Kalu darted out to the lead in the first yards of the De Francis Dash, with Wondwherecraigis stalking on his outside, laying close throughout the first part of the race with Jalen Journey in third. Into the turn, Wondrwherecraigis closed in on Kalu and took over the lead as they entered the stretch. Jalen Journey moved out from behind the new leader into the center of the track to find running room as Wondrwherecraigis lugged out from the rail, causing Jalen Journey to check for an instant. The move was enough to keep Jalen Journey from catching Wondrwherecraigis in the race's final yards, the favorite holding on to win the G3 De Francis Dash by three-quarters of a length.

After the race, Feargal Lynch on Jalen Journey lodged a claim of foul against Jevian Toledo on Wondrwherecraigis. Laurel stewards disqualified Wondrwherecraigis to second for interference in the stretch, elevating Jalen Journey to winner of the G3 stakes.

The final time for the six furlongs was 1:09.52. Find this race's chart here. 

Jalen Journey paid $4.60, $2.60, and $2.20. Wondrwherecraigis paid $2.20 and $2.20. Kalu paid $2.80.

Bred in Florida by Edward Pendray and Dennis Foster, Jalen Journey is by With Distinction out of the Congrats mare Petunia Face. He is owned by Rockingham Ranch and David A. Bernsen and trained by Steve Asmussen. The win brings Jalen Journey to a lifetime record of eight wins in 16 starts and career earnings of $503,674.

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On tap are the $200,000, Grade 3 Frank J. De Francis Memorial Dash (3-Year-Olds and Up Sprint—Dirt division); $100,000 Weathervane (Filly and Mare Sprint—Dirt division); $100,000 Polynesian (3-Year-Olds and Up Long—Dirt division); and the $100,000 Twixt (Filly and Mare Long—Dirt division). The two sprint stakes are the fifth of six in their divisions, while the other two are the fourth of six in their divisions.

The 11-race program kicks off at 12:40 p.m.

De Francis Dash Gr.3

Hillwood Equestrian Meadows' Laki, an 8-year-old Maryland-bred gelding by Cuba, will make his fifth series start, the most of any horse in the series this season. A fifth start carries with it 3 bonus points.

In his last start, Laki finished seventh in the Chesapeake Stakes at Colonial Downs in his first race on the dirt surface there. Trainer Damon Dilodovico said Laki didn't appear to care for it—it was a little harder than he likes—but has taken to the new dirt surface at Laurel since his return from Pimlico Race Course in late August.

Laki, who has more than $830,000 in career earnings, won last year's De Francis Dash, which was held at Pimlico. He won the Frank Whiteley Stakes at Pimlico in April and, though he hasn't won a MATCH stakes this year, he is second in the standings with 18 points—two behind Mucho, whose connections opted to prepare him for a graded stakes in Kentucky in early October.

“He tends to circle back every fourth start or so and really launches a good number,” Dilodovico said. “Hopefully he's sitting on one of those.”

Regular rider Horacio Karamanos will be aboard.

Madaket Stables, Michael Dubb, The Elkstone Group and Bethlehem Stables' Wonderwherecraigis, trained by Brittany Russell, will make his MATCH Series debut. The Laurel-based 4-year-old Munnings gelding is three-for-four this year and in his last start won the Tale of the Cat Stakes at Saratoga Race Course. Jevian Toledo will ride Wonderwherecraigis.

Weathervane Stakes

Larry Johnson's Never Enough Time rounded back into top form in two outings at Colonial, including a sharp second-place finish in the Seeking the Pearl Stakes, fourth leg of the division. Trained by Mike Trombetta, the 5-year-old Maryland-bred mare by Munnings will pick up 5 bonus points for her fourth series start—the most of any horse in the division.

Never Enough Time is based at Fair Hill Training Center and will make her first appearance on the new Laurel dirt surface.

“She has been training very well, and I'm excited about running her in this race,” Trombetta said. “All is good. We hope to be in this race and the (final leg of the division Dec. 26 at Laurel).”

Regular rider Julian Pimentel is named aboard Never Enough Time.

The probable heavy favorite is Hello Beautiful, the Russell trainee who will make her third MATCH Series start and thus qualify for bonus money. Owned by Madaket Stables, Albert Frassetto, Mark Parkinson, K-Mac Stables and Magic City Stables, Hello Beautiful has won seven of 11 starts and last out won the Alma North Stakes at Pimlico.

