Magee, 62, entered the eight-race, closing-day program without a starter, but an 11-8 lead over Jamie Ness in the trainer standings. Hugh McMahon won twice Sunday to pass Ness for second, while Brittany Russell wound up fourth with seven wins.

“It feels great because I'm down to 25 horses. To pull off a training title with 25 horses, that takes some doing,” Magee said. “I lost a bunch of them, but they won on the way out. Everybody that got claimed, won. I was thrilled to win it with such few starts. To have a high percentage is fantastic.”

A native of Ireland who worked as an exercise rider for recently retired trainer Dale Capuano after coming to the U.S., Magee led all Maryland trainers in wins from 2014-2016 and now owns or shares a total of 10 meet titles at Laurel and Pimlico Race Course. It was his first meet title since Pimlico's 2018 spring stand.

Concepcion, who turned 18 Mar. 16, entered Sunday with 12 wins, one behind co-leaders Jevian Toledo and Jeiron Barbosa. Concepcion won the opener on I Have Courage to make it a three-way tie before riding Fancee Grace C  to victory in the fifth race to earn his first riding title.

A native of Puerto Rico, where he won 21 races after attending the Escuela Vocacional Hipica jockey school and turning pro Jan. 1, Concepcion registered wins on nine of 16 racing days with doubles Apr. 1, 13, 14 and 29 prior to Sunday.

Represented by agent Tom Stift, Concepcion made his Maryland debut Feb. 24 and picked up his first winner, Shinelikeadiamond, the next day at Laurel in his fifth U.S. mount.

“I'm very confident for my work and the job Tom does for me. I don't have pressure. The wins are coming and thank God for two wins today,” Concepcion said. “I ride all my horses with confidence. Thanks to all the owners and trainers that help me. In the morning I work very hard for this, my first meet that I win. I'm very grateful. Thanks to everyone for giving me the opportunity. I'm ready for Pimlico.”

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“I've been thinking about it the last couple of years. This business, for me anyway, it's all I do,” Capuano, one of the leading trainers in Maryland history, said. “I've reached a point in my life where I want to do some other things besides get up at 4 o'clock in the morning and work six or seven days a week. It's time for me to do something else and enjoy myself.”

The 60-year-old Capuano is 22nd on the all-time wins list among trainers with 3,661 and his horses have earned more than $68 million in purses. He has topped the $1-million mark in season earnings 34 times, including each of the past 30 years.

Over his distinguished career Capuano led all Maryland trainers in annual wins eight times (1991, 1997-98, 2001-04) and won a total of 31 meet championships at its major tracks, Laurel and Pimlico Race Course.

His first winner was Who's Lucky at old Bowie Race Course Feb. 21, 1981.

An eight-time graded-stakes winner, Capuano extended his record as the most successful trainer in Maryland Million history to 15 wins when 2-year-old Johnyz From Albany captured the Nursery S. Oct. 22.

“I don't look at it like I've really done all that much. I've never won a Grade I, I never won a Classic-type race. Those things never happened,” he said. “We've had some pretty nice horses. Racing's been good to me and I've had a good career where I've been able to make a decent living doing it and doing what I really love to do. Those are all great things.”

Capuano was born into the family business, a son of late longtime owner and breeder Phil Capuano. He and his brother, Gary, were raised on the family's farm in the Prince George's County town of Upper Marlboro and began attending races at an early age.

Among his best horses have been 1990 GIII Trenton H. winner Wind Splitter, a horse he considers among the best he's ever trained, who ran 11th in the 1989 GI Kentucky Derby. Heros Reward was a two-time Maryland Horse of the Year who won or placed in 13 stakes, captured three graded-stakes and earned $1.3 million from 2005 to 2013. Others include Grade II winners Prized Stamp and Miss Mischief and multiple stakes winners Just Call Me Carl and In the Curl, the latter finishing in the money in 64 of 85 lifetime starts with nearly $750,000 in purse earnings.

“What's really kept me going is I've had great clients pretty much my entire career. That makes life so much easier,” Capuano said. “People like Lou Ulman, we've been together over 30 years. Steve Newby, Neil Glasser. Unfortunately some of them have passed away that were with me in the beginning–Harvey Linden was really helpful for me in the beginning of my career.

“There's so many I could name. Now we have Mopo Racing with Maury Povich, just great, great people to work with. Super C Racing. I don't want to leave anybody out,” he added. “It just makes my job so much easier when you have great people to work with.”

Phillip Capuano, son of trainer Gary Capuano, is more than ready to take over the stable, his uncle said.

“He's been with me in the barn every day since Delaware closed, and he's worked for me before, so he kind of knows my routine and he knows the horses,” Capuano said. “He always handles the horses for Gary at Delaware every year. When we shipped to Delaware he always took care of everything there for us. We usually kept a couple horses with him up there each season, so he knows my owners and he knows the horses. I think he'll just step right in on Jan. 1. Like I told my employees, it'll just be a different person behind the desk. Phil's a great kid. He's a hard-worker, honest, and he'll do just fine. I have no doubts about that.”

As for his retirement plans, Capuano said, “Just rest a little bit, because I haven't had a vacation in about five years. I'll probably take some trips around different places and start to live a little bit. Get myself back in the gym and get back in shape like I need to be, and work on myself a little bit.”

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The Star de Naskra for 3-year-olds is among four $75,000 stakes restricted to Maryland-bred/sired horses on the Maryland Pride Day program, joined by the Miss Disco for 3-year-old fillies, also sprinting six furlongs; 1 1/16-mile Find for 3-year-olds and up; and 1 1/16-mile All Brandy for fillies and mares 3 and older, both on the grass.

West Point Thoroughbreds and Marvin Delfiner's Jaxon Traveler was a 10-length debut winner last September at Pimlico and capped an undefeated 2-year-old season by defeating state-breds in the Maryland Juvenile Futurity at Laurel Park in Laurel, Md. Winner of the April 24 Bachelor at Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, Ark., he was second to stablemate Mighty Mischief in the Grade 3 Chick Lang May 15 at Pimlico and made his two most recent starts on synthetic and grass, running third in the July 15 Grade 3 Quick Call at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.

