The check was presented after the tenth race at Delaware Park Saturday. Over the course of the live racing season, each jockey donates a dollar from each mount fee and Delaware Park Casino & Racing, the Delaware Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association and the Delaware Jockeys Health and Welfare Benefit Fund each match the dollar. The total is then donated to the PDJF at the end of the season.

“Delaware Park has been fortunate to have an exceptional jockey colony for years, not only as riders, but as leaders,” said Ed Stegemeier, the Chairman of the Delaware Jockeys Health and Welfare Fund Board and Secretary of the Delaware Thoroughbred Racing Commission. “We could not be happier today to come together for this presentation.  I am particularly honored with the method of having all the groups coming together to make this important contribution possible.”

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Though the winners of three of the four divisions already have been determined, the top spot is up for grabs. Hillwood Stable's Cordmaker currently leads the overall standings with 36 points, followed by Hello Beautiful—owned by Madaket Stables, Albert Frassetto, Mark Parkinson, K-Mac Stables and Magic City Stables—with 27 points.

Cordmaker, a 6-year-old Curlin gelding trained by Rodney Jenkins, has started in all five legs of the 3-Year-Olds and Up Long—Dirt division and has two victories, one at Colonial Downs and the other at Laurel, where he has won eight times in his career. A sixth series start in the 1 1/8-mile Robert T. Manfuso Stakes will earn him another 3 bonus points to go along with points earned by finish position. The maximum number of points Cordmaker can end the series with is 49, with a minimum of 40.

Hello Beautiful, a 4-year-old Golden Lad trained by Brittany Russell, also has two series victories, one at Pimlico Race Course and the other at Laurel, where she has won nine races in her career. Hello Beautiful will pick up 5 bonus points for her fourth series start in the six-furlong Willa On the Move Stakes in the Filly and Mare Sprint—Dirt division. With a victory, her maximum number of points would be 42, with a minimum 33.

MATCH Series participants in each stakes collect 10 points for a win, 7 for second, 5 for third, 3 for fourth, 2 for fifth and 1 for sixth through last. Bonus points are awarded as follows: 5 for a fourth start in the same division, 2 for a fifth and 3 for a sixth start.

MATCH Series division bonus money is awarded to the owner and trainer of the top horses by points as follows: $20,000/$10,000 for first, $15,000/$7,500 for second, and $7,500/$3,000 for third. In addition, the owner and trainer of the overall points-earner regardless of division will receive $20,000 and $10,000, respectively. A horse must start at least three times in one division to qualify for bonus money.

In addition, bonuses will be distributed to the breeder of the top overall point-earning Maryland-bred horse and Maryland-sired horse in the series as follows—$3,000 for Maryland-bred and $3,000 for Maryland-sired.

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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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Michell Lovell and Griffon Farms' Just Might, Chad Schumer's Saracosa, and Stud Los Lorones' Cheetara were the other winners of MATCH stakes as the series returned to Virginia for the first time since 2001 and now moves back to Maryland for the remaining division legs in September, November and December at Laurel Park.

Cordmaker, a 6-year-old Maryland-bred Curlin gelding, had finished fourth and third in the first two legs of the 3-Year-Olds and Up Long—Dirt division at Pimlico Race Course. He was entered in a $75,000 Maryland-bred stakes as “main track only” Aug. 22, but the race remained on the grass. That left the 1 1/16-mile Victory Gallop Stakes, and it worked out for his connections.

With regular rider Victor Carrasco aboard in a field shortened by scratches, Cordmaker rated in second or third a length or two behind front-running Rock on Luke in the one-turn event, made a bid for the lead turning for home and pulled away to win by 2 1/4 lengths over McElmore Avenue, who rallied from fourth and last. Rock on Luke held for third.

Cordmaker, trained by Rodney Jenkins, paid $4 as the favorite and covered the distance on a fast track in 1:40.45, which broke the previous record set in 1998 when the distance and more dirt races were run at the facility. It was his second stakes win of 2021 as he nears the $700,000 mark in earnings.

“What is there to say? He's awesome,” assistant trainer Eveline Kjelstrup said when asked about Cordmaker's performance in the Victory Gallop.

“We had the outside post and I just sat him and rode him like he was much the best like I thought he was,” Carrasco said. “When he changed leads he was gone. He's a very special horse and one of my favorites. If the Pimlico race (Sunday) had come off the turf, he would have been tough to beat in that race, too.”