Russell earlier had said the 4-year-old Maryland-bred filly by Golden Lad prefers time between races, so the connections opted not to make the trip to Colonial. The Weathervane was the target, she said.

With 17 points, Hello Beautiful is second in the standings, three behind Chub Wagon. The latter raced in two stakes at Parx Racing within a two-week period in late August and early September and would need to compete in the final division leg at the end of the year to qualify for bonus money. Toledo has the call on Hello Beautiful as regular rider Sheldon Russell is out of action with a foot injury.

Polynesian Stakes

Hillwood Stable's Cordmaker took the division lead at 18 points with a win in the Victory Gallop Stakes at Colonial and is the only horse to have started in the first three legs of the division. The 6-year-old Maryland-bred gelding by Curlin will pick up 5 bonus points with a start in the Polynesian.

Cordmaker, who has won 10 times and is closing in on $700,000 in career earnings for trainer Rodney Jenkins, on Sept. 10 breezed four furlongs in :46.40, the fastest of 40 works at the distance that morning.

“He worked great and was very tough going to the pole,” said jockey Victor Carrasco, his regular rider. “He's doing very good.”

McElmore Avenue, second to Cordmaker in the Victory Gallop in his first MATCH Series start, will be ridden by Karamanos for Mary Eppler Racing Stable and RAM Racing Stable. Eppler trains the 4-year-old Maryland-bred gelding by El Padrino. McElmore Avenue was claimed by Eppler for $16,000 in November 2020 and since then has four wins and four seconds from nine outings. He is based at Pimlico and could be a division factor should he race in the Polynesian and the last two legs of the series.

Twixt Stakes

Mrs. Orb, owned by Ruggeri Stable, Richard Coburn, Script R Farm and trainer Mike Miceli, is entered in the Twixt and would make her second series start. The 6-year-old New York-bred mare by Orb is currently tied with two other fillies and mares at the top of the standings with 10 points.

Mrs. Orb won the Caesar's Wish Stakes at Pimlico in her first MATCH Series start. She has performed well at the one-turn-mile distance in New York and will be ridden by Karamanos, who was aboard in the Caesar's Wish.

Full of Run Racing and Madaket Stables' Dreamalildreamofu, trained by Brad Cox, was second in the first leg of the division, the Grade III Allaire DuPont Stakes at Pimlico in May. The 4-year-old Kentucky bred filly by Commissioner will be ridden by Toledo.

The next MATCH Series stakes at Laurel are the $100,000 Thirty Eight Go Go (Filly and Mare Long—Dirt division) Nov. 13 and the $100,000 Richard Small Stakes (3-Year-Olds and Up Long—Dirt division) Nov. 27. The series will conclude with all four divisions represented Dec. 26 at Laurel.

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Madaket Stables, Michael Dubb, The Elkstone Group, and Bethlehem Stables' 4-year-old gelding Wondrwherecraigis went four furlongs in :49 over Laurel's main track, which underwent a multi-million dollar reconstruction over the summer.

It was the second work for Wondrwherecraigis since earning his first career stakes victory Aug. 13 in the Tale of the Cat at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. He also breezed a half-mile in :49.20 Sept. 3.

“That's all we wanted,” trainer Brittany Russell said of Saturday's work. “He's great. He's in good form. He's happy and he's training well. We have a lot going on at the moment, but it looks like we're going to move forward to next week.”

The six-furlong De Francis for 3-year-olds and up headlines four stakes worth $500,000 in purses Saturday, Sept. 18 at Laurel, which launched its calendar year-ending fall meet Thursday. Joining the De Francis are the $100,000 Weather Vane for fillies and mares 3 and up sprinting six furlongs and a pair of $100,000 stakes going one mile, the Polynesian for 3-year-olds and up and Twixt for females 3 and older.

All four races are part of the Mid-Atlantic Thoroughbred Championship (MATCH) Series.

Named for the late president and chairman of both Laurel and historic Pimlico Race Course, the De Francis' illustrious roster of winners includes Hall of Famer Housebuster, fellow sprint champions Cherokee Run, Smoke Glacken, Thor's Echo and Benny the Bull, and Lite the Fuse, the race's only two-time winner (1995-96) honored with his own stakes race in Maryland.

Wondrwherecraigis has won each of his last two starts, both in front-running fashion. Saratoga meet champion Luis Saez was aboard in the six-furlong Tale of the Cat, beating fellow De Francis nominee My Boy Tate by 2 ¾ lengths in 1:10.09. He was a popular 5 ¾-length winner of a July 18 optional claiming allowance at Pimlico under Russell's husband, jockey Sheldon Russell.