Dale Capuano trains Mopo Racing's Alwaysinahurry, who emerged from multiple stakes-winning stablemate Kenny Had a Notion's shadow with a commanding victory over Mighty Mischief in the July 4 Concern at Pimlico. Kenny Had a Notion, also nominated, was entered at Pimlico Sunday.

ZWP Stable, Inc. and Non Stop Stable's Shackled Love won the 1 1/16-mile Private Terms March 13 at Laurel but has finished sixth in three subsequent starts, the Federico Tesio, Chick Lang, and Bald Eagle Derby, the latter 1 ½ miles on the Pimlico turf July 24. Narrow Leaf Farm's Hemp ran third in the Chick Lang and exits a runner-up finish after setting the pace July 2 at Charles Town in Charles Town, W. Va.

Six-time stakes winner Street Lute and Grade 3-placed Edie Meeny Miny Mo are prominent among 15 nominees to the Miss Disco. Lucky 7 Stables' Street Lute won five straight stakes last fall and winter at Laurel and captured an off-the-turf Stormy Blues June 13 at Pimlico. Most recently, she finished sixth, beaten 2 ½ lengths, in her first try on dirt and against older horses in the 5 ½-furlong M. Tyson Gilpin July 19 at Colonial Downs in New Kent, Va.

Holly Hill Stables' Edie Meeny Miny Mo is undefeated at Pimlico, capturing an April 23 waiver maiden claimer by 4 ½ lengths and romping by six in a June 13 optional claiming allowance, her first two career starts. Last out, the Miguel Vera trainee ran second as the favorite after setting the pace in the July 31 Grade 3 Monmouth Oaks at Monmouth Park in Oceanport, N.J.

Most popular among horsemen was the Find, whose 29 nominees include 2019 Maryland Million Turf winner Mr. d'Angelo; 2020 Maryland Million Starter Handicap winner Beltway Bob; Cannon's Roar, second in the 2020 Maryland Million Turf and third in the West Virginia Speaker's Cup Aug. 7 at Mountaineer Park in New Cumberland, W. Va.; and dirt stakes winners Air Token, Alwaysmining, and Cordmaker.

The All Brandy attracted 27 nominations led by Danger Zone, 2-2-1 in seven starts since being moved to the turf this winter at Fair Grounds in New Orleans, La.; Dendrobia and Quiet Company, respectively second and third in the five-furlong Jameela July 4 at Pimlico; Fool Yourself, a winner of two straight for Preakness Meet leading trainer Claudio Gonzalez; and Artful Splatter, a multiple stakes winner on dirt.

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Trainer Dale Capuano said the Great Notion gelding is being considered for both the $75,000 Star de Naskra Aug. 21 at Pimlico as well as the $150,000 Robert Hilton Memorial Aug. 27 at Charles Town in Charles Town, W. Va., contested at six and seven furlongs, respectively. Both races are restricted to 3-year-olds.

The Star de Naskra is among four $75,000 stakes for Maryland-bred/sired horses on Pimlico's Maryland Pride Day program, along with the Miss Disco for 3-year-old fillies sprinting six furlongs on the main track, 1 1/16-mile Find for 3-year-olds and up, and 1 1/16-mile All Brandy for fillies and mares 3 years old and older, each on the turf.

“He's doing well. We're looking at the race at Charles Town, possibly the Star de Naskra. We're just going to play it by ear,” Capuano said. “We'll take a look at things and see how it shakes out.”

Bred in Maryland by Dr. and Mrs. Thomas Bowman, Quin Bowman, and Rebecca Davis, Alwaysinahurry burst from beneath the shadow of his multiple stakes-winning stablemate Kenny Had a Notion with a 4 ½-length triumph in the Concern at odds of 9-1. Mighty Mischief, trained by Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen, had won three straight races including the May 15 Grade 3 Chick Lang at Pimlico.

The six-furlong Concern was only the second race this year for Alwaysinahurry, who needed five tries to break his maiden and raced eight times at 2 with two wins and a second to Kenny Had a Notion in the Maryland Million Nursery, one of his three runner-up finishes. Alwaysinahurry came back six months later to run fourth in a Delaware Park starter allowance as a tune-up for the Concern.

“It was impressive, wasn't it? He did it the right way,” Capuano said. “I always felt this horse could run. It took a little while for him to come around, so, hopefully, he's gotten it together now. We'll see what happens.”

Alwaysinahurry has worked three times at Pimlico since the Concern, with bullets going four and five-eighths and, most recently, an easy five-furlong move in 1:02.80 Aug. 6.

“Hopefully, he'll just improve a little bit more and get a little bit better as we go on,” Capuano said. “Time will tell.”

Louis Ulman and Neil Glasser's Kenny Had a Notion won stakes on turf and dirt as a 2-year-old and opened his 3-year-old season with a neck triumph over favored Maythehorsebwithu in the seven-furlong Spectacular Bid Jan. 16 at Laurel Park in Laurel, Md. He got a break after running third in the one-mile Miracle Wood Feb. 20 and was sixth to Wondrwherecraigis in his July 18 return at Pimlico.

Capuano put Kenny Had a Notion back on the grass for his most recent start, a five-furlong dash July 30 at Pimlico, where he raced between horses early before tiring to be seventh behind Mamba On Three.

“He ran OK the other day on the turf,” Capuano said. “He just hasn't come back to himself. It's a bit disappointing.”

Capuano said he plans to run Taking Risks Stable's Cannon's Roar in the Find. The 7-year-old gelding, second in the 2020 Maryland Million Turf and third in the July 8 Sussex at Delaware Park, was third to Logical Myth and Monarchs Glen in the West Virginia House of Delegates Speaker's Cup Aug. 7 at Mountaineer Park in New Cumberland, W.Va.

