DARRS, Inc.’s undefeated Cap Classique, an eye-catching winner of her stakes debut last month, returns to Laurel Park looking to keep her perfect record intact in the $100,000 Gin Talking Saturday, Dec. 30.

The 15^th running of the Gin Talking for 2-year-old fillies and 22^nd edition of the $100,000 Heft for 2-year-olds, both sprinting seven furlongs, share top billing on a nine-race program that wraps up Maryland’s 2023 stakes schedule.

First race post time is 12:25 p.m.

Cap Classique, a bay daughter of 2019 Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) winner and older male champion Vino Rosso, will be making her fourth start in the Gin Talking and second straight in a stakes following her come-from-behind 1 ¼-length triumph in the six-furlong Smart Halo Nov. 11 at Laurel.

Purchased for $145,000 during Fasig-Tipton’s May Midlantic 2-year-olds in training sale at the Maryland State Fairgrounds in Timonium, Cap Classique captured her Aug. 17 unveiling sprinting 5 ½ furlongs on the Colonial Downs turf. Back home at Laurel, she made the successful transition to dirt with a seven-length optional claiming allowance romp at the same distance Oct. 7.

Continuing with the gradual step-up in distance, Cap Classique will be trying seven furlongs for the first time in the Gin Talking.

“I think she’s going to handle it just fine. I think she’s going to love it,” trainer Brittany Russell said. “I think she handles everything we throw her way. She’s just one of those smart, laid-back types that has a lot of ability, and she does what we ask her to do. Everything about her is just a pleasure.”

Cap Classique drew Post 4 in a field of 7 and will have regular rider Jevian Toledo aboard.

“In the mornings she doesn’t put forth any extra energy,” Russell said. “She’s smart like that. She does that in the races, but she’s there for you when you need her.”

Cap Classique has been installed as the 6-5 morning line favorite. Top challengers include two-time stakes winner Carmelina (7-2) for trainer Butch Reid and Munny Grab (3-1), a last-out maiden winner at Aqueduct for trainer Horacio De Paz.

In the Heft, which immediately follows the Gin Talking, stakes winners Sweet Soddy J and Catahoula Moon will tangle with each other and with flashy debut winner Great Opportunity, who could give Brittany Russell a clean sweep of Laurel’s final two stakes of 2023.

Built Wright Stables’ homebred Sweet Soddy J, by 2018 Met Mile (G1) winner Bee Jersey, is looking to regain his winning form after capturing each of his first two starts this summer including the 6 ½-furlong Timonium Juvenile Sept. 2.

Sweet Soddy J will be making his eighth start and seventh straight in a stakes, most recently tiring to be last in the 5 ½-furlong Advent Dec. 8 at Oaklawn Park. The Heft will be the first time racing twice at the same track, after stops in Virginia, Pennsylvania, New York, Kentucky and Arkansas.

“I don’t know what happened. He might have just been plain outclassed there at Oaklawn. He’s a really nice horse and I think I need to leave him in the Mid-Atlantic,” owner Norman ‘Lynn’ Cash said. “It’s almost a curse when we won that stake early on because a non-winners of three allowance is still hard to find for him, so we have to run in stakes. I guess the stakes where he fits are not so plentiful, so I supplemented those with places where he hasn’t fit.”

Super C Racing, Inc.’s Catahoula Moon broke his maiden going 6 ½ furlongs Sept. 4 at Timonium and came back two starts later to post a mild upset in the six-furlong Maryland Million Nursery Oct. 14 at Laurel. He has raced twice since, finishing fifth in the Lewis and second to Circle P after being run down late in the Maryland Juvenile. Trainer Flint Stites was aiming to the Heft with Circle P but will instead look to 2024 after the gelding suffered a minor setback.

Repole Stable’s Great Opportunity was always in command in his Dec. 3 unveiling at Laurel, a one-mile maiden special weight where he broke sharp from his inside post and led all the way in a 7 ¼-length triumph over a sloppy, sealed track for trainer Brittany Russell.

“He won going a mile first time out and it was a tough trip – from the rail, mud, mile first time – and I feel like he overcame a lot. He ran fast early, and he even got tired. He was exhausted after that race, but he seemed to bounce back in his training. I think shortening him up to seven, he’ll be just fine,” Russell said. “I think he’s a good horse and I think he can handle it.”

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