Johnyz From Albany winning last year’s MM Nursery. (Jim McCue/MJC)
David Joseph/Maryland Jockey Club
LAUREL, Md. – Charles J. Reed’s consistent homebred Johnyz From Albany, front-running winner of the Maryland Million Nursery in his stakes debut last fall, returns to face a solid group of older horses in Saturday’s $100,000 Sprint at Laurel Park.
Johnyz From Albany became the first stakes winner for his sire, Blofeld, with a dominant five-length triumph in the 2022 Nursery to give trainer Dale Capuano his record 15th in the Maryland Million.
In his final start at 2, Johnyz From Albany ran second in the Maryland Juvenile behind undefeated state-bed champion 2-year-old male Post Time. Capuano retired to open 2023 and handed the training duties over to his nephew, Phillip Capuano.
“I can’t really give enough credit to all the owners that decided to keep their horses with me, especially a horse like Johny. He really is a nice horse. He came back from his time off this winter. I think it was the right decision to do at the time,” Phillip Capuano said. “After his last race in the Maryland Juvenile it looked like Post Time was going to be the tour de force going into the winter, and Dale just figured he’d give him time off and he’d be better as a 3-year-old.”
Johnyz From Albany returned to run second behind Grade 2-placed Fort Warren in a six-furlong optional claiming allowance May 19 at historic Pimlico Race Course on the undercard of the Black-Eyed Susan (G2). His subsequent start was his first on turf, a 5 ½-furlong Laurel allowance against older horses June 11, where he ran fourth by less than a length – the only time he has finished worse than third.
Two of Johnyz From Albany’s last three races have resulted in wins, the most recent a 5 ¼-length off-the-turf optional claiming allowance romp Sept. 24 at Pimlico, also in open company over elders. He tuned up for the Sprint with a sharp half-mile breeze in 48 seconds Sunday.
“He’s run a couple big races this year,” Capuano said. “We gave him a little break between his win in July and then coming back. That last race set up as a good prep for him. He’s happy and he’s doing well.”
Kasey K Racing Stable, Michael Day and Final Turn Racing Stables’ Twisted Ride, based at Parx, will be making his Maryland debut in the Sprint. The 4-year-old Great Notion gelding owns eight career wins, four in stakes, the most recent in the Aug. 21 Banjo Picker against fellow Pennsylvania-breds. Last out he was third behind 11-time winner and Grade 3-placed Stage Left and next-out winner Spun and Won in the five-furlong Rumson Sept. 3 at Monmouth Park.
George Sharp’s Hello Hot Rod won three straight races capped by the 2021 Jimmy Winkfield at Aqueduct for co-owner and trainer Brittany Russell to open his 3-year-old season before being sold at auction for $335,000. The 5-year-old Mosler gelding raced primarily in the Midwest before returning to Russell over the winter, beaten a length when second in the seven-furlong Frank Whiteley April 15.
CJI Phoenix Group and No Guts No Glory Farm’s Al Loves Josie made his debut in the 2021 Maryland Million Nursery. He has gone on to win eight races, seven at Laurel, and place in three stakes including a second after setting the pace in the six-furlong Challedon Sept. 10 at Pimlico. Seeking his first Sprint triumph, trainer John Robb’s nine Maryland Million wins is third among trainers.
Holy Synchronicity, third behind Grade 3 winners Lightening Larry and Wondrwherecraigis in the Frank J. De Francis Memorial Dash July 29 at Laurel; Mocephus, riding a two-race win streak; Find Faith, Going to the Lead and Seven’s Eleven are also entered. On the also-eligible list is Maryland-bred Goodafternoonoscar, second or third in seven of 10 starts this year.
