Homecoming Victory In Maryland Million Classic

A decade ago, trainer Jamie Ness claimed a filly named Parade of Colors for $5,000 at Laurel Park. She only ended up winning three lower-level races lifetime and only one for Ness, and when she retired at the end of 2012, Ness simply gave her away to breeder John Williamson III.

But something about that filly resonated positively with Ness, and as he watched her offspring eventually reach the races as Maryland-breds, one in particular caught his eye: Ournationonparade, a son of Cal Nation, who won the 2019 Maryland Million Nursery as the favorite despite being a second-time-starter maiden.

Ness continued to follow Ournationonparade as he matured from ages two to five and changed barns several times via the claim box while competing on other major circuits.

So just four weeks ago, when the 7-for-24 gelding was on the cusp of a three-race winning streak, Ness, acting on behalf of owner Happy Got Lucky Stable, dropped a slip for $50,000 prior to a winning effort at Churchill Downs. Four other outfits had also put in claims for the Maryland-bred, but Ness and his client managed to win the five-way shake.

On Saturday, making his first start for the trainer who had been keeping tabs on his family for 10 years, Ournationonparade blasted past two previous $150,000 Classic S. winners to capture his fourth straight start, this one in the featured race on the 37th annual Jim McKay Maryland Million program.

The 5 3/4-length victory was the second stakes win of the afternoon for Ness and the second stakes score for jockey Jaime Rodriguez on the eight-stakes card for the offspring of in-state stallions.

“I've always been watching this horse,” Ness said in the Laurel winner's circle. “I've always had a little bit of a connection to the horse. And it kind of comes full circle [because we] finally got a chance to bring him back home to Maryland. He's a Maryland-

bred. He needs to be here. And hopefully, he'll be here for good from now on.”

Backed to 2-1 favoritism, Ournationonparade had a stutter-step start but quickly righted himself and took up the chase by assertively snagging a three-wide stalking spot through the opening turn.

Fourth for most of the trip down the backstretch, Rodriguez patiently rated with a handful of horse behind the speed-centric Prendimi (Dance With Ravens) and Monday Morning Qb (Imagining), the respective 2021 and 2020 winners of this same stakes.

But by the far turn, Rodriguez's calm body language atop Ournationonparade stood out in confident contrast to the desperate urging of the top two. The gelding cracked Prendimi first and then blitzed “Qb” at the head of the lane.

Ournationonparade began pouring it on in upper stretch, racing for a few strides with his head cocked out toward the grandstand before finishing with authority while kept to task by Rodriguez. The final time was 1:51.78 for nine furlongs over the “fast” dirt.

Other Oct. 22 highlights from Laurel included Great Notion, the state's leading stallion by progeny earnings since 2018, siring yet another Maryland Million winner, giving his offspring at least one Maryland Million Day stakes victory for 13 consecutive years.

And the second-crop stallion Blofeld swept the two Maryland Million races for juveniles, siring his first two stakes winners. It's the second year in a row one stallion has swept the card's baby races: Progeny of Buffum, who died in 2019, won both of those 2-year-old stakes in 2021.

Johnyz From Albany racked up the first stakes win for Blofeld by wiring the $100,000 Nursery. Off at 4-1, he turned for home with the three favorites bearing down menacingly, but he capably swatted them away to cruise home by five lengths in 1:11.35 for six furlongs under Jorge Ruiz for trainer Dale Capuano.

Owner Charles “Chip” Reed said that the win was special on several levels. First, he had named his homebred in honor of a recently departed Saratoga-area racetrack friend, John Zanella from Albany, New York. And second, Reed had also campaigned the colt's dam, Monster Sleeping, whom he had claimed for $30,000 in 2013.

“The mom won two [Maryland Million] races here, so we were hoping that the son took after the mom, and today he did,” Reed said.

In the counterpart $100,000 Lassie S. for 2-year-old-filles, the Blofeld-sired Chickieness was a 1 1/2-length victress at 9-10 odds while mowing down the center of the main track in 1:12.58 for six furlongs. Ness and Rodriguez again partnered here, this time for owner/breeder Jagger, Inc. and part-owner Morris Kernan, Jr.

