Uncle Jake breaks his maiden March 10 at Laurel Park (Jim McCue/MJC)
David Joseph/Maryland Jockey Club
LAUREL, Md.— Uncle Jake, an eye-catching Laurel Park maiden winner in March, is entered to make his first start in more than three months to highlight a nine-race program when the summer meet resumes Friday.
First race post time is 12:25 p.m.
A 3-year-old son of champion Uncle Mo who fetched $675,000 as a yearling in 2021, SF Racing, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, Robert Masterson, Stonestreet Stables, Jay Schoenfarber, Waves Edge Capital and Catherine Donovan’s Uncle Jake shares ownership with 148th Preakness Stakes (G1) winner National Treasure.
After running fourth in debut for Hall of Famer Bob Baffert Jan. 29 at Santa Anita, Uncle Jake was transferred to Maryland’s leading trainer, Brittany Russell, and rolled to a front-running 9 ½-length maiden special weight triumph going one mile March 10. The effort earned him a shot in the 1 1/8-mile Wood Memorial (G2) April 8 at Aqueduct, where he raced near the front early before fading to last behind Lord Miles.
Uncle Jake drew Post 3 in a field of seven for Friday’s Race 5, a one-mile optional claiming allowance for sophomores where he is reunited with jockey Sheldon Russell and made the 8-5 program favorite following three sharp works this month at Laurel, most recently going five furlongs in 1:01.40 July 16.
Among the contenders are Eldest Son, fourth by two lengths to Perform in the April 15 Federico Tesio that is 2-for-3 at Laurel including a last-out optional claiming allowance victory going 1 1/16 miles June 24; Goodafternoonoscar, third or better in five of seven tries at Laurel with a seven-furlong maiden special weight win April 6; and fellow Laurel maiden winner No Easy Days.
Sophomore fillies will be in the spotlight in co-featured Race 7, an optional claiming allowance sprinting 5 ½ furlongs. Liquidator has been first or second in six of nine starts this year, all at Laurel, where she owns five career wins. Beyond the Wire runner-up Happy Clouds has twice finished second to Liquidator and beaten her twice, including a six-furlong optional claimer April 14. Miss Georgie is entered to make her season debut after running second in the Smart Halo and fifth in the Gin Talking at Laurel, the latter Dec. 30.
There will be carryovers of $3,131.46 in the $1 Jackpot Super High Five (Race 6) and $1,594.52 in the 20-cent Rainbow 6 (Races 4-9).
Race 6 is a claiming event for fillies and mares 3 and up which have never won two races scheduled for one mile on the Kelso turf course that drew an overflow field of 13 led by Devil Pays in Gold, never worse than third in five starts entered for her turf debut; and Lady Mosler, a Laurel maiden winner on dirt April 7 that gets blinkers removed off back-to-back runner-up finishes on the grass.