The connections will need a new rider as Sheldon Russell suffered a broken foot after being thrown from his horse during the post parade of Thursday's opening day finale at Laurel and will be out indefinitely.

Other jockeys to have ridden Wondrwherecraigis include Jose Lezcano and Hall of Famer Javier Castellano, the latter in the 2020 Grade 2 Amsterdam last August where they ran fourth in the Munnings gelding's only previous graded-stakes attempt.

Sheldon Russell is also the regular rider for six-time stakes winner Hello Beautiful, trained by his wife and owned by Madaket Stables, Albert Frassetto, Mark Parkinson, K-Mac Stables, and Magic City Stables and scheduled to start in the Weather Vane. Hello Beautiful, who gave Russell his 1,500th career victory in the July 31 Alma North at Pimlico, breezed a half-mile in :48.60 Sept. 8.

“We'll just regroup here the next couple days and see what we're going to do,” Brittany Russell said.

Other De Francis nominees breezing Saturday were Mucho, four furlongs in :50.80 at the Churchill Downs' Trackside training center for trainer John Ortiz; and Gary Capuano-trained stablemates Band On Tour (:48.20) and Threes Over Deuces (:48.40) at Delaware Park.

Band On Tour, 4, exits a six-furlong optional claiming allowance win Aug. 7 at Pimlico. Threes Over Deuces is a stakes winner that has run second or third in six others including a runner-up finish to Grade 1 winner Firenze Fire in the 2020 Grade 3 General George at Laurel.

Mucho leads the 3-year-old and up dirt sprint division of the MATCH Series with 20 points, two more than defending De Francis champion and fellow nominee Laki. Winner of the July 31 Challedon at Pimlico, Mucho is also tied with Chub Wagon for the overall MATCH Series championship.

Kentucky-based Ortiz said Saturday that Mucho is being pointed to the Grade 2 Phoenix Oct. 8 at Keeneland, an automatic qualifier for the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Sprint Nov. 6 at Del Mar Thoroughbred Club in Del Mar, Calif.

“I know we're sitting so close to winning the MATCH Series, but when a horse is doing this well you have to take advantage,” Ortiz said. “Kentucky being our home and his home track and Lexington being my hometown, I just think it's best to get a 'Win and You're In' while things are going the right way.”

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The 30th running of the six-furlong De Francis for 3-year-olds and up headlines four stakes worth $500,000 in purses, joined by the $100,000 Weather Vane for fillies and mares 3 years old and up, also at six furlongs; $100,000 Polynesian for 3-year-olds and up, and $100,000 Twixt for females 3 and older, both going one mile.

Honoring the late owner of Laurel Park and historic Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Md., the De Francis' distinguished roster of past winners includes Hall of Famer Housebuster and fellow sprint champions Cherokee Run, Smoke Glacken, Thor's Echo, and Benny the Bull.

Hillside Equestrian Meadows' 8-year-old gelding Laki rallied to capture last year's De Francis by a nose over Eastern Bay for his first graded-stakes triumph. Trained by Damon Dilodovico, who also won an ungraded De Francis with Immortal Eyes in 2013, Laki has lost four starts since extending his streak to five straight years with a stakes victory in the April 24 Frank Whiteley at Laurel.

Jackie's Warrior and Yaupon both exit Grade 1 triumphs on the Aug. 28 card at Saratoga for Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen, North America's all-time leading trainer by wins that has a total of four De Francis nominees. J. Kirk and Judy Robison's Jackie's Warrior captured the seven-furlong H. Allen Jerkens by a neck one race after Yaupon edged fellow Grade 1 winner and De Francis nominee Firenze Fire in the seven-furlong Forego.

While Jackie's Warrior has never raced in the state, Yaupon is 2-0 in Maryland having won the 2020 Grade 3 Chick Lang and the Lite the Fuse on July 4, both at Pimlico. Asmussen also nominated West Point Thoroughbreds and Marvin Delfiner's Jaxon Traveler, a four-time winner in Maryland including the Star de Naskra last out Aug. 21 at Pimlico, and Rockingham Ranch and David Bernsen's Grade 1-placed Jalen Journey.

Since winning the six-furlong Grade 3 Tom Fool March 6 at Aqueduct Racetrack in Ozone Park, N.Y., Michael Dubb's Chateau has run fourth in the Grade 1 Carter, second in the Grade 3 Runhappy at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y., and most recently third behind Yaupon and Laki in the Lite the Fuse. The 6-year-old gelding is based in New York with trainer Rob Atras.