In the $125,000 Turf Classic, 9-2 shot Wicked Prankster (Mosler) cleared the field from an outer post going nine furlongs over “firm” grass, but looked certain to be swallowed up late in the lane after leading the entire trip.

Yet the 4-year-old from owner/trainer Samuel Davis's barn fought back when headed, resurging to win by three-quarters of a length under Richard Monterrey in 1:49.44. Country Life Farm & Broken Trust Fund, LLC, bred Wicked Prankster.

Coconut Cake (Bandbox) delivered a score by a head at 6-5 odds in the $125,000 Ladies S. at nine furlongs on the turf, having gone winless since 2020.

Jockey Sheldon Russell stalked the speed, uncoiling the 5-year-old gray for a long stretch drive against a very stubborn 16-1 pacemaker, prevailing in the final few jumps for a 1:50.22 clocking. Tim Keefe trains and is part-owner along with N R S Stable and James Chambers. The breeders were Mr. & Mrs. Charles McGinnes.

The $100,000 Sprint S. yielded the heaviest-favored winner among the Maryland Million stakes, with the 1-2 chalk Fortheluvofbourbon (Bourbon Courage) getting a bit more late-stretch resistance than might have been expected from 15-1 runner-up Karan's Notion (Great Notion), the 2020 upsetter of this same stakes.

The winning margin was 1 1/2 lengths in 1:10.96 for six furlongs for connections Paco Lopez (jockey), Michael Pino (trainer), Smart Angle LLP (owner) and Hidden Acres 4-D Farm (breeder). The victory was Fortheluvofbourbon's sixth straight trip to the winner's circle and victory number 12 from just 23 lifetime starts.

Fille d'Esprit (Great Notion), the 1 1/4-length winner of the $100,000 Distaff S. over seven furlongs, is only one win away from matching Fortheluvofbourbon's impressive record. She's now 11-for-22 lifetime after stalking a legit pace with a rail run, then edging away powerfully in deep stretch to finish in 1:25.05.

The 6-year-old mare is making the most of regional incentives on the mid-Atlantic circuit. She also won her division of the MATCH stakes series this summer for jockey Xavier Perez, trainer John Robb, the ownership partners C J I Phoenix Group and No Guts No Glory Farm, and breeder Sweet Spirits Stables.

In the $100,000 Turf Sprint S., Sky's Not Falling (Seville {Ger}), forced the issue with an inside bid, split horses on the far bend, then repulsed late challenges to win by half a length at 7-2 odds under Lopez (two stakes-winning rides) in 1:02.75 for 5 1/2 furlongs. The Michael Trombetta trainee was bred by R. Larry Johnson, who partners in ownership with R. D. M. Racing Stable.

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Five Title Defenders Lead 249 Pre-Entries For Jim McKay Maryland Million Day

Five defending champions led by multiple stakes-winning filly Hello Beautiful, and graded-stakes placed horses Cordmaker, Galerio, Double Crown and No Mo Lady are among 249 pre-entries in 12 stakes on the 36th annual Jim McKay Maryland Million Day program Saturday, Oct. 23 at Laurel Park.

Five of the races on the groundbreaking Maryland Million program are scheduled to be contested over Laurel's world-class turf course. Entries will be taken and post positions drawn Wednesday, Oct. 20.

First race post time on Maryland Million Day is 11:30 a.m.

Cordmaker and Galerio are each among 23 horses nominated to the $150,000 Classic, the richest race on the Maryland Million program, for 3-year-olds and up going 1 1/8 miles. Hillwood Stables' Cordmaker, a 6-year-old son of two-time Horse of the Year 2014 Hall of Famer Curlin, owns six career stakes wins, four of them coming at Laurel, and was third in the historic Pimlico Special (G3) in both 2019 and 2020.

Galerio is owned and trained by Jamie Ness, who claimed the 5-year-old Jump Start gelding out of a runner-up finish Aug. 16 at Colonial Downs. Overall, the Maryland-bred has been first or second in 22 of 28 lifetime starts, nine of them wins, and has placed in five stakes including a second to Cordmaker in the March 13 Harrison Johnson Memorial at Laurel and third in the June 12 Salvator Mile (G3) at Monmouth Park.

