Hillwood Stable’s champion Maryland-bred Post Time, who suffered his first career loss last month, returns home with designs on starting a new win streak in Saturday’s $100,000 City of Laurel at Laurel Park.

Post Time was third, beaten 1 ¼ lengths, in the seven-furlong Perryville Oct. 21 at Keeneland finishing behind Grade 3 winner Raise Cain, who had run in more graded-stakes than Post Time had races, and Dr. Venkman, who had gone 2-0 in California. It was the first road trip for Post Time, following four victories at Laurel and historic Pimlico Race Course by a combined 17 lengths.

“He got off the van from Kentucky and we had to send him to the racetrack because it didn’t take anything out of him,” trainer Brittany Russell said. “He’s awesome. He’s doing great.”

Russell’s husband, jockey Sheldon Russell, was aboard Post Time in the Perryville, where they trailed a field of six into the far turn. They tipped out at the top of the stretch and rallied between horses to get up for third while closing on the top pair. It was 5 ½ lengths back to fourth-place finisher Loyal Company.

“I was really happy with him. Sheldon just sort of said, ‘Honestly, if you look at how he’s run every time, has he ever really had to come off the bridle and get on his belly?’ He’s always been so much the best,” Russell said. “Sheldon just kind of felt like when he really had to call on him, he probably had to sit on him a little longer at the head of the lane and wait for a little bit of room rather than come 10 wide.

“But, when he kind of asked him for run, he was probably a little confused and Sheldon said once he figured it out, it was like ‘Bam,’” she added. “You kind of go back and go, ‘Oh, a little bit of a longer stretch and maybe we catch them,’ but I don’t think like that. I think he ran great and I think it’s a good stepping stone for what’s to come. The whole point of going there is, of course you want to win, but he’s also a nice horse and that was his first real test away from home.”

Post Time is 4-0 in Maryland, having won all three of his starts last year when he was named Maryland’s champion 2-year-old male, capped by a 3 ¾-length triumph in the Maryland Juvenile. Minor issues kept the Frosted colt away from the races for 295 days before returning to beat his elders in an open six-furlong optional claiming allowance Sept. 22 at Pimlico, again rallying from last.

Sheldon Russell, aboard for both races this year, returns to ride from Post 4 of nine.

“Timing-wise, it’s the [right] move to run him against 3-year-olds at home. There’s a lot beyond that,” Brittany Russell said. “I’m happy with him. I think he has a bright future and there’s a lot to look forward to.”

Post Time was lined as the 9-5 morning line favorite. After three morning scratches, including 2-1 Giant Mischief, his odds should go down from there.

The Russells will team up for two other logical contenders in the two stakes that follow the City of Laurel.

In the seven-furlong Safely Kept for three-year-old fillies, they team up on Michael Dubb’s Apple Picker, who is the 5-2 second choice on the morning line. After a local win in the Weathervane, Apple Picker finished fourth in the Grade 2 Raven Run at Keeneland.

The Brad Cox-trained Howl is the 4-5 morning line favorite in the Safely Kept and will have Jevian Toledo in the irons. Howl, a Practical Joke filly, didn’t make the races until October 28 but made an impression that day, winning a Keeneland maiden special weight contest by almost eight lengths in fast time.

In the day’s final stake, the 1 1/8-mile Richard W. Small, the Russell team sends out Repole Stable’s Be Better, who is favored at 8-5 on the morning line. The four-year-old Uncle Mo colt fashioned a three-race win streak that included a win in the Deputed Testamony here in July but has been third and fourth in his last two starts.

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