Cordmaker collected 10 points for his victory and now has 18, seven more than Harpers First Ride in the division. He is also eligible for bonus money now that he has made three starts in his division.

Just Might, owned by trainer Michelle Lovell and Griffon Farms, is better known as a very good turf sprinter. But this winter he won the off-the-turf Colonel Power Stakes in Louisiana by five lengths, and in his return to dirt was a narrow winner of the $100,000 Chesapeake Stakes at six furlongs with Colby Hernandez aboard.

In his MATCH Series debut, Just Might grabbed the early lead from the outside post through a quick opening quarter-mile and for the rest of the race was in a battle with division leader Mucho. He fough back inside and held off Mucho by a head, with Bank three lengths behind in third. The time for six furlongs—1:07.38—was a new track record for the distance. The previous record was set in 2012.

Just Might paid $4.20 to win as the favorite.

“There were some questions but that really was an exciting race,” said Lovell, who is contending for the Colonial Downs training title with five programs left in the season. “It wasn't going to be an embarrassment running second to Mucho. The meet is going great—it has been a lot of fun. Winning today was great because my partner in the horse and his family were here.”

Mucho, with his second-place finish, picked up 7 MATCH points and now has 20. With three division starts the 5-year-old Blame horse is eligible for series bonus money. Hillside Equestrian Meadows' Laki, who was seventh in the Chesapeake, picked up 5 bonus points for his fourth division start and remains second with 18 points.

Graded stakes-placed Saracosa, owned by Chad Schumer, didn't have the best of trips in her first two starts of the year but capitalized on a good journey to take the $100,000 Love Sign Stakes at 1 1/16 miles around one turn. And only two races after Cordmaker established a new track record, the 6-year-old Bernardini mare lowered it yet again to 1:39.72.

Saracosa, trained by Cipriano Contreras at Indiana Grand Racetrack & Casino, was content to trail in seventh through the first six furlongs before jockey Francisco Arrieta asked her for run. She rallied inside, split horses late and drew away to win by 1 1/2 lengths. Dream Marie was second and Paris Lights third. The winner paid $38.40 as the second-longest price in a seven-horse field.

“Her first start of the year at Churchill Downs was at a flat mile—that was the only option, but she wants to go longer,” Schumer said. “Her second start (in the Delaware Handicap) wasn't the best; she had some trouble. Today she finally got a clean trip and she won. I know if she gets clear, she will run her race. There aren't a lot of spots for older fillies and mares going two turns on dirt. This race was one turn but it was 1 1/16 miles, and I think that makes a difference.”

Saracosa was second in last year's Grade 2 Del Cap and fourth in the Grade 1 La Troienne at Churchill. The Love Sign victory pushed her earnings over the $400,000 mark. She now has 10 MATCH Series points along with two others to make for a three-way tie at the top.

In a July 26 allowance sprint at Colonial Downs, Larry Johnson's Never Enough Time defeated Stud Los Leones' Cheetara by a neck. In the seven-furlong Seeking the Pearl, Cheetara was able to take command early and held off a rallying Never Enough Time by a neck. Heavily favored Frank's Rockette didn't break well but rallied well for third.

Trained by Ignacio Correas IV and ridden by Horacio Karamanos, Cheetara had raced in high-level races in her native Chile before shipping to the United States. Her first U.S. start came in the allowance race at Colonial Downs.

“Her last race was her first race in the United States,” said Karamanos, who had ridden Cheetara in the allowance event. “Today she was more relaxed. She broke well, and I tried to take her back, but she wanted to go. She gave me beautiful kick (in the stretch). She responded when had she had to.”

Cheetara, who paid $14.80 to win, covered the distance in 1:20.61, which broke the previous track record set in 1997.

Never Enough Time became the only member of her division to qualify for bonus money given the Seeking the Pearl was her third start in the series. She is now third in the division standings with 12 points behind Chub Wagon and Hello Beautiful.

Colonial Downs was a MATCH Series partner when the series was first held from 1997-2001. The series returned in 2018. Colonial Downs was part of the schedule for 2020, but the series was canceled because of COVID-19. Management and the Virginia Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association reached out when Maryland interests proposed an in-state series to bridge the gap, and Colonial became part of the 2021 series.