Also pre-entered in the Classic are multiple stakes winners Alwaysmining, who ran in the 2019 Preakness (G1); 5-year-old mare Artful Splatter, beaten a head when second in the Sept. 18 Twixt at Laurel; and 2019 Classic runner-up Prendimi, as well as Non Stop Stable's Tappin Cat, third in the 2019 Classic and currently riding a three-race win streak for Laurel trainer Gary Capuano.

Madaket Stables, Albert Frassetto, Mark Parkinson, K-Mac Stables and Magic City Stables' Hello Beautiful is pre-entered to defend her title in the $100,000 Distaff for fillies and mares 3 and up sprinting seven furlongs. The 4-year-old daughter of Golden Lad, winner of the 2019 Maryland Million Lassie, is 9-for-17 overall and 3-for-5 this year, each win coming in stakes, including the Alma North and Weathervane in back-to-back starts, the latter her most recent Sept. 18 at Laurel.

Lucky 7 Stables' 3-year-old Street Lute is an eight-time stakes winner who has faced her elders twice before, including a victory over stakes winner and fellow Distaff pre-entrant Malibu Beauty in the Sept. 25 Tax Free District at Delaware Park. Also pre-entered are Coconut Cake and multiple-stakes winner Never Enough Time, respectively second and third in the Weathervane; Kiss the Girl, winner of the Aug. 21 All Brandy at historic Pimlico Race Course; and 3-year-old Moquist, undefeated in her only two starts, both this year.

Another defending champion pre-entered in 2021 is Nancy Heil-bred, owned and trained Karan's Notion in the $100,000 Sprint for 3-year-old and up at six furlongs. Karan's Notion was a front-running winner of last year's Sprint by a length at odds of 16-1 and was third in the six-furlong Not For Love March 13 at Laurel in his most recent stakes attempt.

Also prominent among 22 Sprint pre-entries are Reeves Thoroughbred Racing's Double Crown, a two-time stakes winner that in 2020 ran second in the Chick Lang (G3) at Pimlico and third in the Smile Sprint (G3) at Gulfstream Park; multiple stakes winners Jaxon Traveler, Kenny Had a Notion, Street Lute and Whereshetoldmetogo; and stakes winner Exculpatory.

The $100,000 Turf Sprint for 3-year-olds and up going 5 ½ furlongs returned to the Maryland Million in 2020 after an eight-year absence and was won by the talented Fiya. The second through sixth-place finishers from that race – respectively So Street, Godlovesasinner, Grateful Bred, Love You Much and Joseph – are among 24 pre-entries in 2021 along with stakes winners Can the Queen, Introduced and Kenny Had a Notion.

Lead Off Stable's Pretty Good Year pulled off a 15-1 upset of last year's $100,000 Turf for 3-year-olds and up at 1 1/8 miles, but has gone winless in six subsequent starts, including two at Saratoga this summer. Among the 23 pre-entrants this year are stakes winners Trifor Gold and Somekindofmagician as well as 2020 Turf runner-up Cannon's Roar. Taking Risks Stable's Cannon's Roar has run in the past three Maryland Millions, finishing seventh in the 2019 Turf and fourth in the 2018 Turf Starter Handicap. His trainer, Dale Capuano, owns the most wins in Maryland Million history with 14.

The Turf's companion race, the $100,000 Maryland Million Ladies going 1 1/8 miles on grass for fillies and mares 3 and older, attracted 23 pre-entrants led by Vivian Rall's homebred Epic Idea who finished first by three-quarters of a length in 2020 but in May was disqualified to second following a Maryland Racing Commission ruling on the appeal of Dale Capuano, trainer of runner-up Gennie Highway, who was subsequently placed first. Kiss the Girl, a stakes winner on both turf and dirt, and Mike Trombetta-trained stablemate No Mo Lady, third in the 2020 Gallorette (G3) at Pimlico, are also among the 23 pre-entries.

Most popular among horsemen was the $100,000 Nursery for 2-year-olds, which drew 28 pre-entries led by Bonuccelli Racing's Cynergy's Star, winner of the Aug. 29 Timonium Juvenile in his most recent start, and Bird Mobberley's Local Motive, winner of the Hickory Tree on the Colonial Downs turf Aug. 2. The $100,000 Lassie saw 21 2-year-old fillies pre-entered including Waterworks, trained by Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen and exiting a 9 ¼-length maiden special weight triumph Sept. 10 at Monmouth; stakes-placed Mama G's Wish; and Jester Calls Nojoy, sixth last out in the Frizette (G1) Oct. 3 at Belmont Park for Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher.