“He ran a big race, so my plan is to back in the Find,” Capuano said. “He ran his race and ran terrific. The two favorites beat him. He got beat a length and a half. They just outran him. He did everything right, he just wasn't quite good enough. The Maryland-bred race hopefully will be a little bit easier, and we won't have to ship six hours to get there.”

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The fifth running of the six-furlong Concern for 3-year-olds, honoring the first Maryland-bred winner of the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Classic, was the second of four stakes worth $375,000 in purses on the Independence Day holiday program.

Trained by Dale Capuano and ridden by Jorge Ruiz for his third win of the afternoon, Alwaysinahurry ($20.20) completed the distance in 1:10.56 over a fast main track. Mighty Mischief, who captured the Grade 3 Chick Lang Stakes May 15 at Pimlico, finished second to snap a three-race win streak. They were followed under the line by Three Two Zone, Singlino, Sibelius, and Roderick.

“He always trained well and I always liked him,” Capuano said. “Alwaysinahurry just disappointed me a few times so we gave him some time off for the winter and let him mature a little bit. Today he ran like I thought he could.”

Mighty Mischief broke running from Post 1 and quickly established command through a quarter-mile in :22.97 seconds, going a half in :45.95 while pressed to his outside by Roderick. Ruiz and Alwaysinahurry settled in third before tipping out approaching the stretch, then set down for the drive to the wire.

“He rode him excellent. We talked about that before the race. We thought there would be plenty of speed,” Capuano said. “We knew [Mighty Mischief] was going to go from the rail so we just wanted to sit off the pace and try to save ground and he did a good job doing that. He had a good trip and it worked out perfectly.”

It was the first career stakes win for Alwaysinahurry, who ran second to multiple stakes-winning stablemate Kenny Had a Notion in the Maryland Million Nursery last fall before capping his juvenile season running fifth behind Jaxon Traveler in the Maryland Juvenile Futurity, both at Laurel Park.

Alwaysinahurry, a gelded son of leading Maryland sire Great Notion, returned from a six-month layoff to be fourth by a length facing his elders in an open six-furlong allowance June 9 at Delaware Park, giving Capuano the confidence to return to stakes company.

“The Delaware race was a very tough race. They were all older horses and he fought all the way after the layoff and came out of the race really well,” he said. “I just thought that this race surely wasn't any tougher than the last race. That was kind of a hidden tough race. It all worked out well.”

Earlier wins for Ruiz on Sunday's card came with No Fooling Dude ($31.20) in Race 2 and Behind the Couch ($13) in Race 6.

Concern, trained by the late Dickie Small, won seven of 30 career starts and more than $3 million in purse earnings from 1993-95. His 1994 season included wins in the Breeders' Cup and Grade 2 Arkansas Derby, seconds in the Grade 1 Travers Stakes, the Grade 1 Super Derby and Grade 2 Ohio Derby, and thirds in the Grade 1 Preakness Stakes, Grade 1 Haskell, Grade 2 Molson Export Million, and Grade 3 Round Table.

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The 26th running of the one-mile Miracle Wood for 3-year-olds and the 28th renewal of the $100,000 Wide Country for 3-year-old fillies are among six stakes, two graded, worth $900,000 on the nine-race Winter Sprintfest program.

Serving as co-headliners are the $250,000 Runhappy Barbara Fritchie (G3) for fillies and mares 4 and up and the $250,000 General George (G3) for 4-year-olds and up, both sprinting seven furlongs. Older horses will also go about 1 1/16 miles in the $100,000 John B. Campbell and $100,000 Nellie Morse for females.

Post time for the first of nine races is 12:25 p.m. ET. The Miracle Wood will kick off the stakes action in Race 3 (1:23 p.m.) with the Street Lute carded as Race 6 (2:53 p.m.).

The Miracle Wood will be the third meeting between Kenny Had a Notion and Maythehorsebwithu dating back to the First State Dash last September at Delaware Park, where they ran sixth and second, respectively.

Since then, Louis Ulman and Neil Glasser's Kenny Had a Notion won the 5 ½-furlong Jamestown over Laurel's world-class turf course and the six-furlong Maryland Million Nursery on dirt – one of four wins on the program for sire Great Notion – before running sixth in the James F. Lewis III and emerging with a displaced palate that required minor surgery.

Stretched out to seven furlongs for his two most recent starts, Kenny Had a Notion capped his juvenile campaign running second by a neck to James Lewis winner No Cents before his thrilling battle with Maythehorsebwithu in the Spectacular Bid.

“He's pretty game and he's going into this well. He worked good the other day so we'll stretch him out another eighth and see if he can get another eight against these horses,” trainer Dale Capuano said. “I think that he can do it. He sure seems like it. Until he does it you don't know for sure, but all indications are he could go at least another eighth of a mile, I think. We'll just have to see how it plays out.”

Kenny Had a Notion broke running in the Spectacular Bid, briefly losing the lead entering the stretch, but surged again along the rail for his third career stakes win. Jorge Ruiz, aboard for all three races, gets the return call from Post 5 in a field of seven.

“He has a lot of speed so I would assume that he'll probably in front again. We'll have to see if he can carry his speed that far, really,” Capuano said. “He came out of his race good so he's ready to go again. We'll see what happens. We'll see how he runs and how he comes out of it and then we'll decide what we'll do with him after this. But we have options.”

Michael Dubb and Bethlehem Stables' Maythehorsebwithu is the narrow 2-1 program favorite in the Miracle Wood over Kenny Had a Notion (5-2). Trained by Brittany Russell, the gelded son of 2009 Whitney (G1) winner Bullsbay has been sent to post as the favorite in each of his last three starts.

“He's great. He's a really good-training horse and he comes out of every race so far the same way. He touts himself. He trains well, and he hasn't missed a beat,” Russell said. “You want a horse like him. He has gas, but I think he'll keep going. I think he'll be fun moving forward.”