Multiple stakes winners nominated to the De Francis include Florida-based Double Crown, second to Yaupon in the Chick Lang; Francatelli, third by a head in the Aug. 31 Grade 3 Parx Dash; Just Might, Grade 2 placed on turf and a stakes winner on grass and dirt riding a three-race win streak; My Boy Tate, Threes Over Deuces, and Whereshetoldmetogo. Wondrwherecraigis was a front-running winner of the six-furlong Tale of the Cat Aug. 13 at Saratoga for trainer Brittany Russell.

The Weather Vane, named for the Maryland-bred champion older filly of 1998 that won 17 of 36 career starts and 14 stakes including the 1997 Grade 3 Safely Kept, also attracted 25 nominations. Prominent among them are Hello Beautiful, who earned her sixth career stakes victory in the July 31 Alma North at Pimlico and is 7 for 11 lifetime at Laurel, and four-time stakes winner Chub Wagon, who lost for the first time in nine lifetime starts when second in the Dr. Teresa Garafalo Memorial Aug. 23.

Other Weather Vane nominees include Ain't No Elmers, second in the 2020 Grade 3 Miss Preakness and third in the July 28 Grade 2 Honorable Miss at Saratoga; Casual, second to Chub Wagon in the May 15 Skipat at Pimlico; Club Car, third in the Grade 3 Runhappy Barbara Fritchie and second in the Grade 3 Chicago this year exiting a stakes win at Mountaineer Park Aug. 7; Garafalo Memorial winner Don't Call Me Mary, trained by Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher; and multiple stakes winners Honey I'm Good, Casual's Asmussen-trained stablemate; 2020 Grade 3 TCA winner Inthemidstofbiz; Needs Supervision; and Never Enough Time.

Most popular among horsemen with 31 nominations was the Polynesian, stretched out beyond a sprint for the first time since returning to the stakes calendar in 2017 following a 17-year absence. Its first 12 runnings, alternating between Laurel, Pimlico, and Colonial Downs in New Kent, Va., were contested at 1 1/16 or 1 1/8 miles.

Nominees include 2019 Santa Anita Derby (G1) winner Roadster, unraced since a fourth in the April 30 Alysheba; West Will Power and Phat Man, respectively 2-3 behind Code of Honor in the Aug. 21 Grade 3 Iselin at Monmouth Park in Oceanport, N.J.; June 12 Grade 3 Salvator Mile winner Informative; 2019 Grade 3 Commonwealth Turf winner Mr Dumas; Aug. 27 Robert Hilton Memorial winner Exculpatory; and local multiple stakes winners Alwaysmining and Cordmaker.

The Twixt attracted 30 nominees led by May 2 Grade 2 Ruffian winner Vault and stakes-winning Brad Cox-trained stablemate Dreamalildreamofu, second in the May 14 Grade 3 Allaire du Pont at Pimlico; Off Topic, third in the 2019 Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks; Chilean Group 2 winner Cheetara; and stakes winners Artful Splatter, Josie, Kiss the Girl, Malibu Beauty, Miss Leslie, Mrs. Orb, Needs Supervision, Saracosa, and Trolley Ride.

Laurel Park's 59-day fall meet is scheduled to run Thursday, Sept. 9 through Friday, Dec. 31.

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Laki breezed an easy half-mile in :50.40 Sunday at historic Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Md., his first work following a fourth-place finish in Pimlico's six-furlong Challedon July 31, where he was beaten less than two lengths by Mucho.

“I was happy with it. He just ran a few weeks ago so I wasn't looking for too much. I just wanted to expand his lungs a little bit,” trainer Damon Dilodovico said. “It ended up being on the slower side, but we never really push him anyway.”

The six-furlong De Francis for 3-year-olds and up headlines a Sept. 18 program of four stakes worth $500,000 in purses. The 8-year-old gelding Laki is nominated to the $100,000 Chesapeake, contested under the same conditions Aug. 23 at Colonial Downs.

Laki emerged from a three-way photo finish a nose ahead of Eastern Bay in the 2020 De Francis, held on a Grade 1 Preakness Stakes undercard delayed to October amid the coronavirus pandemic. He skipped the race in 2019 after running second to Switzerland in 2018. Dilodovico also won the De Francis with Immortal Eyes in 2013 when the race held listed status.