Back for the fifth straight year are the $50,000 Turf Distaff Starter Handicap for fillies and mares 3 and older, where defending champion Jumpstartmyheart is among the pre-entries, and $50,000 Turf Starter Handicap for 3-year-olds and up, both at 1 1/8 miles on the grass.

Rounding out the stakes action are the $40,000 Starter Handicap for 3-year-olds and up, whose pre-entries include defending champion Glengar, and $40,000 Distaff Starter Handicap for fillies and mares 3 and older, with 2019 winner Yesterdaysplan and 2020 runner-up Calypso Ghost among the pre-entries. Both are contested at seven furlongs.

Edgar Prado leads all Maryland Million jockeys with 18 wins, one more than fellow Hall of Famer Ramon Dominguez. Sheldon Russell, currently sidelined with a right foot injury, rode four winners in 2020 including Monday Morning Qb in the Classic.

Dale Capuano and Hall of Famer King Leatherbury, who together have combined for more than 10,000 career victories, rank 1-2 among Maryland Million trainers with 14 and 10 wins, respectively, while Trombetta moved into third last year with his ninth win.

Named for the late Hall of Fame and 13-time Emmy Award-winning broadcaster who helped launch the groundbreaking concept in 1986, the Jim McKay Maryland Million has evolved into the second-biggest day on the state's racing calendar behind only the Preakness Stakes (G1). 'Maryland's Day at the Races' celebrates the stallions who stand in the state as well as a rich and diverse racing history that dates back to the founding of the Maryland Jockey Club in 1743.

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Pimlico Special Winner Harpers First Ride Among 245 Pre-Entries For Oct. 24 Maryland Million Day

Harpers First Ride, recent upset winner of the historic Pimlico Special (G3), three defending champions and a total of seven past winners are among 245 pre-entries in 12 stakes on the 35th annual Jim McKay Maryland Million Day program Saturday, Oct. 24 at Laurel Park.

Five of the races on the Maryland Million program are scheduled to be contested over Laurel's world-class turf course, including the return of the $100,000 Turf Sprint following an eight-year absence. Entries will be taken and post positions drawn Wednesday, Oct. 21.

First race post time on Maryland Million Day is 11:25 a.m.

MCA Racing Stable's Harpers First Ride sprung a front-running upset of favored Triple Crown-tested Owendale in the 1 3/16-mile Pimlico Special Oct. 3 at Pimlico Race Course, for his second consecutive stakes win following the 1 1/16-mile Deputed Testamony Sept. 5 at Laurel, where the 4-year-old gelding owns six wins from seven career starts for Claudio Gonzalez, Maryland's leading trainer the past three years.

Harpers First Ride is among 16 pre-entries to the $150,000 Classic, the richest race on the Maryland Million program, for 3-year-olds and up going 1 1/8 miles. Also pre-entered are defending champion Forest Fire, trained by Kentucky Derby (G1) and Preakness (G1) winner John Servis; multiple stakes winner Cordmaker, third by two necks in the 2019 Pimlico Special; Laddie Liam, unraced since winning the 2019 Maryland Juvenile Futurity last December for trainer Hugh McMahon, eight wins shy of 1,000 for his career; 2019 Heft Stakes winner Monday Morning Qb; 2019 Classic runner-up Prendimi; and 2019 Iowa Derby winner Top Line Growth, four-for-four lifetime at Laurel.

Big Bertha Stable and Stormy Stable's Taco Supream is pre-entered to defend his title in the $100,000 Sprint for 3-year-olds and up at six furlongs. Trained by Damon Dilodovico, who upset the Frank J. De Francis Memorial Dash (G3) with Laki Oct. 3 at Pimlico, Taco Supream was most recently sixth in the six-furlong Polynesian Sept. 5 at Laurel to Eastern Bay, beaten a nose in the De Francis and one of four Sprint pre-entrants trained by Gonzalez.