Maythehorsebwithu will also be racing beyond seven furlongs for the first time. He broke his maiden at first asking going 5 ½ furlongs in a maiden claimer last summer at Delaware, and captured a six-furlong optional claiming allowance Dec. 11 in his Laurel debut to punch his return ticket to stakes company.

“He ran really hard last time. I like this horse enough that I can see him jumping up and winning one of these races,” Russell said. “I think he'll like the mile, but you don't know until you try. He trains in the morning like he'll keep going, so I'm excited to see how the mile sets up for him.”

Russell's husband, jockey Sheldon Russell, gets the riding assignment from Post 4.

Klaravich Stables' Subsidize ships in from New York where he was a 3 ½-length maiden special weight winner Jan. 7 at Aqueduct in his fourth career start and first at 3. Victor Carrasco, who missed time recently with a minor toe injury, will ride for trainer Chad Brown from outside Post 7.

Kathleen and Robert Verratti's Silent Service was a front-running 6 ¾-length debut winner Jan. 22 at Laurel for trainer Mike Trombetta, whose first of four career Miracle Wood wins came in 2006 with Sweetnorthernsaint, who would go on to win the Illinois Derby (G3), run seventh as the favorite in the Kentucky Derby (G1) and second in the Preakness (G1). Silent Service is also entered in a 6 ½-furlong optional claiming allowance Friday at Laurel.

Rounding out the field are Tiz Mandate, most recently fourth in the Spectacular Bid; multiple stakes-placed Newyearsblockparty, second last out in the seven-furlong Pasco Jan. 16 at Tampa Bay Downs; and The King Cheek.

Eight Look to Deny Street Lute Sixth Stakes in $100,000 Wide Country
One race before they send out respective stable stars Hello Beautiful and Dontletsweetfoolya against each other in the $250,000 Runhappy Barbara Fritchie (G3), trainers Brittany Russell and Lacey Gaudet will look to upset five-time stakes winner Street Lute in the $100,000 Wide Country.

Team Gaudet and Five Hellions Farm's Fraudulent Charge came up a nose shy of Street Lute in the seven-furlong Gin Talking Dec. 26 at Laurel, just her second career start and first in a stakes. The Will Take Charge filly was a 6 ¼-length maiden claiming winner on debut Nov. 12, also at Laurel.

“We couldn't take anything away from her,” Gaudet said. “We kind of didn't have any other option but to try her in the stake. We were really looking for a third or fourth, a good effort to kind of just get her back over there. We think that she's a promising filly and I do think that she's going to want to go further, but winter racing you kind of have to do what Mother Nature lets happen.

“She ran her eyeballs out last time. Obviously, a very, very nice filly beat her, and she has not missed a jump since then,” she added. “[Street Lute] looks like she'll be the filly to beat again this time, but our filly will be ready and I think she'll appreciate having some more training and racing under her belt.”

Johan Rosado rides Fraudulent Charge from Post 3 in a field of nine.

Wonder Stables, Robert LaPenta and Madaket Stables' Little Huntress scratched out of the Ruthless at Aqueduct after it was pushed back a day to Feb. 8 due to weather and Russell opted to stay home with the promising daughter of Frosted, making her stakes debut.

“To be fair we were planning to go to New York and then when they canceled and they brought the races back it gave us the opportunity to enter here, which we were considering anyway. She has a good win over this racetrack. Yeah, it's a bigger field than it would have been in New York but I just felt better about taking the next step out of her own stall,” Russell said. “She's put up some nice works in the morning. She appears to have taken a step forward in the morning so I hope that translates to the afternoon.”

Little Huntress was beaten less than a length when second in her Nov. 21 unveiling going six furlongs, then romped to a 14-length front-running maiden special weight triumph sprinting seven furlongs Dec. 27, both over her home track. Russell's husband, jockey Sheldon Russell, rides from Post 7.

“We always liked her. It's sometimes deceiving when they win like that because you're not sure what was behind them,” Brittany Russell said. “With that being said, if there wasn't much behind her that's OK because she did it really well. I knew she was going to need a run that first time. We liked her and thought she could get the job done, but she was a big, heavy filly that was kind of hard to get fit and was going to need a race. So, to see her move forward so much from that first run was something we expected.”

Lucky 7 Stables' Street Lute is the 2-1 program favorite to earn her fifth consecutive victory and sixth stakes overall through seven starts. Her only loss came when second by a nose in the Maryland Million Lassie last fall.

Since then, Jerry Robb-trained Street Lute won the Smart Halo, Maryland Juvenile Filly Championship and Gin Talking to cap her 2-year-old season before launching 2021 with a five-length triumph in the return of the six-furlong Xtra Heat Jan. 16. Xavier Perez will ride for the fifth straight time, from Post 5.

BB Horses' Miss Leslie was second to Street Lute in the Xtra Heat, snapping a three-race win streak to end her juvenile campaign including the 1 1/16-mile Anne Arundel County by a head over Buckey's Charm. She was claimed by winter meet-leading trainer Claudio Gonzalez for $25,000 in mid-November.

“She ran into a nice filly the last time, and it was a little short. It was six furlongs, not seven and I think that maybe the seven furlongs is going to be a little better for us. I think she is better going longer. We don't have any races for 3-year-old fillies going longer so we'll give it a shot in here,” Gonzalez said. “She's doing good and she came back good from the last race. Maybe we can be there.”

Buckey's Charm and Hamilton Smith-trained stablemate Whiskey and Rye, fourth in the Gin Talking and Xtra Heat; Salt Plage, unbeaten in two Parx starts for New York-based trainer Linda Rice; and recent maiden claiming winners My My Girl and Lady Clau complete the field.

