“I’m just happy to have the opportunity to run a couple on Saturday,” Capuano said. “Obviously, I’m looking forward to it, just hoping that everything sets up right for them, and they all get decent trips and are able to run their best race. We’ll see what happens.”

Johnyz From Albany – he’s named after Reed’s partner Mike Zanella’s late brother – was a dominant winner of the Maryland Million Nursery last year as a two-year-old. Most recently, he thrashed an off-the-turf second-level allowance field last out at Pimlico September 24. He’s had one move in the meantime, a half-mile in 48 seconds flat October 8 that was the second-fastest of 53 at the distance.

“He’s doing good. He’s pretty happy, as he usually is,” Capuano said. “He worked a decent half-mile on Sunday, and he came out of it good. He got a good post, and we’ll see if everything sets up.”

Typically a speed horse, Johnyz From Albany will have top rider Jaime Rodriguez up for the first time Saturday. In last year’s Nursery, Johnyz went right to the front and controlled the pace for an easy score. Capuano’s not expecting quite so easy a repeat, though.

“If he runs back to his last one or improves a little bit, he’ll definitely be right there,” Capuano said. “There’s a couple of other speed horses, Al Loves Josie right to his outside, so I don’t think he’ll be able to have it his way like he did last year as a two-year-old.”

Rodriguez is off to a somewhat sluggish start at the Laurel fall meet – just four wins from 31 starts thus far – but for the year, he has 181 wins while winning at a 22% clip.

“Absolutely [it’s good to have Rodriguez up]. I couldn’t retain him on Just Great, so I figured I would put him on Johnyz.”

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About Just Great: the two-year-old filly ran her record to two-for-two with a win last out in the Small Wonder at Delaware Park. Initially, the thought was to come back in the Maryland Million Lassie, but with less than three weeks between races, Capuano and the connections made the decision to sit this spot out and wait for the next one.

While Johnyz From Albany (and for that matter, Just Great) are relative youngsters, the same cannot be said of Cannon’s Roar, Capuano’s Maryland Million Turf hopeful who is owned by Taking Risks LLC. A nine-year-old Orientate gelding with a penchant for finishing second, Cannon’s Roar will make his 49^th career start Saturday. It will be his fifth try in the Turf, his best result a second-place finish in 2020, one of his 15 lifetime runner-up finishes.

“He’s an old warrior, that’s for sure,” the 29-year-old trainer said a couple of days prior to Maryland Million. “He was happy in the stall this morning, you know, jumping around, playing. He’s enjoying this cool weather.”

Cannon’s Roar arrives off his first win in about three years. Back in 2020, he won three consecutive allowance races leading into the Turf, where he was a tough-luck second. He’d been winless since, until rallying last out to win a starter/optional claimer at Delaware Park. For him, as for many, the Turf will be his first ever start without the anti-bleeder medication Lasix.

“The big thing with him, like so many of these other horses, is how he’s going to run with no Lasix,” Capuano said. “That’s kind of the big question mark.”

Two back on soft turf at Delaware, Cannon’s Roar finished fifth, a race the trainer describes as “a clunker” but also one he’s inclined to draw a line through, especially after his follow-up victory. Jeiron Barbosa, who’s ridden him two straight, has the return mount.

Capuano will have a couple of other opportunities to earn his first Maryland Million win, with Gennie Highway (6-1) in the first race starter event and Dolice Vita (20-1) taking a big swing in the Classic.

“I’m just looking forward to celebrating Maryland’s day at the races Saturday,” he said. “I think we’ll get Dale [Capuano] out there. He’s got to represent. He’s still the leading Maryland Million trainer by wins, and hopefully he’ll hang on to that title for quite a few more years.”