Also prominent among 24 Sprint pre-entrants are Linda Zang's homebred Lewisfield, Maryland's champion sprinter of 2019 and winner of the 2018 Sprint for trainer Jeff Zunco; multiple stakes winner Introduced, whose four wins from seven tries at Laurel include the 2019 Miss Disco Stakes; and multiple stakes-placed Whereshetoldmetogo.

Kevin P. Morgan's Maryland homebred Mr. d'Angelo sprung a 17-1 upset in last year's $100,000 Turf for 3-year-olds and up traveling 1 1/8 miles, and tops 19 pre-entries for 2020. Second by a neck in an open one-mile allowance Sept. 17 at Laurel, the 4-year-old gelding is joined by Somekindofmagician and Pretty Good Year, respectively second and third in last year's Turf, separated by a half-length; and Nick Papagiorgio, 12-for-16 in the money at Laurel including six wins.

A total of 28 horses were pre-entered in the $100,000 Distaff for fillies and mares 3 and older sprinting seven furlongs, led by Hello Beautiful and Limited View, whose multiple stakes wins include the 2019 and 2017 Maryland Million Lassie, respectively; three-time stakes-winning 4-year-old Las Setas; Never Enough Time, winner of the Alma North at Laurel and Skipat at Pimlico in her last two starts; 2020 Delaware Oaks (G3) winner Project Whiskey; stakes winner Artful Splatter; and Coconut Cake, riding a three-race win streak; and Introduced.

The $100,000 Ladies for fillies and mares 3 and up going 1 1/8 miles on the grass received 14 pre-entries including No Mo Lady, third in the 1 1/16-mile Gallorette (G3) last out Oct. 3 at Pimlico; Artful Splatter, upset winner over Anna's Bandit in the Geisha Stakes Jan. 20 over Laurel's main track; Shifra Magician, who has earned all seven of her career wins on the turf and was fourth, beaten a half-length, in last year's Maryland Million Turf Distaff Starter Handicap; and Something Magical, fourth in the 2019 Ladies.

Last run in 2012 and won in each of its final three years by late Mid-Atlantic legend Ben's Cat, the $100,000 Turf Sprint for 3-year-olds and up going 5 ½ furlongs drew 27 pre-entries in its return, led by A Great Time, a dramatic come-from-behind winner of the five-furlong The Very One Oct. 1 at Pimlico and Mike Trombetta-trained stablemate Oldies But Goodies, winner of the 2019 Ben's Cat Stakes sprinting on grass; and So Street, Love You Much and Joseph, respectively second, third and fifth in the 5 ½-furlong Laurel Dash Sept. 7.

Most popular among horsemen was the $100,000 Lassie for 2-year-old fillies, which attracted 31 pre-entries led by Lucky 7 Stables' Street Lute, undefeated in two starts including the Small Wonder Stakes Sept. 26 at Delaware Park. Street Lute is also among 24 pre-entries to the $100,000 Nursery for 2-year-olds, along with Jamestown Stakes winner Kenny Had a Notion and First State Dash winner Singlino. Both the Lassie and Nursery are contested at six furlongs.

Back for the fourth straight year are the $50,000 Turf Starter Handicap for 3-year-olds and up, which drew 20 nominations including 2018 winner Barin, and $50,000 Turf Distaff Starter Handicap for fillies and mares 3 and older, both at 1 1/8 miles on the grass.

Rounding out the stakes action are the $40,000 Distaff Starter Handicap for fillies and mares 3 and older and the $40,000 Starter Handicap for 3-year-olds and up, both sprinting seven furlongs.

Edgar Prado leads all Maryland Million jockeys with 18 wins, one more than fellow Hall of Famer Ramon Dominguez. Dale Capuano and Hall of Famer King Leatherbury, who together have combined for more than 10,000 career victories, rank 1-2 among Maryland Million trainers with 11 and 10 wins, respectively.

Named for the late Hall of Fame and 13-time Emmy Award-winning broadcaster who helped launch the groundbreaking concept in 1986, the Jim McKay Maryland Million has evolved into the second-biggest day on the state's racing calendar behind only the Preakness Stakes (G1). 'Maryland's Day at the Races' celebrates the stallions who stand in the state as well as a rich and diverse racing history that dates back to the founding of the Maryland Jockey Club in 1743.

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