The next stop for the MATCH Series is Sept. 18, when all four divisions will be represented at Laurel.

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The Virginia track will host four $100,000 stakes in each MATCH Series division for 2021: the Chesapeake (3-Year-Olds and Up Sprint—Dirt), Seeking the Pearl (Filly and Mare Sprint—Dirt), Victory Gallop (3-Year-Olds and Up Long—Dirt) and Love Sign (Filly and Mare Long—Dirt). First post time for the pari-mutuel program is 1:45 p.m., with a pair of non-wagering steeplechase events beginning at 12:15 p.m.

The six-furlong Chesapeake attracted the top two horses in the division standings by points: WSS Racing and 4 G Racing's Mucho (13 points) and Hillside Equestrian Meadows' Laki (12 points).

Mucho, who has been stabled at Colonial Downs with trainer John Ortiz, won the Challedon Stakes at Pimlico Race Course July 31 to earn his first series victory. Reylu Gutierrez, who was aboard at Pimlico, is named again in the Chesapeake, which will be the 5-year-old Blame horse's third series start.

Laki, trained by Damon Dilodovico, will make his first Colonial Downs start in 36 career outings. Laki, an 8-year-old Maryland-bred gelding by Cuba, was second in the Lite the Fuse Stakes at Pimlico and has started in the first three stakes in his division. He will pick up 5 MATCH Series bonus points in the Chesapeake for his fourth start in the series. Regular rider Horacio Karamanos is named.

Also entered is Whereshetoldmetogo, who finished third behind Mucho in the Challedon for owners Madaket Stables, Ten Strike Racing, Michael Kisber and BTR Racing (trainer Brittany Russell). The 6-year-old Maryland-bred by El Padrino has won 11 races and also makes his local debut. Sheldon Russell is named to ride.

With division leader Chub Wagon (20 points) having opted for a Pennsylvania-bred stakes at Parx Racing on the same day, and Hello Beautiful—second in the standings with 17 points—taking a pass, the seven-furlong Seeking the Pearl offers a chance for Larry Johnson's Never Enough Time to make up ground.

Trained by Mike Trombetta, who also entered Three Diamonds Farm's Kiss the Girl, Never Enough Time has 5 MATCH Series points after two starts in her division. The 5-year-old Maryland-bred by Munnings is the only entrant with a win at Colonial Downs—in her last start in her first outing locally. Julian Pimentel is named to ride again.

Multiple graded stakes winner Frank's Rockette, owned by Frank Fletcher Racing Operations and trained by Bill Mott, also is entered and appears the probable favorite as the 4-year-old Into Mischief mare approaches the $900,000 mark in earnings on a record of eight wins in 15 starts.

Hillwood Stables' Cordmaker, third in the division standings with 8 points after two MATCH Series starts, gets a chance to move up in the standings in the 1 1/16-mile Victory Gallop which, like the Love Sign, is raced around one turn.

Regular rider Victor Carrasco is named on Cordmaker, a 6-year-old Maryland-bred gelding trained by Rodney Jenkins. He has been first, second or third in 20 of 30 starts and has performed well at the one-turn-mile distance at Laurel Park.

Triple V Racing and trainer Ortiz claimed Singapore Flash for $40,000 from an allowance/optional claiming race on the turf at Colonial Downs last time out and entered him in the Victory Gallop. In his last race on the dirt, the 5-year-old Shanghai Bobby gelding cleared his first allowance condition at Fair Grounds Race Course in Louisiana. Gutierrez will ride.

Mark Grier's Sosua, undefeated in three starts for Fair Hill Training Center-based trainer Arnaud Delacour, will attempt to remain perfect in the 1 1/16-mile Love Sign. Hector Diaz Jr., aboard for all three of the 4-year-old Speightstown mare's victories, will ride again.

ABL Stables, Domenic Bossone, Patrick Donnelly, Jacob Schnoor and W. Oberdorf's Sweet Sami D, with 5 MATCH Series points after two of six division legs, also is entered. Trained by Pat McBurney, the 5-year-old First Samurai mare finished third in Caesar's Wish Stakes at Pimlico and then won an allowance event at Delaware Park.

The MATCH Series, the only one of its kind in racing, began May 14 at Pimlico and will wrap up Dec. 26 at Laurel. The 2021 edition features 24 stakes valued at $2.75 million and $282,000 in bonus money.

