.
Fractions were 46.46 and 1:11.54 with a final time of 1:24.81. The record was set by Greenspring at 1:20.95 February 15, 2010.
Disputed Claim offered $8.40, 3.80 and 2.80 for the win. Shady Munni offered real money at $2.40 and 2.80 while Clubman paid $2.80 for show.
Unraced as a 2-year-old, Disputed Claim made his ninth start on the year getting his third win, all consecutive, with two third places also to his credit. He has just over $71,000 in earnings most from today.
A bay gelding by Golden Lad, Disputed Claim was bred by Charles C. D. McGill out of the Domestic Dispute Mae Weeper.
Precious Avary goes the distance in $125K MM Ladies
Smith Farm & Stable’s Precious Avary, her third race on grass and stretching out to a mile, got out to an easy lead and had enough left to hold off a late charge from Naval Empire to kick off the Maryland Million stakes action with a front-running three-quarter-length triumph in the $125,000 Ladies.
Ridden by Silvestre Gonzalez for Parx-based trainer Tim Shaw, Precious Avary ($8.60) completed 1 1/8 miles in 1:49.53 over a firm Exceller turf course. It was the second stakes win for the 3-year-old daughter of 2015 Preakness (G1) third-place finisher Divining Rod, following a gate-to-wire triumph in the one-mile Jersey Girl Handicap July 8 at Monmouth Park.
Gonzalez immediately put Precious Avary on the lead from her rail post and she was unpressured through a quarter mile in 24.78 seconds tracked by Golden Heart and Naval Empire on the inside, while defending Ladies champion Coconut Cake ranged up into third on the outside after the half went in 50.58.
Precious Avary continued to lead into the stretch as Naval Empire inched closer along the rail but was unable to get past the determined winner, who encountered trouble finishing seventh in last year’s Maryland Million Lassie on the dirt. She has now won all three of her grass starts, dating back to a maiden triumph last fall at The Meadowlands.
“I knew if she ran similar on the lead at Monmouth, she would be tough today,” Gonzalez said. “She broke sharp with her ears perked and was happy. I was thinking she’d sit second as there might be speed from the outside, but she went on. Around the turn I asked her for run and she went about her business.”
Naval Empire, fifth by three lengths eight days earlier in a restricted allowance at Laurel after being fractious in the gate, was a clear second, 3 ½ lengths ahead of Golden Heart. It was 1 ¾ lengths back to Amplio Esquema in fourth, followed by Proper Storm, Beautiful Gorgeous, 5-2 favorite Downtown Katie and Coconut Cake.
It was the first Maryland Million win for both Gonzalez and Shaw. Owner Tim Smith said the connections are hoping to find another turf race before the end of the year and will take a look at the one-mile Pebbles (G3) Nov. 11 at Aqueduct.
Bad Temper puts a smile on punters faces paying $72 in Starter Distaff
Next on the card was a $40,000 Starter Distaff Handicap with a packed field of 14 fillies and mares with six coming off of wins and five hungry for wins having finished second in their past starts.
Chica Rabiosa under Jean Alvelo would leave the gate first, but Tam Char (Carlos Lopez) would quickly grab the lead after Holy Delite (Jeiron Barbosa) set an opening quarter of 23.33.
Tam Char remained on the lead while Holy Delite briefly held second and Utterly Enchanting was steadfastly in third. Meanwhile, Brothers In Blue’s Bad Temper, patiently guided by Tais Lyapustina, sat off the pace.
Entering the stretch Holy Delite faded all the way to eleventh as Gina Perry trained Bad Temper moved between horses for striking position and was ridden out for the win by 2-3/4 lengths. Utterly Enchanting would pass Tam Char as the two battled for second and third with the former accomplishing the job by a neck.
Divine Fashion, Bella Bettina, Dulce Kiara, Chica Rabiosa, Hot Lookin Royal, Police Woman, My Super Sally, Sapphire Beauty, and Some Is Nine complete the order of finish.
Sundog was a veterinarian scratch and Preparefortakeoff was Also Eligible but didn’t scratch in.
The seven furlongs on the wet, fast main track was complete in 1:25.78 with fractions of 47.45 and 1:12.65. The record was set February 15, 2010, by Greenspring at 1:20.95.
Bad Temper’s backers were in a good temper as she paid $72.00 for the win with $26.60 for place and $15.80 for show. Utterly Enchanting gave $7.60 and 5.60 with Tam Char offering $5.00, all making for a very nice 50 cent Trifecta at $2,211.10 and even better $1 Superfecta at $21,016.90.
The 5-year-old Super Ninety Nine Mare was bred by William Campbell out of Quiet American mare Seven Days.
With a stalwart 32 starts, 12 this year, Bad Temper has collected four wins, four seconds and four thirds earning just over $114,000.
