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Cooke Creek, Buff Hello Lead List of James F. Lewis III Nominees

Undefeated stakes winners Cooke Creek and Run to Daylight, and the top six finishers from the Maryland Million Nursery led by winner Buff Hello, are among 30 horses nominated to the $100,000 James F. Lewis III for 2-year-olds Saturday, Nov. 13 at Laurel Park in Laurel, Md.

The Lewis and $100,000 Smart Halo for 2-year-old fillies, both sprinting six furlongs, are joined on the Nov. 13 program by the $100,000 Thirty Eight Go Go for fillies and mares 3 and up going 1 1/16 miles, which is part of the Mid-Atlantic Thoroughbred Championship (MATCH) Series.

Cheyenne Stables' Cooke Creek is 2-0 for Laurel-based trainer Jeremiah O'Dwyer. The son of 2010 champion juvenile male Uncle Mo earned both his victories at Delaware Park in Wilmington, Del., including the one-mile Rocky Run Oct. 16 over Affable Monarch and No Sabe Nada, also Lewis nominees.

David Raim's Run to Daylight, by 2015 champion sprinter Runhappy, has won each of his three starts at Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races in Charlestown, W. Va., for trainer Jeff Runco, with back-to-back stakes triumphs in the 4 ½-furlong Henry Murcer Memorial Sept. 18 and 6 ½-furlong West Virginia Vincent Moscarelli Memorial Breeders' Classic Oct. 9.

Joseph Besecker's Buff Hello, from the barn of Maryland's four-time leading trainer Claudio Gonzalez, rolled to a front-running two-length score in the six-furlong Nursery Oct. 23 at Laurel, his second win from five career starts. Coastal Mission, Local Motive, Shady Munni, Mr. Mox, and Timonium Juvenile winner Cynergy's Star respectively ran second through sixth and are also nominated, though Mr. Mox is entered Nov. 4 at Laurel.

Other Lewis nominees include Oct. 11 Fitz Dixon Jr. Memorial Juvenile winner Longshadow; Sept. 25 First State Dash winner No Sabe Nada; stakes-placed Amidships, Practical Coach, Slaats, and Wow Whata Summer; and last out winners Barber Road, Beast Or Famine, Captain Chazz, Defend, Kenner, Radical Right, Tops the Chart, Trust Daddy, and Uncle Irish.

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Bird Mobberley's Buff My Boots, half-length winner of the Maryland Million Lassie Oct. 23 at Laurel, is prominent among 25 nominees to the Smart Halo. The Buffum filly owns three wins from five starts for Laurel-based trainer John Salzman Jr. Sparkle Sprinkle and Luna Belle, respectively third and fourth in the Lassie, are also nominated.

Other nominees include James McIngvale homebred Runup, a winner of two straight including the one-mile Sorority Sept. 6 at Monmouth Park in Oceanport, N.J., before finishing ninth in the Oct. 8 Grade 1 Alcibiades at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Ky.; stakes-placed Advocate Harbor, Morning Matcha, and Whiteknuckleflyer; and last out winners Beneath the Stars, Buy the Best, Click to Confirm, Disco Ebo, Intrepid Daydream, Louella Street, Preparefortakeoff, and Trade Secret.

Chilean Group 2 winner Cheetara and Grade 1-placed Off Topic are among 21 nominees to the Thirty Eight Go Go. Stud Los Leones' Cheetara won the Haras de Chile Marcel Zarour Atanacio (G2) last December and exits a Keeneland allowance victory Oct. 24. D Hatman Thoroughbreds' Off Topic was third in the Grade 2 Gazelle and Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks as a 3-year-old in 2019 for previous trainer Todd Pletcher. Now with Phil Schoenthal, she made her comeback off an 11-month layoff Sept. 18 at Laurel.

Multiple stakes winners Artful Splatter, Kiss the Girl, and Mrs. Orb; and stakes winners Ask Bailey, Josie, Malibu Beauty, Miss Leslie, Trolley Ride, and Sweet Willemina, who has reeled off six straight wins since being claimed by trainer Scott Lake June 17, are also nominated.