Owners and trainers will compete for $63,000 in divisional bonuses and the overall MATCH Series champion will net $30,000 in bonuses for its owner and trainer. In addition, the Maryland Horse Breeders Association will pay a $3,000 bonus to the breeder of the top points-earning Maryland-bred and $3,000 for the top points-earning Maryland-sired horse. If the top points-earner is both Maryland-bred and -sired, the breeder would get $6,000.

Colonial Downs, which was an original partner when the series debuted in 1997 and participated until it was discontinued in 2001 but returned in 2018, had signed onto the planned 2020 series, which was canceled because of COVID-19. When the regional MATCH partners determined that the full series would be delayed until 2022, the Maryland Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association and Maryland Jockey Club decided to run a Maryland-based series, and the Virginia Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association and Colonial Downs offered to participate.

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A total of 139 horses, pending late mail, have been nominated to the four $100,000 stakes at Colonial. Horses in the MATCH series qualify for a share of more than $280,000 in bonus money for owners and trainers if they start at least three times. Click to see the complete schedule.

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The $100,000 Challedon Stakes and $100,000 Alma North Stakes, both at six furlongs, will be the third of six legs in the 3-Year-Olds and Up Sprint—Dirt division and Filly and Mare Sprint—Dirt division, respectively. The $100,000 Deputed Testamony Stakes at 1 1/8 miles is the second of six legs in the 3-Year-Olds and Up Long—Dirt division.

The Alma North has attracted Hello Beautiful, the 4-year-old Maryland-bred filly by Golden Lad who is tied for second in the division standings with 7 MATCH Series points behind undefeated Chub Wagon, who leads with 20 points after two starts. The standout Pennsylvania-bred filly, however, will not compete in the Alma North and would miss the fourth leg of the division at Colonial Downs should she race in a $100,000 state-bred stakes Aug. 23 at Parx Racing, where she is stabled.

Hello Beautiful, trained by Brittany Russell for Madaket Stables, Albert Frassetto, Mark Parkinson, K-Mac Stables and Magic City Stables, has won seven of 15 starts and finished only a neck behind Chub Wagon in the Shine Again Stakes at Pimlico June 13 in her most recent start. She will be ridden as usual by Sheldon Russell in her second MATCH Series start of the year.

“She has trained really well,” Russell said. “Sheldon worked her last week (in :49 for a half-mile at Pimlico) and all systems point to go. Hopefully the time she has had and as well as she has done in between and running at Pimlico, which she showed she can absolutely handle, will prove beneficial.”

Michael and Katherine Ball's Club Car and C & B Stables' Paisley Singing each have 5 MATCH points based on third-place finishes in the Skipat Stakes and Shine Again, respectively. Both are entered in the Alma North.

The MATCH Series points structure in each stakes is as follows: 10 for first, 7 for second, 5 for third, 3 for fourth, 2 for fifth and 1 for sixth through last. Bonus points based on number of starts are designed to encourage participation. With six races in each of four divisions this year, a fourth series start is worth 5 bonus points; a fifth start, 2 points; and a sixth start, 3 points, for a maximum of 10. Horses must compete in three races in their division to qualify for a share of $282,000 in bonus money.

Hillside Equestrian Meadows' Laki, an 8-year-old Maryland-bred gelding who was the 3-Year-Olds and Up Sprint—Dirt division champion in 2018-19, will make his third series start of the year in the Challedon. He is second in the division standings with 9 points behind Yaupon and Special Reserve—each with 10 points—who are not expected to follow the MATCH Series trail.

Laki, a winner of 11 of 35 starts—seven of them stakes—worked a half-mile in :49.60 at Pimlico July 22 in preparation for the Challedon. He will be ridden by Horacio Karamanos.

The Russell-trained Whereshetoldmetogo, owned by Madaket Stables, Ten Strike Racing, Michael Kisber and Black Cloud Racing Stable, will make his first MATCH Series start in the Challedon. The 6-year-old Maryland-bred gelding was an easy winner of the six-furlong Alapocas Run Stakes at Delaware Park in his last start July 3, one of four wins in his last five starts. Sheldon Russell is named to ride.

A pair of Maryland-bred geldings who competed in the Grade 3 Pimlico Special, the first stakes in the division, are entered in the Deputed Testamony.