By winning his sixth career stakes in the six-furlong Frank Y. Whiteley April 24 at Pimlico, Laki extended his streak to five consecutive seasons with at least one stakes victory.

“I'm not sure if we're going to be doing Colonial or just move on to the De Francis. We'll decide in the next few days,” Dilodovico said. “[The De Francis] is a graded race, so we'll get some shippers there. We'll see. If he's good, maybe we'll just keep going with it.”

Also among several horses Dilodovico breezed Sunday at Pimlico was Phillip Ward's 3-year-old ridgling Tiz Mandate. He was clocked in :49 for four furlongs, ranking fifth of 30 horses.

Tiz Mandate ran in four consecutive stakes last winter and spring, finishing second in the one-mile Miracle Wood Feb. 20 at Laurel. He went to the sidelines after running eighth in the 1 1/8-mile Federico Tesio April 24 at Pimlico, returning to be sixth in a six-furlong Parx allowance July 28.

“He's coming around. I took him up to Parx and he really just never kind of got into the race,” Dilodovico said. “I don't know if it was just from being away for a while, but I was very happy with his breeze today. He just sat off a horse, sitting there comfortably, and when it came time he picked up the reins and moved right by.”

Dilodovico said he has not settled on the next spot for Tiz Mandate.

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Based at historic Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Md., the 4-year-old gelding's front-running 2 ¾-length triumph under jockey Luis Saez has the connections thinking of taking the next step in their own backyard in the prestigious $200,000 Grade 3 Frank J. De Francis Memorial Dash Saturday, Sept. 18 at Laurel Park.

Named for the late president and chairman of both Laurel and Pimlico, the De Francis' illustrious roster of winners includes Hall of Famer Housebuster, fellow sprint champions Cherokee Run, Smoke Glacken, Thor's Echo and Benny the Bull, and Lite the Fuse, the race's only two-time winner (1995-96) honored with his own stakes race in Maryland.

The six-furlong De Francis for 3-year-olds and up headlines four stakes worth $500,000 in purses, representing the first stakes action over Laurel's newly reconstructed main track. Laurel's fall meet is scheduled to open Thursday, Sept. 9.

“It's not out of the question. It seems like the timing is good, but we'll have to just see how things fall into place,” Russell said. “We have to see who nominates and what it looks like, but I think he could be very useful around here. If it means the Grade 3, great. If not, we'll look around.

“I like the idea. I like the distance, the timing, all those things,” she added. “But, we also want to be reasonable. It would be exciting for me.”

Married to jockey Sheldon Russell and 10 weeks away from delivering the couple's second child, Russell stayed behind in Maryland to watch Friday's race, leaving the saddling to assistant trainer Amanda Knox. Saturday morning's report was encouraging.

“Amanda said he's fantastic, sound, ate up,” Russell said. “He was bouncing around, happy as could be.”

Since mid-April, Wondrwherecraigis has been part of Russell's string at Pimlico, where he prepped for the Tale of the Cat with a commanding 5 ¾-length optional claiming allowance triumph July 18. Of his five career wins, two have come at both Pimlico and Laurel.

By multiple graded-stakes winning sprinter Munnings, Wondrwherecraigis cruised by three lengths in gate-to-wire fashion on the Grade 2 Black-Eyed Susan undercard May 14 at Pimlico, his first race in nearly nine months since finishing fourth in the Grade 2 Amsterdam last August at Saratoga.

Wondrwherecraigis was unraced at 2 after selling for $67,000 as a yearling, debuting with back-to-back wins at Laurel March 13 and June 6, 2020. Two weeks later, he was entered in the Keeneland Horse Association's Horses of Racing Age Sale but failed to meet his $210,000 reserve.

Sent to New York, Wondrwherecraigis ran third in the Gold Fever at Belmont Park before taking on graded competition in the Amsterdam, finishing 7 ½ lengths behind Yaupon – who would come back to win the Grade 3 Chick Lang last October and Lite the Fuse July 4 at Pimlico – before going to the sidelines.

“The partners have been patient. It's a perfect example of if you know the horse has ability, just do the right thing by them,” Russell said. “Hopefully it works out the way it seems to have with this horse.”

Wondrwherecraigis was nominated to the $100,000 Chesapeake Aug. 23 at Colonial Downs, also six furlongs for 3-year-olds and up, but how well he had done since the Pimlico race and the prospect of a smaller field landed him in Saratoga instead. It was Russell's fourth career win at Saratoga and first in a stakes.