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The inaugural seven-furlong Spectacular Bid for 3-year-olds and return of the $100,000 Xtra Heat for 3-year-old fillies sprinting six furlongs were among six stakes worth $550,000 in purses on a Winter Carnival program that launched Maryland's 2021 stakes calendar.

Ridden by Jorge Ruiz for trainer Dale Capuano, Kenny Had a Notion ($8) led all the way to snap a two-race losing streak with his third career stakes win. The winning time was 1:23.98 over a fast main track.

“He's been showing a lot more speed the last few races. I think a lot has to do with him maturing and getting himself together,” Capuano said. “We're very pleased with him.”

Kenny Had a Notion was pressed by Maythehorsebwithu from the outset, the two running in tandem through a quarter-mile in 23.14 seconds and a half in 46.47, briefly joined in the chase by Shackqueenking, winner of the 1 1/16-mile Howard County Dec. 26 at Laurel. The top pair began to edge away once straightened for home and set the stage for a battle through the lane with Kenny Had a Notion, racing along the rail, refusing to budge under relentless pressure.

Maythehorsebwithu, who beat Kenny Had a Notion when second in the First State Dash over a sloppy track last fall, finished two lengths ahead of Shackqueenking. Tiz Mandate was another length back in fourth, trailed by Erawan, Nobody Knew, Scotch Rock's and Wicked Prankster.

“He's just gotten better,” Capuano said. “His first race when he won at Delaware, he ran a decent race but not that fast. Then the next time was on an off track and he didn't run well. Then he won on the turf and in the Maryland Million. The turf race seemed to turn him around.”

Kenny Had a Notion won the 5 ½-furlong Jamestown Stakes on Laurel's world-class turf course in October and now has also won at six and seven furlongs on the main track. He ran sixth after displacing his palate in the James F. Lewis III Dec. 13, had a procedure to correct the problem and came back two weeks later to be second by a neck in the Heft Dec. 26.

“He's run well at six and seven [furlongs], so I think we'll stretch him out at some point,” Capuano said. “He's game. He seems to carry his speed at seven, so it's exciting. We'll see how far he takes us.”

Spectacular Bid was named champion colt at 2 and 3 and champion older horse and Horse of the Year at 4 for the late Maryland-based Hall of Fame trainer Grover 'Bud' Delp, who called him “the greatest horse ever to look through a bridle.” 'The Bid' won the 1979 Kentucky Derby and Preakness and won each of his last 10 races, retiring with 26 wins and nearly $2.8 million in purse earnings from 30 starts. He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1982.

Street Lute Makes It Four Straight Victories in $100,000 Xtra Heat
Lucky 7 Stables' Street Lute, cutting back to six furlongs for the first time in two months, ran her win streak to four races, all in stakes, with a dominant five-length triumph in the $100,000 Xtra Heat.

A neck shy of being undefeated in seven career starts, Street Lute ($2.80) ran six furlongs in 1:10.31 over a fast main track under regular rider Xavier Perez in her 3-year-old season opener.

“The horses, they all improve after they win and she's done nothing but win, so she expects to win,” winning trainer John 'Jerry' Robb said. “I think that helps.”

Perez and Street Lute were outrun for the early lead by Trip to Freedom, the Maryland Million Lassie show finisher who went the first quarter-mile in 22.51 seconds. Street Lute, racing in the clear two wide, eased up to take over the top spot following a half in 45.64 and kept rolling, opening up by five lengths heading for home.

“It's easy to say now, but I kept looking for the fractions to make sure [Perez] was going easy and apparently he was,” Robb said. “I was confident coming into today but after watching the races today and all the closers were winning every race, I was a little nervous from that.”

Miss Leslie, winner of the 1 1/16-mile Ann Arundel County in her previous start, ran second to snap her three-race win streak. It was 3 ¾ lengths back to 30-1 long shot Breeze Off the Bay, who edged Whiskey and Rye by a neck for third. It Can, Plane Drunk, Trip to Freedom and Incomparable completed the order of finish.

Street Lute overcame an eye injury and subsequent surgery to win her debut, delayed to September at Delaware Park. The Street Magician filly won the Small Wonder in her second start and got caught at the wire in the Maryland Million Lassie before reeling off consecutive wins in the Smart Halo, Maryland Juvenile Filly Championship and Gin Talking, the latter Dec. 26.

Robb tied Mike Trombetta for second overall among all trainers with 43 wins in Maryland last year. It was Trombetta's Miss Nondescript that edged Street Lute in the Lassie.

“The whole barn's been doing good, not just her,” Robb said. “We've been having a great meet, thanks to everyone.”

Last run at Pimlico in 2007, the Xtra Heat honors the Maryland-based Hall of Fame mare and champion 3-year-old filly of 2001 that won 26 of 35 career starts, captured 25 stakes including the Prioress (G1), and was second against the boys in the Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1), both during her championship season.

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The inaugural Spectacular Bid for 3-year-olds and return of the $100,000 Xtra Heat for 3-year-old fillies, both sprinting seven furlongs, are among six stakes worth $550,000 in purses on a Winter Carnival program that kicks off Maryland's 2021 stakes calendar.

Post time for the first of nine races is 12:25 p.m.

The defection of undefeated Jaxon Traveler with a minor foot bruise leaves Kenny Had a Notion and Shackqueenking, respectively trained by Laurel-based brothers Dale and Gary Capuano, as the lone stakes winners in the field.

Kenny Had a Notion won the 5 ½-furlong Jamestown against fellow Virginia-breds over Laurel's world-class turf course and the six-furlong Maryland Million Nursery on dirt in successive starts 15 days apart in October.

In his most recent start, the Great Notion gelding set a demanding pace in the seven-furlong Heft Stakes Dec. 26, fought on gamely along the inside and just missed by a neck behind winner No Cents. He has breezed twice since, including a bullet five furlongs in 1:00.60 Jan. 6.

“He's been doing pretty well since that last race. He ran a pretty game race that day,” Dale Capuano said. “He ran pretty hard, so hopefully he'll improve for it a little bit this time. We'll see. Hopefully, everything goes well.”