Hillwood Stables' 6-year-old Cordmaker, fourth in the Pimlico Special, has been working at the Maryland State Fair at Timonium in preparation for the Deputed Testamony. The winner of nine of 29 starts will be ridden again by Victor Carrasco and has three series points.

GMP Stables, Arnold Bennewith and Cypress Creek Equine's Harpers First Ride finished 10th in the Pimlico Special but returned to the barn of Claudio Gonzalez after that race and easily won a 1 1/16-mile allowance event at Pimlico. Harpers First Ride, who worked five furlongs in 1:00.80 at Pimlico July 23, has won 11 of 22 starts including the Pimlico Special and Deputed Testamony in 2020. Regular rider Angel Cruz has the mount.

Following the action at Pimlico, the MATCH Series will return Aug. 23 at Colonial Downs in Virginia with four $100,000 stakes on tap.

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The 1 1/16-mile Caesar's Wish for fillies and mares 3 and up is among four stakes worth $375,000 in purses on an 11-race Independence Day holiday program. It and the $100,000 Lite the Fuse for 3-year-olds and up sprinting six furlongs are part of the Mid-Atlantic Thoroughbred Championship (MATCH) Series.

Other stakes are the $100,000 Concern for 3-year-olds going six furlongs and $75,000 Jameela for Maryland-bred/sired fillies and mares 3 and up scheduled for five furlongs on the grass. Sunday's program, which begins at 12:40 p.m., also includes a mandatory payout of the Rainbow 6, which carries a Maryland state record carryover jackpot of $1.351 million into the return of live racing Friday.

Post time Sunday is 12:40 p.m.

Artful Splatter made her first six career starts on the main track before being moved to the grass for five straight when she was claimed by trainer Kieron Magee out of a runner-up finish Sept. 7, 2019. The 5-year-old daughter of 2014 General George (G3) winner Bandbox reeled off five straight wins including the Geisha over 11-time stakes winner Anna's Bandit to open 2020.

“We claimed her toward the end of grass season,” Magee said. “We claimed her thinking she'd run on the dirt, but she hadn't been getting the chance.”

Since her streak ended, Artful Splatter has won two of 13 starts including a 10 ¼-length romp in an off-the-turf George Rosenberger Memorial last fall at Delaware Park and placed in three others, among them a second in the 2020 Twixt and third in the Feb. 20 Nellie Morse, both at Laurel Park.

“We claimed her for [$16,000] and she's done very well. She won five in a row off that and she's done everything we've asked of her,” Magee said. “Anytime you have a girl that goes long it's tough to find spots.

“She always runs her race. She always tries hard,” he added. “We've put her in some spots that we shouldn't have put her in, but she still shows up.”

Maryland's overall leading trainer from 2014-16, the 60-year-old Magee is currently tied for second in the extended Preakness Meet standings with 12 wins at Pimlico, where the Ireland native and one-time exercise rider for fellow trainer Dale Capuano is based year-round.

“I've been around Pimlico most of my life. I love Pimlico. Absolutely,” he said. “Off all the tracks, Pimlico is home for me. I'm hoping we're here for a few more months.”

Charlie Marquez rides Artful Splatter from Post 3 of eight at co-topweight of 126 pounds.

Bred in Pennsylvania by Kim Eshleman and campaigned in the name of her husband, James, Trolley Ride enters the Caesar's Wish off a gutsy half-length victory in the Lyphard against fellow state-breds May 28 at Penn National. Originally scheduled for the turf, it was run over a sloppy track at 1 1/16 miles.

It was the second win in three starts for the 6-year-old Flashy Bull mare, who capped 2020 with an optional claiming allowance win and opened 2021 running fourth to undefeated Chub Wagon in the Unique Bella April 27, both sprinting seven furlongs at Parx.

“We were just kind of getting her ready the first time back. I do think she wants to go two turns because she has that kick at the end as long as she's steady the first part,” trainer Bernie Houghton said. “She needs the backside to get her stride. That was a tough filly that won.

“She's doing very good,” he added. “She had a good breeze [Tuesday]. She worked great, galloped out good and she's doing good. I have a race picked out at the end of July so this works from a timing standpoint. It's a good spot.”

Houghton has had Trolley Ride throughout a 26-race career that includes nine wins, two seconds, four thirds and $323,654 in purse earnings. She was born on his family's Sylmar Farm, which also foaled and raised multiple Grade 1 winner Princess of Sylmar, named for the 300-acre spread founded by his parents.