“I sort of wrote this race off originally. We actually supplemented him. I didn't even nominate him because I didn't want to feel pressured,” Russell said. “He ran such a big number when he won the last time at Pimlico. I was really thinking that Colonial race was good timing and that track seems to be good for speed horses. There seemed like a lot of positives to go to Colonial.

“But then looking at it, it seemed as though it wasn't going to be a large field [at Saratoga]. I wasn't sure about quality at the time,” she added. “It worked out. It doesn't always work out that well, but it did this time.”

Wondrwherecraigis will return to Maryland next week and begin preparations for his next race. All stakes races at Saratoga and Maryland's graded races such as the De Francis are run Lasix-free.

“I'm going to leave him up there a couple days and just kind of let him recover. I didn't want to put him right on a truck and ship him six hours after that run,” Russell said. “We'll get him back home and see how he is. I think the main thing is, we learned that he doesn't need Lasix and that's a big deal when you're talking about running in the better races like that.”

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Under jockey Horacio Karamanos, Laki – a 7-year-old Maryland-bred gelding by Cuba out of Truthful Dutch, by Swear by Dixie – was clocked six furlongs in 1:10.36 and paid $12.60 for the win in his first graded triumph. Eastern Bay finished second, beaten a nose and another nose ahead of Nitrous, with pacesetter Krsto Skye fourth in the field of six older runners.

Laki earned $120,000 from the De Francis Dash's $200,000 purse, winning for the 10th time in a 28-race career.

Krsto Skye and Julian Pimentel showed the way early, going the opening quarter mile in :22.96 and the half in :45.03. Landeskog, the 9-10 favorite under Florent Geroux, was his closest pursuer, with Laki racing in traffic, having to check back into fifth, well ahead of Eastern Bay, who trailed the field under Angel Cruz.

Nitrous and Paco Lopez made a three-wide move on the turn, with Laki just to his outside, and those two took aim on the leader.

Krsto Skye retained a 1 1/2-length lead into mid-stretch, with five furlongs clocked in :57.05, but Laki and Nitrous were bearing down. Laki put his nose in front, with Nitrous fighting back as the wire approached, just as Eastern Bay came flying on the far outside. The three hit the wire together, with Kristo Skye 1 1/4 lengths behind that trio back in fourth.

“It was unbelievably exciting,” said Dilodovico, who won the De Francis in 2013 when it was not graded. “Everyone was hollering like it was a full house, like a May Preakness. It means the world to me.

“The owner gives him a lot of time. When we want to give him time, the owner [Hillside Equestrian Meadows] takes him home, takes good care of him and sends him back to us in good shape.”

“Unbelievable. This is the stable horse. I'm so happy for everybody,” said Karamanos. “Laki, I really love this horse. I really love the trainer, the family. Everybody works together. I'm so happy to win for them because they support me all year round, winning many races. I'm so happy, especially for Damon. He's a good guy and a good trainer.

“It was an amazing finish. My horse broke good out of the gate, the speed went fast. He didn't want to go, but when I whipped him a couple of times he started responding in the middle of the turn. He was a little shy on the inside and I made the decision to go wide a little bit. It was a beautiful race. He fired today.”

Angel Cruz, aboard Eastern Bay, said: “He came with a big run and almost caught the winner. I thought I may have got up at the end, but that's horse racing.”

The 29th running of the De Francis for 3-year-olds and up was part of an all-stakes Preakness Day program featuring the 145th renewal of the $1 million Preakness (G1), contested this year as the final jewel in a refashioned Triple Crown, and the 96th edition of the $250,000 Black-Eyed Susan (G2), one of the country's premiere events for 3-year-old fillies.

Named for the late president and chairman of both Laurel Park and Pimlico Race Course, and not run in 2008 or 2010, the De Francis' illustrious roster of past winners includes Hall of Famer Housebuster, fellow sprint champions Cherokee Run, Smoke Glacken, Thor's Echo and Benny the Bull, and Lite the Fuse, the race's only two-time winner (1995-96).

This year marked only the third time the De Francis has been run at Pimlico, where it debuted in 1990 and returned in 2004. Laki had been winless in his only two tries over the surface, respectively running fifth and sixth in the 2017 and 2018 Maryland Sprint (G3) on the Preakness undercard. He finished second in the 2018 De Francis Dash at Laurel.

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Killybegs Captain delivered, springing a mild upset in the $200,000 Frank J. De Francis Memorial Dash (G3) at Laurel Park. Though the horse and the venue have changed, Terranova is looking to repeat the pattern with Stan the Man Saturday, Oct. 3 at Pimlico Race Course.

