Undefeated Jaxon Traveler Headlines Maryland Juvenile Championship

West Point Thoroughbreds and Marvin Delfiner's undefeated 2-year-old colt Jaxon Traveler, an eye-catching winner of his first two starts, takes the next step in his progression when he makes his stakes debut in Saturday's $100,000 Maryland Juvenile Futurity at Laurel Park.

The Futurity shares top billing on a nine-race program with the $100,000 Maryland Juvenile Filly Championship, both for Maryland-bred/sired horses sprinting seven furlongs. Post time is 12:25 p.m.

Bred in Maryland by Dr. and Mrs. A. Leonard Pineau, Jaxon Traveler has dazzled in his two races to date, both in front-running fashion. He romped by 10 lengths in debut Sept. 25 at Pimlico Race Course over Lugamo, who came back to win his next two races and run third in the James F. Lewis III Stakes Nov. 14 at Laurel.

Jaxon Traveler was then pointed to the Maryland Million Nursery Oct. 24 but, not being Maryland-sired, he was excluded from the field. Instead, he ran in an entry-level optional claiming allowance for 2-year-olds the day before and was never threatened in a four-length triumph under a hand ride from Johan Rosado in 1:09.34 for six furlongs.

“He's showed that he can run a little bit, and we are impressed. He acts like a nice horse,” Delfiner said. “He's just doing everything right so far, so we just have to keep our fingers crossed that everything stays in good position.”

West Point purchased Jaxon Traveler for $140,000 out of the Ocala Breeders' spring sale that was delayed from April to June amid the coronavirus pandemic, bringing Delfiner on as a partner. The dark bay or brown son of multiple graded-stakes winning sprinter Munnings originally fetched $80,000 as a yearling last fall at Keeneland.

“I liked the way he worked. I liked his conformation, I liked the way he moved at the 2-year-old sale, so I decided to invest in him. But, as you know, you never know how they're going to turn out,” Delfiner said. “He's very, very smart and he did everything right coming out of the gate training. Since he broke out of the gate in the first race, he's acted like he's an older horse. He's a smart little colt.”

Delfiner's background in racing includes being co-breeder of 2013 Skip Away (G3) winner Cigar Street and co-owner of Theregoesjojo, second in the Fountain of Youth (G2) and third in the Florida Derby (G1) in 2009, and Afleet Tizzy, a Pennsylvania-bred stakes winner of more than $376,000 in purse earnings.

“We've had some nice horses, no complaints,” Delfiner said. “He's going to take us as far as he wants to go. So far, he's done everything we've asked and we'll just go to the next step.

“I've been around long enough to know that you can't count any chickens,” he added. “He just happens to be a really, really nice horse and we're excited about him.”

Several of Jaxon Traveler's rivals bring previous stakes experience into the Futurity including shippers Singlino and Latin Spice, respectively first and third in the First State Dash Sept. 26 at Delaware Park. Owned and trained by John Worsley, Singlino has run into trouble in each of two subsequent starts including a seventh in the James Lewis, while Latin Spice was third in an open second-level allowance Nov. 23 at Mountaineer. He is trained by co-owner Jason DaCosta.

Mopo Racing's Alwaysinahurry owns two wins and a second in three starts since being gelded this fall, the only loss coming to Dale Capuano-trained stablemate Kenny Had a Notion in the Maryland Million Nursery. Alwaysinahurry returned to post a gutsy neck triumph in an entry-level optional claiming allowance Nov. 7 at Laurel at the Futurity distance.

“Since we gelded him he's run very well,” Capuano said. “The seven-eighths he won at last time shouldn't be a problem this time. [Jason Traveler] is pretty tough. We'll see what he can do.”

The Futurity will be the eighth career start for Alwaysinahurry, making him the most experienced horse in the field. He has also proven to be adaptable in his races, winning from both on and off the pace.

