Slam Notion stalks and pounces under Jevian Toledo for his third on the day. (The Maryland Jockey Club photo)
Dan Illman/Laurel Park
LAUREL, Md.—The consistent Slam Notion tracked three wide under jockey Jevian Toledo, made a bid from that path on the turn, then dug in determinedly to deny a game Twisted Ride in Saturday’s $100,000 Maryland Million Sprint for 3-year-olds and upward racing six furlongs at Laurel Park.
Slam Notion was trainer Robbie Bailes’s second winner on the program after Slewpertitus captured the Glenangus Maryland Million Lassie. Both of those horses are owned by Eric Rizer and were bred by Eric and Nancy Rizer. Slam Notion was Toledo’s third victory this afternoon.
“It is just awesome,” Bailes said after the Sprint. “It’s been a great day. The owners are just unbelievable people. They’ve brought my game to another level.”
Favored Haileysfirstnotion grabbed the early advantage, but immediately took heat from Twisted Ride. Meanwhile, Toledo allowed those two horses to clear off before urging Slam Notion into a prime three-wide position just behind the leaders.
“He’s doing something that he didn’t use to do,” noted Bailes. “Before, if he wasn’t right on the front end, or laying right off of it, he’d still try, but he wasn’t this type of horse now. It looks like you can put him anywhere you want to put him.”
Slam Notion pounced on the turn, took over the lead in upper stretch, then kept on churning to best a hard-trying Twisted Ride by 1 ½ lengths in 1:10.17.
Haileysfirstnotion finished third, a neck behind the runner-up. Then came Bold Diversion, Catahoula Moon, Heard On Thestreet, Wickeddivine, and Holy Synchronicity. Freeze the Fire was a gate scratch.
Slam Notion paid $7.20 as the second choice in the wagering.
Slam Notion, a 3-year-old gelding by Great Notion, grabbed Colonial’s restricted Star De Naskra Stakes at seven furlongs on July 12. After a disappointing try on turf, he returned to the winner’s circle with an allowance victory at Colonial on Sept. 10.
“Except for the turf race, the last three races have been unbelievable,” Bailes said. “He’s just been finding another gear.”
Slam Notion boasts a record of six wins from 11 starts, earning $294,770.