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MATCH Series Returns To Laurel With Four Saturday Stakes

The Mid-Atlantic Thoroughbred Championships Series (MATCH) returns to Laurel Park Saturday, Sept. 18, with four stakes and multiple opportunities for horses to solidify their positions in the 2021 standings.

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.

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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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MATCH Series: Former Triple Crown Contender Roadster Continues Comeback In Polynesian

Speedway Stables' Grade 1 winner and one-time Triple Crown contender Roadster will be making just his fifth start in the last two years and first on the East Coast as he continues his comeback in Saturday's $100,000 Polynesian at Laurel Park.

The 17th running of the Polynesian for 3-year-olds and up and the 39th edition of the $100,000 Twixt for fillies and mares 3 and older, both at one mile, are among four stakes worth $500,000 in purses on an 11-race program headlined by the $200,000 Frank J. De Francis Memorial Dash (G3).

Also on the card is the $100,000 Weather Vane for fillies and mares 3 and up sprinting six furlongs. All four stakes are part of the Mid-Atlantic Thoroughbred Championship (MATCH) Series.

First race post time is 12:40 p.m.

Roadster, bred by Stone Farm and purchased by Speedway's Peter Fluor and K.C. Weiner for $525,000 as a yearling, won the 2019 Santa Anita Derby (G1) and has placed in four other graded-stakes during a 13-race career that began in California with trainer Bob Baffert.

Far behind first-place finisher Maximum Security following a wide trip around both turns in the Kentucky Derby (G1), Roadster rebounded to run second behind stablemate Mucho Gusto in the Affirmed (G3). He ran three more times at 3, sandwiching a fourth in the Native Diver (G3) between seconds in the Damascus and Malibu (G1).

Roadster ran twice at 4, and went unraced between a runner-up finish in the San Carlos (G2) last March and a fourth – beaten less than a length – in the New Orleans Handicap (G2) March 20 at Fair Grounds, his first start for trainer Michael Stidham. He has been off again since a fourth in the April 30 Alysheba (G2), again for Baffert, before being returned to Stidham at the Fair Hill Training Center in Elkton, Md.

“He had a little bit of a setback after his last race. He's had foot issues throughout his career, and we got his feet back in good order. Right now he's doing really well,” Stidham said. “He ran fantastic the first time for us.

“He went back out to Baffert and they brought him back to Churchill and he didn't run well there so we stopped on him and got him straightened out,” he added. “We hope that we have him where we want him now.”

Overall Roadster has three wins and $888,500 in purse earnings from 13 career starts, running third in the 2018 Del Mar Futurity (G1) in his second career start. He has a total of five breezes since mid-August over the dirt and all-weather surfaces at Fair Hill, where Stidham said he has thrived.

“There's synthetic and dirt [tracks] and we have turf gallops out back and everything you could ask for. That's the beauty of it,” he said. “He is a real quality horse [with] a ton of talent, but he's had lots of stops and starts in his career with throat surgery early on as a 3-year-old and then foot issues. Obviously you don't want to run a horse like that unless they're 100 percent and that's where we think we have him now.”

Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith has the call on Roadster from Post 6 in a field of seven. According to Equibase statistics, Smith hasn't ridden at Laurel since Feb. 17, 2007 when he won the Barbara Fritchie Breeders' Cup Handicap (G2) on Oprah Winney.

Also with graded-stakes credentials in the Polynesian are Cordmaker and Phat Man. Hillwood Stable's Maryland-bred Cordmaker ran third in the 2018 and 2019 Pimlico Special (G3) and is 10-time career winner with six stakes including the 2019 Polynesian for Laurel-based trainer Rodney Jenkins. In his most recent start, he beat fellow Polynesian entrant McElmore Avenue in the 1 1/16-mile Victory Gallop Aug. 23 at Colonial Downs.

Marianne Stribling, Force Five Racing and Two Rivers Racing Stable's Phat Man has won at least one stakes in four of the last five years led by the 2020 Fred W. Hooper (G3) at Gulfstream Park over 13 rivals including ill-fated runner-up Zenden, who would go on to set a track record in the March 27 Dubai Golden Shaheen (G1) in his final start.