The 29th running of the six-furlong De Francis for 3-year-olds and up is part of an all-stakes Preakness Day program featuring the 145th renewal of the $1 million Preakness (G1), contested this year as the final jewel in a refashioned Triple Crown, and the 96th edition of the $250,000 Black-Eyed Susan (G2), one of the country's premiere events for 3-year-old fillies.

Named for the late president and chairman of both Laurel Park and Pimlico Race Course, and not run in 2008 or 2010, the De Francis' illustrious roster of past winners includes Hall of Famer Housebuster, fellow sprint champions Cherokee Run, Smoke Glacken, Thor's Echo and Benny the Bull, and Lite the Fuse, the race's only two-time winner (1995-96).

This year marks only the third time the De Francis has been run at Pimlico, where it debuted in 1990 and returned in 2004. A win would allow Terranova to join Rick Dutrow as the lone trainer to win the De Francis in back-to-back years. Dutrow trained Lite the Fuse as well as 2007 winner Benny the Bull.

“Certainly, we're just thankful that we have horses of that caliber that can run in those races and be competitive or have a shot to win them. It looks like right now Stan the Man is in good, good form,” Terranova said. “It would be really neat to come and have a real shot at winning that race a second time. That would be nice.”

Long Lake Stable's Stan the Man is a two-time stakes winner, taking the 1 1/8-mile Queens County last December at Aqueduct and the six-furlong Tale of the Cat last time out Aug. 20 at Saratoga after running second behind Grade 1 winner Firenze Fire in the True North (G2) June 27 at Belmont Park.

Terranova scratched Stan the Man from the Vosburgh (G2) Sept. 26 at Belmont, won by Firenze Fire, to point for the De Francis. Stan the Man breezed four furlongs in 48.89 seconds Sept. 27, ninth-fastest of 67 horses at Belmont.

“He came out of Saratoga well and has trained on forwardly,” Terranova said. “He's doing fantastic. He's in really good shape. I loved his breeze [Sunday] morning. He looks sharp and good to go.”

Stan the Man has a win and three seconds at six furlongs, but has also had success at seven, eight and nine furlongs. Now 6, he has finished third or better in 16 of 24 lifetime starts and is approaching $500,000 in purses earned.

“He looks to be doing really well sprinting at the moment, even though he's versatile. We've gone long with him in the past and he's done different things,” Terranova said. “He's held his own against some stiff competition right from the very beginning. He's been a pleasure, just a fun horse, a neat horse, and we've taken our time with him over the years. He's had a few off races here and there for one reason or another, but he's certainly come back and looks great as a 6-year-old.”

Hall of Famer John Velazquez will ride Stan the Man from Post 7 in a field of 8.

Hillside Equestrian Meadows' Laki, a stakes winner each of the past four years, will look to give trainer Damon Dilodovico his second De Francis victory following Immortal Eyes 9-1 upset in 2013, when the race wasn't graded. Laki, 7, won the Oceanport Centennial July 3 to open his 2020 season and has run second three times since, a pair of seven-furlong allowances and most recently in the six-furlong Polynesian Sept. 5 at Laurel.

“We're close to a month between races so I'm comfortable with the timeline. He came out of the Laurel Park race clean,” Dilodovico said. “He got kind of bounced around early on and when that happens it's not uncommon for him to get kind of out of sorts, but we didn't have that issue so we were able to just proceed right along and he gave us a nice breeze last weekend.”

While he has enjoyed success over his home track at Laurel, where he ran second in last year's De Francis, Laki is winless in two tries at Pimlico. He was fifth and sixth, respectively, in the 2017 and 2018 Maryland Sprint (G3), not run this year but previously part of the Preakness program that was postponed from May 16 amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

“We just kind of let him move into the race without being too keyed up. The thing about him is, his first two race attempts here at Pimlico have not been that good, so earlier in the spring I wasn't looking to run him back in the Maryland Sprint Handicap at that time. But, we'll give it a shot,” Dilodovico said. “Maybe the Covid worked out for him because that little bit of extra time probably was a blessing for him. Not that he was doing poorly, but I just think time for most horses is important. He's an older guy and we'll try to keep him around a couple more years and maybe try to do some of the stuff we did with Immortal Eyes.”

Regular rider Horacio Karamanos will be aboard from Post 4.