“However the race comes up, he can go either way. I don't think that really matters to him. He's pretty versatile, so that makes a difference,” Capuano said. “He's already run seven times, so that's quite a bit. He's a got a lot more seasoning than some of the other ones. I think the more they run the better they should get, and it looks like he's doing that. Hopefully he'll improve a little bit more.”

Ain't Da Beer Cold, Doubleoseven and maiden Hunter Joe complete the field.

Stakes winners Miss Nondescript and Street Lute, separated by a neck in their only previous meeting, will hook up again leading a field of nine in Saturday's $100,000 Maryland Juvenile Filly Championship.

Barak Farm homebred Miss Nondescript circled the field with a four-wide move and came flying on the far outside with a steady run to catch Lucky 7 Stables' Street Lute on the wire in the six-furlong Maryland Million Lassie Oct. 24 at Laurel.

It was the first start for the Mosler filly since joining trainer Mike Trombetta's Laurel string following a nose maiden special weight triumph in debut Sept. 4 at Monmouth Park, a five-furlong sprint that was originally carded for the grass.

“It was a good race for her. She'd only had one race under our belt and she was new to our barn so I didn't know a whole hell of a lot about her. We'd only had her three or four weeks. I was very happy with how she showed up and performed,” Trombetta said.

“She's trained good since. She's done well and breezed good,” he added. “We breezed her the other day before the rain so we were able to get that in and, from what I can tell, she seems like she's ready to go.”

Miss Nondescript went a half-mile in 48.80 seconds Nov. 29 at Laurel, where she has prepped both before and since the race. Trombetta also has a string of horses at the Fair Hill Training Center in Elkton, Md.

“She's gotten to train at Laurel; she's been there the whole time now. She's gotten a race in over the track so hopefully she's ready for this,” Trombetta said. “She does everything right, and she does everything you ask of her. This will be a little bit of a test, I'm sure, but I think it's the next step and she should ready for it.”

Street Lute's narrow Maryland Million loss is the only thing keeping her from being undefeated. The daughter of Street Magician made her first two starts at Delaware Park, graduating at first asking and then rolling to a front-running five-length triumph in the 5 ½-furlong Small Wonder Sept. 26.

Back at Laurel, where she is based with trainer Jerry Robb, Street Lute tracked pacesetter Trip to Freedom in the Lassie and forged a short lead in deep stretch before being edged late. She returned with a dominant 2 ¾-length score in the six-furlong Smart Halo Nov. 14.

“She came out of the race fine, and she's doing real good,” Robb said. “The only time she got beat she was chasing the speed and then she got caught by somebody else after she caught the speed. It happened in the last jump. I don't think she even saw the horse coming, to be honest with you. This race is a little bit farther so hopefully that'll fit her a little better. I think she wants to go a little bit farther. All along I've thought she was a distance horse, so I'll be anxious to find that out.”

The Juvenile Filly Championship is the final stakes for Maryland-bred sired fillies this year. The last stakes for 2-year-old fillies on the Maryland calendar are the $100,000 Anne Arundel County going about 1 1/16 miles and $100,000 Gin Talking sprinting seven furlongs Dec. 26.

“You've really got to hit the Maryland-bred spots. They'll be few and far between after now, so she'll get plenty of time between them,” Robb said. “You have to try to train them to make sure you make these and then sit back and not worry about the next one for a while.”

Also entered are Juror Number Four, a two-time winner who ran fourth in the Small Wonder; Liam's Missy, a 10 ½-length maiden special weight winner Oct. 31 at Belmont Park for trainer Tim Hills; Maxine's Tap Room, a Keeneland maiden special weight winner Oct. 23 in her lone start; Trip to Freedom, maiden winners Buckey's Charm and Targe and the maiden Heartful.

