Cash claimed Treasure Trove out of his most recent start, a runner-up effort in a third-level allowance at Laurel in which the late runner was compromised by a slow early pace. Three back, at the Deputed Testamony distance, he was up late to win at that same allowance level.

“I’ve watched him for a long time. A friend of mine had him. They bought him as a 2-year-old at the 2-year-old in training sale, and then he got claimed away. He just keeps blossoming,” Cash said. “He’s always in the money, always coming. He just seems like he just keeps getting better and better.”

In his career, Treasure Trove, a gelded son of Tapizar, has won eight times in 37 outings, amassing earnings of $333,485. He was bred by John and Diane Fradkin, breeders and owners of 2021 Preakness winner Rombauer.

Two races back, Treasure Trove, then trained by Anthony Farrior for James Wolf, ran in the Grade 3 Pimlico Special, finishing sixth, nearly 11 lengths behind First Captain. That was only a slight improvement on his seventh-place finish in 2021.

Since the Cash claim June 26, Treasure Trove has posted one recorded work. On July 15, he worked a half-mile in 47 2/5 seconds at Laurel. That was the fastest of 15 at the distance.

“We had to back off just a little and give him six or eight days to kind of relieve some soreness, but he’s been training really, really strong the last 2 ½ to three weeks. We almost think that some of the soreness might have been with him for a while, but he’s doing really good,” Cash said. “The [Pimlico Special] was a tough spot, a much tougher spot than this one. We think this is a really good spot. The mile and an eighth will suit him because he’s a deep closer. We hope for him to run well. We’d love for him to hit the board and of course we’d be ecstatic if he won.”

The Deputed Testamony, named for the 1983 Preakness winner, the most recent Maryland-bred to win the Middle Jewel, has drawn a contentious and evenly matched field. Two logical contenders are Ridin With Biden (7-2) and Magic Michael (3-1), second and third, respectively, in the Battery Park Stakes at Delaware Park behind Tax in their most recent starts.

Also on hand are Plot the Dots, switching from turf to dirt, and last-out winners Tappin Cat and Armando R.

The Deputed Testamony is carded as the ninth race on a 10-race card. Other highlights on the card:

• Divine Huntress is the 7-5 morning line favorite in the Miss Disco, for state-bred three-year-old fillies. Divine Huntress has made her last four starts in graded stakes company and last out was second – albeit by six lengths – in the Grade 1 Acorn behind Matareya.
• Can the Queen gets back to her best game, sprinting on the turf, in the Jameela, and is the slight 5-2 choice.
• Undefeated Super Love will try to make it 4-for-4 in the Star de Naskra for state-bred three-year-olds. The Damon Dilodovico trainee won by almost nine lengths in state-bred allowance company last time out.
• Jaxon Traveler, a Grade 3 winner on the dirt, will try his hand on the turf in the Ben’s Cat for state-breds. He’s 5-2 on the morning line, as is the Mike Trombetta-trained Matta. Favoritism goes to Grateful Bred (2-1), a near-miss second last out in the Van Clief at Colonial Downs.