Kenny Had a Notion will be racing for the second time after having a minor procedure performed following an atypical effort in the six-furlong James F. Lewis III Nov. 14 where he raced in contention for a half-mile before flattening out to be sixth, again behind No Cents.

“He displaced his palate and then we did the surgery on him, so [the Heft] was his first race after having the surgery,” Capuano said. “I thought he would have run better if he didn't displace his palate. That really seemed to help. He's been good since then.”

Jorge Ruiz, aboard for both stakes wins as well as the Heft, gets a return call from Post 6 at co-topweight of 122 pounds.

“You have to strike when the iron's hot with some of them. He'll probably get a break after this race,” Capuano said. “There's not a whole lot coming up so we'll probably give him a little rest after this one, I'm thinking. But we'll see.”

Pocket 3's Racing's Shackqueenking alternated finishing first and second through four starts last year, breaking his maiden second time out and emerging from an extended stretch duel a nose in front in the Dec. 26 Howard County, both races going 1 1/16 miles over Laurel's main track. Victor Rosales, up in both wins, rides back at 122 pounds from Post 7.

Michael Dubb and Bethlehem Stables' Maythehorsebwithu beat Kenny Had a Notion when second in the First State Dash Sept. 26 at Delaware Park. A first-out maiden winner last summer at Delaware, the gelded son of 2009 Whitney (G1) winner Bullsbay made his Laurel debut Dec. 11 with a popular front-running 1 ¼-length triumph.

“It was nice that we actually got to keep him home last time. He's Pennsylvania-bred and we considered taking him up there for a stake. He's also Delaware certified and he ran second in the stake they have there,” trainer Brittany Russell said. “He ran well on this track and I think it means a lot walking out of his own stall so I think he deserves a shot on Saturday. He's been doing really well. No complaints with that guy.”

Maythehorsebwithu will be trying stakes company for the second time and first with Russell's husband, jockey Sheldon Russell, who was up for the last race. Russell was also named for Maythehorsebewithu's unveiling but broke his wrist in a starting gate mishap three races prior.

“It was kind of nice last time to see Sheldon get on him because he's done so much work with him in the morning. When he finally got to ride him in the afternoon the horse broke well and he ran like a good horse. Sheldon has said all along that he thinks the horse is pretty decent,” Brittany Russell said.

“This horse has some gas to him and he's just had a little bit of bad racing luck as far as getting away right,” she added. “It's nice to move forward into deeper waters coming off a win. It gives you a bit more confidence.”

Maythehorsebwithu drew Post 8 outside both stakes winners and will carry 118 pounds.

Erawan, third in the Howard County; recent Laurel maiden winners Golden Gulley and Wicked Prankster; Scotch Rock's, who graduated by a neck going 6 ½ furlongs Dec. 23 at Parx; Tiz Mandate, fifth in the Heft in his second career start; and Nobody Knew complete the field.

Four-Time Stakes Winner Street Lute Launches Season in $100,000 Xtra Heat
Lucky 7 Stables' Street Lute, a winner of three consecutive stakes to cap her juvenile campaign, will get the chance to make it four straight and get her sophomore season off to a successful start in the $100,000 Xtra Heat.

Last run at Pimlico in 2007, the Xtra Heat honors the Maryland-based Hall of Fame mare and champion 3-year-old filly of 2001 that won 26 of 35 career starts, captured 25 stakes including the Prioress (G1), and was second against the boys in the Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1), both during her championship season.

Street Lute was a neck shy of being undefeated through six starts at 2, losing the six-furlong Maryland Million Lassie Oct. 24 by a neck to Miss Nondescript. She followed with wins in the Nov. 14 Smart Halo going six furlongs and the Dec. 5 Maryland Juvenile Filly Championship and Dec. 26 Gin Talking sprinting seven furlongs, the latter by a desperate nose after taking a four-length lead into the stretch.

“In the Maryland Million that day, the only reason she got beat is because she never saw that horse coming,” trainer Jerry Robb said. “She was trying to get by the one on the inside of her, which she did, but she never saw the one on the outside of her until it was too late.

“I think she's definitely a better sprinter. I think seven-eighths is pushing it. She did seven-eighths easy against Maryland-breds but almost got beat in open company,” he added. “I'll keep her sprinting and try to pick some easy spots for her where she belongs.”

Robb said Street Lute gave an indication early on that the connections were in for a special season, overcoming a serious eye injury that required surgery and meticulous follow-up care to win her unveiling last fall at Delaware Park.

“During that time she had lost a lot of training. I had been pointing her toward the Delaware-certified stake and I knew I wasn't going to make it,” Robb said. “The only way I could make it was to maybe run her once at Delaware and use that race as a workout, so I ran her not expecting her to do anything and she won.

“I knew right then and there that there was something special about her, because she beat some nice horses that day when she was nowhere near ready to win,” he added. “She was good enough to go over there and get a race over the track and that was about it. From that point on, I knew she would just keep improving and that's what she's done.”

Xavier Perez, up for each of her last three wins, rides back from Post 3 in a field of eight.

“She's been the same as always. She's always been a handful. She's ready to go,” Robb said. “You try to give her a little break and just jog her and she goes crazy. You have to train her just to keep her on the ground.”

Street Lute will face another stakes winner in BB Horses' Miss Leslie, who will be cutting back to six furlongs off her thrilling come-from-behind head triumph in the 1 1/16-mile Anne Arundel County Dec. 26.

It was the third straight win for the daughter of Grade 1 winner Paynter and second since being claimed for $25,000 by Maryland's four-time leading trainer Claudio Gonzalez. Roimes Chirinos gets the return call from Post 2.

“I wish we had a race that was going longer because I think longer is going to be better for her, but we're going to give it a try,” Gonzalez said. “Last time she ran big. She ran right back in two weeks after running six furlongs to running a mile and a sixteenth and it's not easy, especially for 2-year-olds. She had to run between horses and she still won. Everything we ask her, she does it.”