“She's done very well,” he said. “Kim has been our assistant at the farm for 40 years. She came in when she was real young and stayed with us. It's very special for her.”

Inoel Beato, aboard for her stakes win, gets a return call from Post 2.

“She doesn't mind the slop. She loves it. We'll see what happens Sunday,” Houghton said. “I'm sure it's going to be tougher than her last spot, for sure.”

Haymarket Farm's Gracetown will be making her stakes debut in the Caesar's Wish. The 5-year-old Into Mischief mare has two wins and two seconds in her last four starts dating back to a one-mile allowance triumph last November at Laurel. Runner-up in her next two races, she exits a 1 ¾-length victory in a 1 1/16-mile optional claiming allowance May 7 at Pimlico.

“She's doing well for us as we've stretched her out. She's been going around two turns very well,” trainer Jerry O'Dwyer said. “She's a lovely, big mare with a nice pedigree. The owner wanted to breed her at the end of this year so we're trying to pick up a little bit of black type for her along the line to enhance her value for the breeding shed.

“She's been working well. I had her up at Delaware. I was going to run her in a stake or two up there but I'm not sure that she's quite in love with the deep surface up there,” he added. “She's won at the distance on the track, so that's in her favor. She's going to have to take a step up again, numbers-wise.”

Sheldon Russell gets the assignment from Post 1.

Mrs. Orb, a two-time New York-bred stakes winner and runner-up in the 2020 Turnback the Alarm (G3); multiple stakes-placed Landing Zone, most recently third in the Lady's Secret June 6 at Monmouth Park; Suggestive Honor, Group 3-placed in her native Argentina last winter; His Glory and Sweet Sami D, third in the 2019 Monmouth Oaks (G3) and fifth in the Lady's Secret, round out the field.

The Caesar's Wish debuted in 1978 at old Bowie Race Course and was held at both Pimlico and Laurel before it was renamed the Beyond the Wire for 2018. It honors the Maryland-bred mare that won 11 of 16 starts over two seasons including the 1978 Mother Goose (G1) and Black-Eyed Susan (G2) and 1977 Demoiselle (G2) and Villager (G3). Her winning time in the Mother Goose broke Hall of Famer Ruffian's stakes record and stood until 1994.

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The six-furlong Lite the Fuse for 3-year-olds and up, named for the two-time Carter (G1) and Frank J. De Francis Memorial Dash (G2) winner, returns to the Maryland stakes calendar for the first time since being run in 2002 at Laurel Park.

It is among four stakes worth $375,000 on the 11-race Independence Day holiday program along with the $100,000 Concern for 3-year-olds sprinting six furlongs, $100,000 Caesar's Wish going 1 1/16 miles for fillies and mares 3 and up, and $75,000 Jameela for Maryland-bred/sired females 3 and older scheduled for five furlongs on the grass.

The Lite the Fuse and Caesar's Wish are both part of the Mid-Atlantic Thoroughbred Championship (MATCH) Series. Sunday's program also includes a mandatory payout of the Rainbow 6, which carries a Maryland state record carryover jackpot of $1.351 million into the return of live racing Friday.

Post time Sunday is 12:40 p.m.

Yaupon gave the Heiligbrodts and Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen the second of three straight Chick Lang victories Oct. 1, after the race was pushed back from mid-May amid the coronavirus pandemic. They also won with Mitole, the 2020 older male sprint champion, in 2019 and Mighty Mischief on May 15 of this year. Mighty Mischief also returns in the Concern.

“Pimlico is a nice track to run at. It fits our horses,” Bill Heiligbrodt said. “Going back to Mitole when he ran in the Chick Lang, he ran solid in the mud and he still ran exceptionally well. I couldn't believe he ran as well as he did. Yaupon ran good there last year in the Chick Lang. I'll be trying to win it again next year, I promise you that.”

Yaupon's final time of 1:09.10 in winning the Chick Lang by four lengths matched that of Lantana Mob, also trained by Asmussen, in 2008. It was the fourth consecutive win to open his career and second straight in a graded-stakes following the Amsterdam (G2) last August at Saratoga. Each of them came in front-running fashion.