Wicked Prankster defends title in $125K MM Turf
Wicked Prankster, owned and trained by Laurel Park-based Sam Davis, became the first repeat winner of the $125,000 Maryland Million Turf in seven years with a gate-to-wire three-quarter-length triumph over late-running Starstruck Notion Saturday.
Bred in Maryland by Country Life Farm and Broken Trust Fund, Wicked Prankster ($7.60) joined Winsox (1997-98), Pocket Patch (2010-11), Roadhog (2012-13) and Phlash Phelps (2015-16) as back-to-back Turf winners. Other horses with multiple Turf victories are La Reine’s Terms (2002, 2005) and Talk Show Man (2014, 2018).
The typically front-running Wicked Prankster was on the lead out of the gate under jockey Yomar Ortiz, setting splits of 23.75 seconds, 47.38 and 1:11.35 with 2-1 favorite Crabs N Beer and 12-1 long shot Tappin Cat – a multiple stakes winner on dirt – giving closest chase. Wicked Prankster remained brave up front and was able to hold off late bids from Starstruck Notion and Jack’s Legend, separated by a neck, to win in 1:48.28, more than second faster than his time from last fall (1:49.44). Tappin Cat was fourth, another three-quarters of a length back.
Crabs N Beer, Cannon’s Roar, Fletcher, Johng, 2022 Turf runner-up Street Copper and Lacco Ameno completed the order of finish. Maryland-bred also-eligible The Addison Pour was scratched.
“He ran the same race as last year when he went to the lead,” Ortiz said. “Sam told me to break good and get to the front, take it easy and relax. He said to go about 24, 49 [seconds] if possible. I had a lot of horse left at the quarter pole. Turning for home, I knew I had it.”
Wicked Prankster, a gelded 5-year-old son of Mosler, had gone winless with two thirds in five starts since last year’s Turf victory. He was pulled up after two furlongs in the Aug. 19 Find at Laurel, his most recent start, but had posted successive bullet workouts at Laurel for his return.
Miss Harriett gamely wins $100K MM Lassie at 60-1 odds
Narrow Leaf Farm’s Miss Harriett, making her debut at odds of 60-1, gamely held off favored Sheilahs Warcloud Saturday to win the $100,000 Maryland Million Lassie.
Miss Harriett returned $126.60.
Trained by Brandon McFarlane and ridden by Jean Briceno, Miss Harriett broke from post 12 and chased pacesetter Remember Me past an opening quarter in :22.88 while Sheilahs Warcloud followed in third under Xavier Perez. After shaking loose from Remember Me and taking the lead past a half in :46.31, Miss Harriett entered the stretch on top while Sheilahs Warcloud drove in pursuit from the outside. While the two fought gamely down the stretch, with Sheilahs Warcloud even poking her nose in front at one point, Miss Harriett gamely came back to win by a neck. It was another 3 ½ lengths to Kissedbyangel in third.
Miss Harriett, a 2-year-old daughter of Blofeld, is a half-sister to Keep Momma Happy, winner of the 2012 Nursery.
“I expected her to break good,” McFarlane said. “I work easy. No bullet works. Always nice and easy. This is the first time I got to see the jockey dig in. I was hoping she dug in. She never had pressure ever on her in her life. This is the first time I got to see what’s she’s got.”
Seven’s Eleven runs big for $100K MM Sprint Victory
The Cottonwood Stable LLC’s Seven’s Eleven won his second consecutive start by driving away from Johnyz From Albany to win the $100,000 Maryland Million Sprint by five lengths.
A 3-year-old gelded son of Grade 3 winner Bandbox, Seven’s Eleven ($11.80) covered the six furlongs in 1:10.49 for trainer Carlos Mancilla and jockey Angel Cruz. Seven’s Eleven has won four of 10 starts and four of seven this year.
“My horse is doing real good,” Mancilla said. “I was expecting a big race today. Wet or dry track I know he will run well. Seven-eighths is perfect for him. With six furlongs plan was to sit off pace a bit then make a run.”
Johnyz From Albany shot to the front and set an opening quarter in :22.22 and a half in :44.95 while Seven’s Eleven chased in second before joining the lead at the head of the stretch. Seven’s Eleven eventually put away Johnzy From Albany inside the eighth pole before driving away to a five-length victory in 1:10.49.
“We broke sharp, and I let him get good position right off the leader,” Cruz said. “He likes to sit off pace just a little bit and then make a run. I knew he was going to like the wet dirt today. When I got beside Johnyz in the stretch I had a lot of horse left.”
Witty takes inside route in $100K MM Turf Sprint repeat
Patiently ridden by jockey Jevian Toledo, Witty came rolling through an opening along the rail in mid-stretch and powered to a popular 1 ¼-length victory in the $100,000 Maryland Million Turf Sprint Saturday at Laurel Park.
The 5 ½-furlong Turf Sprint for 3-year-olds and up was the last of three grass stakes on the 38th Jim McKay Maryland Million Day program of eight stakes and four starter stakes for ‘Maryland’s Day at the Races’ celebrating the progeny of stallions standing in the state.
