Ravenheart (inside) and Flash McCaul in the Maryland Juvenile Futurity. Photo by The Racing Biz.
From a Maryland Jockey Club release
The top three finishers from the December 26 Maryland Juvenile Futurity are all among the nominees for the $75,000 Frank Whiteley Jr. Stakes, one of three stakes races to be run Saturday, Jan. 16 at Laurel Park.
That group includes Futurity winner Ravenheart, trained by Tres Abbott for skier Bode Miller’s DB Dojo LLC; Country Life Farm’s Flash McCaul, runner-up in that race, trained by Mike Trombetta; and show horse It’s the Journey, also trained by Trombetta, for R. Larry Johnson.
The seven-furlong Whiteley will headline the Jan. 16 card, along with the $75,000 Fire Plug for older horses at six furlongs and the $75,000 Marshua Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at six furlongs.
Flash McCaul, a son of Friesan Fire, has finished second in four of five career starts, including both the Futurity and Maryland Million Nursery. Ravenheart ran fourth as the favorite in the Nursery before running up the track in the Grade 2 Remsen. He then scored by a head over Flash McCaul in the Futurity. It’ s the Journey has a first and third from three career starts.
Along with that trio, the Whiteley could also include Huntin’theholidays, an 8 3/4-length winner last time out (over Flash McCaul) at Parx; Ferris Allen trainee Jarvis Steel, who won his racing debut here Dec. 12; and J W Racer from the barn of Robin Graham.
Any Court Inastorm leads 29 nominations for the Fire Plug. The 5-year-old gelded son of Successful Appeal finished third last time out in the Jennings Handicap after winning an allowance optional claimer Oct. 25. Other nominees include Fabulous Strike winner Favorite Tale, third in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1), and Sonny Inspired, fifth in the De Francis.
King of Prussia Stable’s Mo d’Amour, who broke her maiden at Aqueduct at first asking before finishing seventh in the Demoiselle (G2) leads the nominations for the Marshua Stakes along with Trace of God, a winner of two of four starts, and Trulamo from the barn of Jamie Ness.