Also entered are Plane Drunk, winner of the Shamrock Rose Nov. 6 at Penn National; Trip to Freedom, third in the Maryland Million Lassie; Whiskey and Rye, fourth in the Gin Talking; It Can, unbeaten in two starts at 2 making her stakes debut; Breeze Off the Bay and Incomparable.

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The ninth running of the Lewis for 2-year-olds co-headlines a nine-race program with the 24th renewal of the $100,000 Smart Halo for 2-year-old fillies, both stakes sprinting six furlongs. First race post time is 12:25 p.m. Eastern.

Kenny Had a Notion will be facing open company in the Lewis for the first time since his July 30 debut at Delaware Park, where he came from off the pace to get up by a head sprinting six furlongs as the favorite in a maiden special weight.

“We'll see what he's made of now. There's no restrictions on this one,” trainer Dale Capuano said. “I think he'll run his race. If he's good enough, he should be tough. We'll see.”

Kenny Had a Notion returned to Delaware to run sixth in his stakes debut in the First State Dash, contested over a sloppy track. Back at his home track of Laurel, he rolled past fellow Virginia-breds in the 5 1/2-furlong Jamestown on turf, returning three weeks later to cruise by the same five-length margin in the six-furlong Maryland Million Nursery.

Capuano-trained stablemate Alwaysinahurry, second in the Nursery and nominated to the Lewis, came back to beat winners by a neck in a seven-furlong optional claiming allowance Nov. 7 at Laurel.

“After the Maryland Million he's done so well, and this is the next race for him. So, we'll see how he does,” Capuano said of Kenny Had a Notion. “I was very impressed with him last time. He showed good speed, he was on the bit the entire race, and when he got through on the inside he just opened up in the stretch. Alwaysinahurry, who he beat and who I still say is a pretty nice horse as well, came back to win the allowance race on Saturday. That just flatters his performance a little bit more, I would think.

“The only time he's lost so far was that sloppy race at Delaware. He just didn't it going in that race,” he added. “He was a little bit short and it's nice to run him at Laurel because that's where he trains the whole time.”

Alex Cintron, up for his debut, gets a return call from Post 7 in the field of 10. All horses will carry 122 pounds.

Also entering the Lewis off two straight wins is Lugamo Racing Stable's eponymous Chitu colt, whose lone career loss came when second behind undefeated Jaxon Traveler in his Sept. 25 unveiling at Pimlico Race Course. Jaxon Traveler is being pointed to the Maryland Juvenile Futurity Dec. 2 at Laurel.

Lugamo romped by six lengths in a seven-furlong maiden special weight Oct. 16 and came back two weeks later with a 4 1/4-length optional claiming allowance triumph going one mile, both at Laurel. Angel Cruz will be back aboard for a third straight time, from Post 9.

“I wasn't going to run him but the way he's acting he's telling me he's ready to go again. My only concern is the distance,” trainer Rodolfo Sanchez-Salomon said. “That's the thing. It's cutting back but you know, he's going to run his race. He's putting himself pretty much on the lead on the time without even being asked, so I hope he can do the same thing again.

“He took the last race like a breeze. He's a happy horse. He's doing really, really good,” he added. “He came out of it than he did the race before and the first race even better. He's such an amazing horse. He's out there galloping and all he wants to do now is buck, wants to rear up, wants to play. He's very happy. He's feeling really good.”

Sanchez-Salomon said Lugamo's attitude has been the perfect complement to his talent as the colt continues to develop.

“He's a really, really smart horse. He's pretty quiet in the shedrow but when the rider gets on him and he gets out to the track, he's a different horse. He transforms himself. All he wants to do is show that he's the man,” he said. “What really amazes me is when he comes back and is done training, all he wants to do is lay down until it's time for breakfast. You can lay on his back and sleep next to him and he won't even move. That's the sign of a really nice horse, so I hope he stays like that.”

Colts Neck Stables homebred Dalton will be making his Laurel debut for trainer Jorge Duarte Jr. after alternating his first four starts between Delaware and Monmouth Park. Last out, the Kantharos chestnut stalked the pace before taking a short lead into the stretch, and wound up second by a nose to Pickin' Time in the six-furlong Smoke Glacken Oct. 24. Pickin' Time came back to win the Nashua (G3) Nov. 8 at Aqueduct.

Completing the field are First State Dash winner Singlino; No Cents, a, winner of two straight at Monmouth for Laurel-based trainer Cal Lynch; Ain't Da Beer Cold, Fearless Fly, Heir Port, Texas Basin and Xtreme Mayhem.

The James F. Lewis III is named for the late longtime horseman who served as first president of Maryland Million Ltd. and past president of the Maryland Horse Breeders Association. A breeder, owner and trainer, Lewis' top horses included 1974 Test (G2) winner Maybellene, 1974 Flirtation (G3) winner Heartful and multiple stakes winner Swift Attraction. His daughter, Lisa Lewis, has been training since the early 1990s.

Out of Sorts, Prodigy Doll Seeks Stakes Success in $100,000 Smart Halo
Juvenile fillies Out of Sorts and Prodigy Doll, impressive last out winners over Laurel's main track, will square off for the first time as they make their stakes debut in Saturday's $100,000 Smart Halo.

Respect the Valleys' Out of Sorts, a $1,000 yearling purchase last fall, is taking the step up to stakes company just 13 days off a 10 ¾-length maiden special weight romp Nov. 1 at Laurel. The Dramedy filly ran a half-mile in 46.73 seconds before being geared down in the stretch by jockey Sheldon Russell, completing six furlongs in 1:11.62.