The then-undefeated Yaupon headed from Pimlico to the Breeders' Cup favored to win the Sprint (G1), but found himself trailing horses for the first time. He ran into traffic trouble in upper stretch and wound up eighth in the field of 14, beaten 6 ¼ lengths.

“I need a race for him very badly. After his race there, he was odds-on heavy favorite in the Breeders' Cup and got a pretty rough trip,” Heiligbrodt said. “I've been trying to get him back on a straight line and he's doing pretty good right now. It's a wonderful opportunity to run him there.”

Yaupon has made one start this year, again encountering trouble running eighth in the Golden Shaheen (G1) May 27 in Dubai. He has been working steadily since mid-May at Churchill Downs for his return.

“I'm hoping he'll run good. Obviously, he's coming back,” Heiligbrodt said. “He went over to Dubai and had problems over there, so we're trying to get him straightened out if we can.”

Ricardo Santana Jr. will be in town to ride Yaupon for the first time from the far outside in a field of seven. Yaupon has raced exclusively at six furlongs throughout his career.

“He's doing really good right now [but] you never know until you race,” Heiligbrodt said. “He had a pretty bad experience in the Breeders' Cup, so we'll see what happens. But he's a very, very talented horse. He ran numbers like Mitole.

“He's not Mitole, and I don't think there will ever be another horse like him as far as consistently every time putting him on the track and running out of his skin, but he's a very nice horse,” he added. “He's a very nice pedigreed horse so I hope he runs well. I hope everybody over there will enjoy both [he and Mighty Mischief]. They're as good as I can send them.”

Two days after Yaupon's Chick Lang victory, Hillside Equestrian Meadows' Laki became a graded-stakes winner in the De Francis (G3), his first win following two previous subpar efforts at Pimlico. The 8-year-old gelding ran his win streak over the course to two in the April 24 Frank Y. Whiteley, marking his fifth straight season as a stakes winner.

An 11-time winner from 34 career starts with purse earnings of $805,162, the Maryland-bred Laki exits a fifth-place finish behind Special Reserve in the six-furlong Maryland Sprint (G3) May 15 on the undercard of the 146th Preakness Stakes (G1). Racing on the inside, he chased the early leaders but could not gain late and was beaten 4 ¾ lengths.

The Maryland Sprint came just 22 days following Laki's second career Whiteley victory. He'll have had 51 days from the Maryland Sprint to the Lite the Fuse, which trainer Damon Dilodovico believes is in his favor.

“I always like to give him the time when I can give it to him,” Dilodovico said. “Even though he didn't place well Preakness day, I still feel like he ran well. He came out of the race good. We scoped him after and he came back clean.

“His last breeze was a little bit slower than I was thinking I'd like to have going into it, but I had a bunch of horses work slow that day,” he added. “He came out of it pretty sharp; hopefully, not too sharp. He doesn't need too much. He probably just needs me to stay out of his way.”

Regular rider Horacio Karamanos will be aboard from Post 4.

Michael Dubb's Chateau, based in New York with trainer Rob Atras, has not raced since finishing second to Grade 1 winner Firenze Fire in the Runhappy (G3) May 8 at Belmont Park. The 6-year-old Flat Out gelding won the Tom Fool (G3), also at six furlongs, March 6 in his second start of the year and was fourth in the seven-furlong Carter Handicap (G1) April 3, both at Aqueduct.

Hillwood Stable's Valued Notion has won three of his four starts this year for Maryland trainer Rodney Jenkins. Most recently, he beat stakes winners Air Token and Oldies But Goodies in his stakes debut, the June 13 Ben's Cat at Pimlico, which was rained off the turf and run at five furlongs. His other wins have come at 5 ½ and six furlongs, both at Laurel Park against open company.

Also entered are 2020 New Castle winner Threes Over Deuces, second to Firenze Fire in that year's General George (G3); multiple stakes winner Lebda, eighth in the Maryland Sprint last out; and Whiskey and You.

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The 13th running of the six-furlong Shine Again for fillies and mares 3 and up, part of the Mid-Atlantic Thoroughbred Championship (MATCH) Series, was the fourth of five stakes worth $475,000 in purses on a 10-race program.

Followed by the $100,000 Stormy Blues to cap the card, the Shine Again was preceded by the $100,000 Searching Stakes and $100,000 Prince George's County Stakes on turf and $75,000 Ben's Cat Stakes. The Stormy Blues for 3-year-old fillies and Ben's Cat for Maryland-bred/sired 3-year-olds and up were both moved from the grass to the main track and remained at five furlongs.