Witty ($3.40) gave Elizabeth Merryman her first Maryland Million victory as a breeder and owner; she also trains the 4-year-old half-brother to multiple Grade 1-winning millionaire Caravel. It was the second win of the day for Toledo, following the Maryland Million Starter Handicap with Disputed Claim.
Favored at 3-5 in a full field of 14, Witty also helped sire Great Notion extend his streak to having at least one Maryland Million winner to 14 consecutive years.
Breaking from Post 5, Witty raced in last around the first turn as 60-1 long shot Odinson showed the way with an opening quarter mile of 22.54 seconds pressed by 2021 Turf Sprint winner Grateful Bred midway into the far turn. As the top two duked it out up front, Toledo pounced on his opportunity when Tidewater came off the rail to sail through the opening and close with a flourish to win in 1:02.64 over a firm Exceller turf course.
Tidewater got up for second, emerging from a three-way photo a neck ahead of Next Episode, who closed stoutly on the far outside to edge 80-1 long shot R B’s the Boss by a neck. They were followed by Grateful Bred, Cynergy’s Star, Tenax, Odinson, defending Turf Sprint champion Sky’s Not Falling, Commanding General, Prince Pere and Next Episode.
Witty, out of the Congrats mare Zeezee Zoomzoom, earned his second straight turf stakes victory following his neck triumph over Sky’s Not Falling in the five-furlong Ben’s Cat Sept. 16 at historic Pimlico Race Course. He was a dirt stakes winner at both 2 and 3, including the 2022 Spectacular Bid at Laurel.
“He’s a big horse. I had to steady him after the break as the other horses came over,” Toledo said. “I followed [Cynergy’s Star] around the turn and then the inside opened up. He responded well when I asked him to go.”
Catahoula Moon gets patient, well-timed ride in $100K MM Nursery
Behind a patience and well-timed ride by jockey Xavier Perez, Catahoula Moon split horses down the stretch to win the $100,000 Maryland Million Nursery by 4 ¾ lengths over Prado Road.
Trained by John Robb, Catahoula Moon covered the six furlongs in 1:12.24.
A son of Golden Lad, Catahoula Moon broke his maiden at Timonium in his third career start before entering Saturday’s restricted event off a second-place finish over a sloppy track Sept. 24 at Pimlico. In the six-furlong Nursery, Perez rated Catahoula Moon off the leaders down the backstretch. After Blame the Tux took the field past a :22.41 opening quarter, he was joined by Point Pelee, Speedyness, Summerstateofmind and Prado Road entering the turn.
As the leaders were stretched six wide entering the stretch, Perez raced Catahoula Moon behind them all before finding a seam between Point Pelee and Prado Road and driving to the lead. Prado Road was three-quarters of a length in front of Kohler’s for the place. Robb also saddled Dance for Green to a fourth-place finish in the race and Bigdaddysboy to fifth.
“I sat back to save ground and track the leaders with the stretch run. The middle opened up and I got through and he responded very well with his run,” Perez said.
“I wasn’t surprised by his effort today,” Robb said. “He has been training very well leading up to this race. I’d like to keep him in the Juvenile Maryland Series Races and run him in the championship. Very happy I ran first, fourth and fifth.”
Bonded closes the show winning Turf Starter Handicap
As the rain continued to fall off and, on all day, the turf track continued to rate firm for the final race of Maryland Million Day, a one and one sixteenth mile $51,000 Turf Starter Handicap.
A full field of 14 would load the gate with Imagine It All taking the lead under Yomar Ortiz setting a 23.78 quarter and 47.96 half mile. Seville Row with Jorge Ruiz up remained two lengths behind the pacesetter with Pride of Payton, Jean Alvelo up, and Bonded under Forest Boyce just off the leaders.
Things would shake loos a bit as several would make rallies and a few would fade. Pride of Payton faded to tenth while Boffo Kid came from eighth to fifth to challenge Seville Row who had held second since the quarter pole but would settle for fourth.
Trainer Rodolfo Sanchez-Salomon trained Bonded would grind down on Imagine it All in the final furlongs to win the bob of the nose at the wire.
The race would prove for a dramatic conclusion to an exciting day with Bonded paying $20.20 for the win, 8.20 for place and 5.80 for show. Imagine It All gave a nice ROI with $8.80 and 6.60 for second and Boffo Kid with the most game effort gave a game reward with $9.80 for show.
Bonded completed the course in 1:42.68 with the record set by English Minister at 1:40.41 August 4, 2019.
Owned by J R Sanchez Racing Stable, the 3-year-bay gelding was bred by Murmur Farm. Bonded is sired by Flofeld out of Missy Kim who is by Preakness winner Louis Quartorze.
Bonded has five wins to his credit in 16 starts with three thirds collecting $132,843 in earnings.
Bonus Video! The Pony Races and the Goshen Hounds.