“I know it's back kind of quick but I think her maiden win she did it easy enough and she's come right out of it so we'll give it a shot,” trainer Brittany Russell said. “I think she ran a pretty good number. Naturally, I wish she would have broken her maiden a few weeks earlier so we could have given her a little bit more time. She won by a lot but she did it easy. She did it within herself and she's come out of that race bouncing and doing well, so that's kind of all you can ask for when you're trying to wheel one back quick.”

Out of Sorts broke slowly and raced near the back of the field in her debut, a maiden special weight also going six furlongs Sept. 25 at Pimlico Race Course. Favored in each of her two starts, she showed some late interest to get up for fourth and reaffirmed the connections' faith in her.

“With her it's kind of been about her mind. She seemed to be fragile-minded early on and after that first run she really seemed like she grew up. She came around mentally. Not that she was ever bad or ever a problem by any means but with the 2-year-old fillies, sometimes they can have all the ability in the world but they have to have the mind to back it up,” Russell said.

“I feel like now she's had some racing and she kind of gets it, she's very, very mature in the morning. She's very businesslike,” she added. “I do know she had the ability. Now that we see her brain can handle it and she's maturing, I think that makes us feel even better about what we have.”

Sheldon Russell will ride back from Post 2 of eight. All fillies will carry 122 pounds.

HnR Nothhaft Horse Racing's Prodigy Doll enters the Smart Halo off two sharp wins, the first coming in a 5 ½-furlong maiden special weight over her home track of Penn National Oct. 22. Trainer Bernie Houghton shipped her to Laurel for an entry-level optional claiming allowance going six furlongs 20 days later, and she cruised by nine lengths in front-running fashion.

“She's a nice one. She certainly surprised the heck out of me the other day. I talked the owner into letting me run her,” Houghton said. “She won the first time at Penn National and did it pretty easy so you couldn't really gauge her. It's a big jump going from a maiden race at Penn National to an allowance race at Laurel. I really liked her and I thought she would run well. Did I think she would run like she did? Not exactly. That shocked me a little bit.”

Prodigy Doll, by champion juvenile Shanghai Bobby, made two starts in Kentucky in June before being sold privately and moved to Houghton, who brought filly Crabcakes to Laurel to win four stakes from 2016-18. The trainer gave her three months between races and she has responded with back-to-back wins.

“When I got her I said we've got to give her a little time off. She'd run twice already as a 2-year-old, early, and I don't like to run them that much,” Houghton said. “We gave her time off and I just freshened her up a little bit.

“She had the experience with two races under her belt, she just needed time. I think that race at Penn National was a good confidence booster for her. She just handled those horses,” he added. “The step up in class is always a concern for me but she came out of the race great, she had a nice, slow easy work the other day and she's ready. She's coming into the race perfectly.”

Lucky 7 Stables' stakes winner Street Lute suffered her first career loss when she finished second by a neck behind Miss Nondescript in the Maryland Million Lassie Oct. 24. In her previous start, she won the 5 ½-furlong Small Wonder Sept. 26 at Delaware Park.

Five fillies exiting maiden victories – Be Sneaky, Supreme Blessing and Swirling Dancer at Laurel and shippers Docs Seven from Arlington Park and Donnybrook Girl from Parx – round out the field.

The Smart Halo recognizes the winner of the first Maryland Million race ever run, the 1986 Lassie, by a neck over In the Curl. A daughter of one of Maryland's top sires, Smarten, she went three-for-three as a juvenile for Canadian-based trainer Jim Day.

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A 2-year-old son of Great Notion trained by Dale Capuano, Kenny Had a Notion beat stablemate Alwaysinahurry by five lengths while covering six furlongs in 1:10.55. Reassured was third.

Kenny Had a Notion, a determined head winner of his maiden special weight debut July 30 at six furlongs at Delaware Park, cut back to 5 1/2 for the First State Dash there Sept. 26, contested over a sloppy track. Capuano brought him back in 13 days for the Jamestown Stakes, a 5 1/2-furlong turf dash for Virginia-breds Oct. 9 at Laurel, where he romped by five lengths as the favorite.

On Saturday afternoon at Laurel, Kenny Had a Notion broke well and raced third down the backstretch behind pacesetter Tiz Golden and inside San Antone past an opening quarter mile in :22.68. But around the turn, Ruiz drove Kenny Had a Notion to the front along the rail and then cruised away. Alwaysinahurry, who also saved ground entering the stretch, split horses to get up for the place.

“They're both nice,” said Capuano of his first two finishers. “Kenny is getting better and so is Alwaysinahurry. [Kenny] showed more speed than I thought he would. He was on the bit very early and the rider had to just get a seam and lucky the rail opened up and he got through.”

Miss Nondescript Gives Sire Mosler First Stakes Winner
Barak Farm's Miss Nondescript, making her second start and first for trainer Michael Trombetta, rallied down the stretch and got up in the final strides to win the $100,000 Maryland Million Lassie by a neck over Street Lute, giving freshman sire Mosler his first stakes winner.

Miss Nondescript, who broke her maiden at first asking Sept. 4 at Monmouth Park, covered the six furlongs in 1:10.13 under jockey Trevor McCarthy.

“This filly gave me a great effort today,” McCarthy said. “She had a nice break and the pace was quick … we had a perfect pace to run at.”

Miss Nondescript (outside) is up just in time to win the Maryland Million Lassie

Trip to Freedom, who broke her maiden a week earlier, shot out of the gate and went the opening quarter in :21.93 and the half in :44.38 before Street Lute and Miss Nondescript both rallied to the outside inside the final eighth. But in the final yards, it was Miss Nondescript who put her neck out front at the wire.

“I was worried that she might run out of time,” Trombetta said. “I could see her chiseling into the margin but I didn't know if she had enough time. Fortunately it worked out.”

Trombetta, who has only had the filly about a month, said there were “a real good set of circumstances” about the Lassie, with the filly having seven weeks since her debut and the quick early pace of Saturday's race. When asked about the offspring of Mosler, Trombetta said, “From what I'm seeing of these guys I think they'll run on whatever you ask.”

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