Thanksgiving weekend continues at Laurel Park with a strong Saturday program featuring full fields and competitive racing led by a trio of post-holiday stakes worth $300,000 in purses.
A total of 97 horses were entered for the nine-race card, an average of 10.7 starters per race, all scheduled for Laurel's recently refurbished main track. Post time is 12:25 p.m.
Race 2 is a 6 ½-furlong claiming sprint for maidens age three, four, and five that attracted a field of 14 including Gold Fellow from fall meet-leading trainer Claudio Gonzalez and Damon Dilodovico-trained stablemates Divine Proportion and Creative Storm.
Eleven fillies and mares three and up were entered in Race 4, a six-furlong claimer, including Fudge Cake, exiting the Maryland Million Distaff Starter Handicap. A field of 12 will contest Race 5, a 6 ½-furlong claiming sprint for 3-year-olds and up, where Interesting Legacy (12), Stroll Smokin (10), Getoffmyback (15) and Mr. Pete (11) combining for 48 career victories.
The stakes come in succession – the seven-furlong, $100,000 City of Laurel for 3-year-olds in Race 6, where stakes winner Everett's Song goes after his fourth straight victory and Pickin' Time seeks to regain his graded-stakes winning form; seven-furlong $100,000 Safely Kept for 3-year-old fillies in Race 7 featuring stakes winners Street Lute, Prodigy Doll and Malibu Beauty; and 1 1/8-mile, $100,000 Richard W. Small for 3-year-olds and up in Race 8.
Friday's nine-race card at Laurel, featuring a pair of $75,000 stakes, attracted 96 entries. Laurel's world-class turf course has closed for the season, meaning Races 3 and 6 will be contested over the main track. Race 3 is a 5 ½-furlong claiming sprint for fillies and mares three and up, while Race 6 is a Maryland-bred/sired allowance for 3-year-olds and up to be run at one mile.
Hello Beautiful will go after her fourth straight win and ninth career stakes victory in Race 4, the six-furlong Politely for Maryland-bred/sired fillies and mares 3 and up, where the 4-year-old filly drew Post 1 in a field of eight and was installed as the 1-2 morning line favorite.
Brittany Russell-trained stablemate Whereshetoldmetogo is the narrow 3-1 program favorite in Race 8, the seven-furlong Howard and Sondra Bender Memorial for Maryland-bred/sired 3-year-olds and up. The 6-year-old gelding is a 12-time career winner, nine in stakes.
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