Sent off the 1-2 favorite in a field of eight that included Anna's Bandit, Dontletsweetfoolya, Hello Beautiful and Never Enough Time – winners of 34 career races, 20 of them in stakes – Chub Wagon improved to 7-0 lifetime with her third consecutive stakes win and second in a row at Pimlico following the May 15 Skipat Stakes on the undercard of the 146th Grade 1 Preakness Stakes.

The winning time was 1:10.21 over a fast main track.

“She's a very, very, very classy horse. She does everything easy,” winning trainer Guadalupe Preciado said. “When she came back, she looked like she wasn't even blowing. She's does everything so good.”

Breaking from the rail under Jomar Torres, now aboard for five of her wins including her first stakes triumph in the April 27 Unique Bella Stakes at Parx, Chub Wagon was outrun for the lead by Hello Beautiful, making her first start since finishing off the board in the Grade 3 Runhappy Barbara Fritchie Stakes Feb. 20 at Laurel Park.

The opening quarter-mile went in :22.21 with Chub Wagon rated in second, flanked to her outside by Dontletsweetfoolya as Hello Beautiful led the way. She was still in front midway around the turn after going a half in :45.32, with Chub Wagon looming after putting away Dontletsweetfoolya. Once straightened for home, the top two began to separate from the pack.

“I told [Torres] it looked like [Hello Beautiful] was the speed. I said, 'I'd like to be outside of her. We had a bad position on the inside but if she wants to go, let her go, and go from there.' Last time she closed nice, and today she closed again. The filly she beat is a nice filly.”

Irad Ortiz Jr. was up in the Skipat, the first time Chub Wagon didn't lead from start to finish in any of her races. She won the six-furlong Skipat by two lengths, which had been her shortest margin of victory until Sunday.

“She ran great today. I sat off the pace today because she was going great, but the other horse had more speed. So I waited, and, when I went to the clear, she picked it up very well. She loves to fight,” Torres said. “She's a really nice filly.”

Hello Beautiful stubbornly dug in under Sheldon Russell into deep stretch, but grudgingly gave way approaching the wire. It was another three lengths back to 59-1 long shot Paisley Singing in third, followed by Never Enough Time, Anna's Bandit, Lucre, Unique Factor, and Dontletsweetfoolya.

A 7-year-old mare with 17 wins, 11 stakes, and more than $782,000 in purse earnings from 36 previous starts, Anna's Bandit was also coming off a layoff, not having run since last summer at Delaware Park.

“She ran huge. It's disappointing to get beat, but it's nice to see her come back and run her eyeballs out,” Hello Beautiful's trainer Brittany Russell said. “You kind of had to take it to [Chub Wagon] a little bit. You don't want to let her get away and then we're sitting there saying, 'Why didn't we go?' I was happy with how it ended up; I just wish we were on the other end of the result. She's not one to fold. She's had a couple excuses along the way. It's nice to see she ran hard.”

A 4-year-old Pennsylvania-bred daughter of Hey Chub that gave Parx Hall of Famer Precaido his 2,000th career win with her debut victory last fall, Chub Wagon is being considered for the $350,000 Grade 2 Princess Rooney Stakes July 3 at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Fla. The seven-furlong Princess Rooney is a 'Win and You're In' qualifier for the $1 million Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint Nov. 6 at Del Mar Race Track in Del Mar, Calif.

“If everything goes good, I think we're going to the Princess Rooney,” Preciado said. “Every time she runs, the races come harder and harder. For me, that's the way to do it. I don't want to come out of nowhere and face tough horses and later you have nothing. You go slowly and sometimes the horses like it. Next time probably is going to be tougher.”

The Shine Again Stakes returned to the Maryland stakes calendar after being a casualty of the pandemic-shortened 2020 season and was being contested at Pimlico for the first time since 2013, having each of its last four runnings at Laurel Park in Laurel, Md.

It honors Allaire duPont's fourth-generation Maryland homebred mare that retired in 2003 after winning 14 of 34 starts, seven stakes, and nearly $1.3 million in purses. Trained by late Hall of Famer Allen Jerkens, she won back-to-back editions of the Grade 1 Ballerina Stakes in 2001 and 2002 and was second in 2003.

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