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Four Supplemental Entries Added To Fasig-Tipton November Sale

Fasig-Tipton has cataloged four new supplemental entries to its 2020 November Sale. These latest entries (cataloged as Hips 282-285) are all racing/broodmare prospects with current stakes form, offering exciting future racing opportunities for prospective buyers:

  • Rideforthecause (Hip 282): Four-year-old daughter of Candy Ride is in top current form. She captured the Grade 2 Canadian Stakes at Woodbine on Sept. 12, and then was a narrowly beaten fourth in the G1 E.P. Taylor Stakes on Oct. 18. She is a half-sister to Say the Word, recent winner of the G1 Northern Dancer Turf Stakes. Her third dam is multiple champion Dance Smartly, and her immediate family includes leading sire Smart Strike. Consigned as a racing/broodmare prospect by Sam-Son Farm.
  • Into Mystic (Hip 283): Daughter of Into Mischief has been on top of her game this year at four.  She won the Kentucky Downs Preview Ladies Sprint Stakes at Ellis Park on Aug. 2, followed by graded stakes placings in the G3 Kentucky Downs Ladies Sprint Stakes and the G3 Buffalo Trace Franklin County Stakes on Oct. 9. In that most recent start, she was beaten just a nose by multiple Grade 1 winner Got Stormy. Consigned as a racing/broodmare prospect by Four Stars Sales, agent.
  • Shippy (Hip 284): Three-year-old filly is a stakes winner this year, having captured the Blue Sparkler Stakes at Monmouth by 4 1/2 lengths in July. Last year at two, she was a narrowly beaten third in the G3 Schuylerville Stakes at Saratoga. Consigned as racing/broodmare prospect by Taylor Made Sales Agency, agent.
  • Miss Nondescript (Hip 285): Two-year-old Maryland-bred filly is an undefeated stakes winner. She captured her career debut on Sept. 4, and then won the Maryland Million Lassie Stakes on Oct. 24. A granddaughter of War Front, she is from the immediate family of Royal Ascot group stakes winner Shang Shang Shang. Consigned as a racing/broodmare prospect by Stuart Morris, agent.

Fasig-Tipton will continue to accept approved November Sale supplemental entries through the Breeders' Cup.

The November Sale will be held on Sunday, Nov. 8, in Lexington, Ky. The sale will begin at 2 p.m.

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GSW Rideforthecause among Fasig-Tipton’s Latest November Supplements

Supplemental entries to the upcoming November Sale, billed as the “Night of the Stars,” continue to be added to the Fasig-Tipton catalogue. The latest supplements include four racing or broodmare prospects, highlighted by Rideforthecause (Candy Ride {Arg}) (hip 282), winner of the Sept. 18 GII Canadian S. A half-sister to 2020 GI Northern Dancer Turf S. star Say the Word (More Than Ready), her third dam is Canadian Horse of the Year and Broodmare of the Year Dance Smartly (Danzig). Rideforthecause will be consigned by Sam-Son Farm as part of their recently announced dispersal.

Four Stars Sales consigns Into Mystic (Into Mischief) (hip 283), victress of the Kentucky Downs Preview Ladies Sprint S. Aug. 2, who has since placed in two graded events, including a nose defeat to MGISW Got Stormy (Get Stormy) in the GIII Buffalo Trace Franklin County S. Oct. 9. Taylor Made Sales consigns Shippy (Midshipman) (hip 284), runaway winner of this summer’s Blue Sparkler S. at Monmouth Park, who also had graded stakes form last year at two. And finally, Stuart Morris consigns 2-year-old Miss Nondescript (Mosler) (hip 285), who won the Oct. 24 Maryland Million Lassie S. to remain undefeated.

The November Sale is scheduled for Sunday, Nov. 8, at 2 p.m. with supplemental entries accepted through the Breeders’ Cup.

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Maryland Million: Kenny Had A Notion Best In Nursery; Miss Nondescript Snatches Lassie

Under a ground-saving trip by jockey Jorge Ruiz, Louis J. Ulman and Neil Glasser's Kenny Had a Notion ran away from a dozen others down the stretch to win the $100,000 Maryland Million Nursery Saturday on the 35th edition of Maryland Million Day at Laurel Park in Laurel, Md.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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