Phat Man, 7, has raced seven times this year with two wins including the Battery Park July 10 at Delaware Park. Last time out he ran third, beaten less than three lengths by Code of Honor in the 1 1/16-mile Iselin (G3) Aug. 21 at Monmouth Park.

“He's doing really good. He won the stake at Delaware two races back and then he ran into Code of Honor at Monmouth. He was hung out wide the whole way,” trainer Kent Sweezey said. “The pace didn't set up for him just right so we're hoping the one-turn mile at Laurel will help him out a little bit and have some pace to run into. And whether it's one turn or two turns, I think he's definitely better at a mile.”

Phat Man owns four wins and two seconds in 11 tries at one mile. He has won four stakes and placed in seven others, including seconds in the 2020 Gulfstream Park Mile (G2), 2019 Harlan's Holiday (G3), 2018 Tenacious and 2017 Super Derby.

“We've run him in Grade 1s and taken him all over the country. I kind of said, 'Why don't we go back to what was really working, and that was picking up checks for [$]100[,000].'” Sweezey said. “If we can look up at the end of the year and he's won three or four stakes races for us, wouldn't that be cool?

“He's always showed up for us,” he added. “Knock on wood, he's stayed really sound. He's just a good boy.”

Completing the field are multiple stakes winners Alwaysmining, back on dirt after three tries on the turf, and Captain Bombastic, trained by Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen; Victory Gallop runner-up McElmore Avenue and Tappin Cat, a winner of two straight for trainer Gary Capuano.

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Full of Fun Racing and Madaket Stables' multiple Grade 3-placed Dreamalildreamofu, exiting a trouble-filled last month, chases her second career stakes win in her return to Maryland for Saturday's $100,000 Twixt.

Trained by reigning Eclipse Award winner Brad Cox, the 4-year-old daughter of Commissioner was beaten 1 ½ lengths when second in the 1 1/8-mile Allaire du Pont (G3) May 14 at historic Pimlico Race Course after racing on or near the pace.

“She ran big there,” Cox said. “[It's] a one-turn mile this time. She normally has enough speed to put herself in the race and, hopefully, with a good trip she'll be effective.”

Third by a length in the seven-furlong Chicago (G3) over Arlington Park's all-weather surface June 26, Dreamalildreamofu had a nightmare trip in her most recent start when she drew down inside and bumped the rail while in tight quarters and wound up 11th as the favorite in the one-mile Groupie Doll Aug. 15 at Ellis Park.

“She pretty much was eliminated the first eighth of a mile. She's rebounded with two good works since so we'll see how it goes, but she's doing well. She really is,” Cox said. “She's versatile. She doesn't have to have things a certain way or have a certain surface.

“It makes finding races for her a touch easier than most horses,” he added. “And, like I said, her last race was somewhat of a throwout, just a real tough trip from down inside. She seemed to re bound from it in good shape.”

Jevian Toledo rides from Post 7 in a field of nine.

A multiple stakes winner against fellow New York-breds, Ruggeri Stable, Richard Coburn, Script R Farm and trainer Michael Miceli's Mrs. Orb conquered open company with a come-from-behind victory in the 1 1/16-mile Caesar's Wish July 4 at Pimlico. Horacio Karamanos, aboard in that race, returns from Post 6.

“She kind of dropped a little farther back than I thought she would in that race, but she came running,” Miceli said. “She's doing well. We've been looking for a spot and this seems like it could be a logical move.”

Second in the Turnback the Alarm (G3) last November at Aqueduct, Mrs. Orb was third in her most recent effort, the Aug. 12 Saratoga Dew at Saratoga, following a wide trip and has worked twice since at Belmont Park.

“She ran well. She had a little bit of traffic problems in the race but she ran a good race. In trying to find a spot for her, Laurel's race looks like it could be OK,” Miceli said. “She's doing well right now, so hopefully she'll run a good race for us.”

Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith, riding at Laurel for the first time since 2007 according to Equibase statistics, has the call on Stetson Racing, Donato Lanni and Rita Riccelli's So Darn Not, a 4-year-old daughter of Hall of Famer Ghostzapper trained by George Weaver. Last of 10 following a rough trip in last year's Black-Eyed Susan (G2) at Pimlico, So Darn Hot was third last out in the 1 1/8-mile Summer Colony Aug. 22 at Saratoga.

Trainer Mike Trombetta entered the pair of R. Larry Johnson and R.D.M. Racing Stable's Lookin Dynamic, second to stablemate Kiss the Girl in the seven-furlong Conniver March 13 at Laurel, and NK Racing and LNJ Foxwoods' Villanelle, fifth to Dreamalildreamofu in the one-mile Latonia March 27 at Turfway Park.

Multiple stakes winners Artful Splatter and Miss Leslie; Josie, winner of the July 3 Iowa Distaff for Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen; and Off Topic, third in the 2019 Coaching Club American Oaks (G1) for previous trainer Todd Pletcher and unraced in nearly a year, round out the field.

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Asmussen Prepares Jalen Journey For De Francis Dash At Laurel

A three-furlong blowout Sunday morning put the finishing touches on Grade 1-placed Jalen Journey's preparations for the $200,000 Grade 3 Frank J. De Francis Memorial Dash Sept. 18 at Laurel Park in Laurel, Md.

Rockingham Ranch and David Bernsen's 6-year-old Jalen Journey completed the distance in :38.17 over Belmont Park's training track, his fourth work since an 8 ½-furlong blowout victory sprinting 6 ½ furlongs Aug. 6 at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.

“The key now will be to see if he can repeat that race in the De Francis. That's what we're sort of looking for,” Bernsen said. “Then if he does that, we'll probably look at the Breeders' Cup [Sprint Nov. 6 at Del Mar].”

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 and up, also at 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.

Jalen Journey is trained by Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen, North America's all-time leader in wins who already has three sprint stakes victories in Maryland this year – the May 15 Grade 3 Chick Lang with Mighty Mischief, July 4 Lite the Fuse with Yaupon, and Aug. 21 Star de Naskra with Jaxon Traveler.

Asmussen won the De Francis and Grade 3 Maryland Sprint in 2018 with Switzerland. The trainer's other local graded sprint stakes wins in recent years have come with Yaupon in the 2020 Chick Lang, Wicked Whisper in the 2020 Grade 3 Miss Preakness, New York Central in the 2019 Maryland Sprint, and Vertical Oak in the 2017 Miss Preakness.

In 2018, Asmussen won the then-ungraded Chick Lang with Mitole, who would go on to be named the champion sprinter of 2019.

Asmussen nominated four horses to the De Francis, but Jalen Journey is the only one expected to run. The others are Jaxon Traveler and Grade 1 winners Yaupon and Jackie's Warrior.

“Whatever Steve does with them seems to work,” Bernsen said. “Asmussen sort of has them surrounded in the sprint ranks.”

Prior to joining Asmussen, Jalen Journey was third in the Grade 1 Bing Crosby and fourth in the Grade 2 Pat O'Brien in the summer of 2019 after being purchased by Rockingham's Gary Hartunian for $510,000 at Fasig-Tipton's Horses of Racing Age sale that July, following a runner-up finish in the Grade 2 Smile Sprint at Gulfstream Park.

Among the top horses Bernsen has owned with Rockingham are two-time sprint champion Roy H, a 10-time winner of more than $3.1 million in purses including back-to-back editions of the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Sprint in 2017 and 2018; and fellow multi-millionaire Stormy Liberal, the champion turf male of 2018 who counted the 2017 and 2018 Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint among his 12 lifetime victories.

CEO of Letitride.com, a global computer wagering business based in California, Bernsen plans to be on hand for the De Francis.

“I was just looking at my schedule. I've never been to Laurel,” he said. “I was talking to Aidan Butler [COO of Laurel Park owner 1/ST Racing] earlier in the week and thought that it might be a good one to come out and see.”

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