Robert D. Bone's Eastern Bay, who beat Laki by 1 ¼ lengths in the Polynesian, will be just inside Laki in Post 3 under Angel Cruz. The 6-year-old gelding has won three of four starts since being claimed in February by leading trainer Claudio Gonzalez.

“He's a classy horse, very classy. He likes what I do with him and he shows it when he runs. He's a nice horse for any trainer to have. He breezes well and does everything right,” Gonzalez said. “If you look back at his lifetime races, all the time this horse tries. Those are the kind of horses we like to claim.”

Haltered for $35,000, Eastern Bay was nearly but back in for the same tag until Gonzalez convinced Bone otherwise. He has responded with the best stretch of his life, which includes 10 wins and $419,184 in purse earnings from 33 starts.

“Bob Bone is very happy. He wanted to put him in again for the [$35,000] but I said this horse was showing me he's going to be OK. We decide not to put him in for the claim again and now he's won the stake.”

Eastern Bay's only loss with Gonzalez came in an open allowance Aug. 20 at Laurel going seven furlongs. Eastern Bay has a record of 7-1-1 from 16 tries at the De Francis distance.

“That day when he ran seven it looked like he was going to win the race and then he stopped,” Gonzalez said. “I believe that six furlongs is a better distance for him.”

Rounding out the field are Admiral Lynch, third in last year's Chick Lang (G3) at Pimlico and second in the World of Trouble Sprint (G3) in February; 2019 Gallant Bob (G2) runner-up Landeskog; Midtowncharlybrown, whose 11 career wins include four stakes; 2019 Woody Stephens (G1) and Amsterdam (G2) runner-up Nitrous; and 8-year-old 13-time winner Krsto Skye, exiting a second in the Smile Sprint (G2) Sept. 5 at Gulfstream Park.

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The 145th running of the 1 3/16-mile Preakness for 3-year-olds will anchor an all-stakes program of 12 races, seven graded, worth $2.7 million on Saturday, Oct. 3. It will be joined this year by the 96th renewal of the $250,000 Black-Eyed Susan (G2), one of the country's premiere events for 3-year-old fillies, contested at 1 1/8 miles.

Turf runners 3 and up will travel 1 1/16 miles in the $250,000 Dinner Party (G2), previously run as the Dixie, now in its 119th year. Pimlico's oldest stakes race and the eighth-oldest in the country, it was named the Dinner Party for its 1870 debut and run at two miles.

Other grass stakes on the Preakness program are the $150,000 Gallorette (G3) for fillies and mares 3 and up, $150,000 Laurel Futurity for 2-year-olds and $150,000 Selima for 2-year-old fillies, each going 1 1/16 miles; and $100,000 James W. Murphy for 3-year-olds and $100,000 Hilltop for 3-year-old fillies at one mile.

Rounding out the Oct. 3 stakes lineup is the $100,000 UAE President Cup (G1) for Arabians, contested at 1 1/16 miles for 4-year-olds and up.

The historic $250,000 Pimlico Special (G3) for 3-year-olds and up, returned to 1 3/16 miles after being contested at 1 ¼ miles in 2019, is the centerpiece of a Friday, Oct. 2 card that also serves as Claiming Crown Preview Day.

Each winner of the nine Claiming Crown Preview Day races will earn automatic entry and a stipend toward travel costs to the annual Claiming Crown Day program being held for the eighth consecutive year at Gulfstream Park. A similar preview was hosted at Laurel Park in 2015.

Preakness weekend will kick off Thursday, Oct. 1 with three stakes led by the $200,000 Chick Lang (G3) for 3-year-olds at six furlongs. It will be joined by a pair of five-furlong turf sprints, the $100,000 Jim McKay Turf Sprint for 3-year-olds and up and $100,000 The Very One for fillies and mares 3 and older.

Live racing will be conducted at Pimlico this year from Sept. 24-26 and Oct. 1-3.

Nominations for all Thoroughbred stakes, excluding the Preakness, close Thursday, Sept. 17. Nominations for the UAE President Cup for Arabians close Saturday, Sept. 19.

All nominations can be forwarded to Racing Secretary Jillian Tullock at Pimlico Race Course, Hayward & Winner Aves., Baltimore MD 21215, e-mailed to stakes coordinator Coley Blind at cblind@marylandracing.com, or by calling 410-542-9400 or 800-638-1859.

For more information go to: https://www.pimlico.com/sites/www.pimlico.com/files/PDF/2020_Preakness_Stakes_0.pdf

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