Trainer John Robb won a pair of two-year-old maiden events Sunday at Laurel Park, giving him three two-year-old winners at the current meet, the most of any trainer. Both were ridden by his go-to rider, Xavier Perez.

“Only problem is, no one else is winning [baby races], so I have to make my own winners’ race,” Robb joked later.

Robb has three wins from seven juvenile starters at the meet, one more win than Jose Corrales. The two veteran trainers have combined to win five of the nine two-year-old races contested at the meet thus far.

Robb cracked that his best two-year-old has yet to race, but if that’s the truth, whichever horse that is will have to outrun Studlydoright, the two-for-two Nyquist colt Robb trains for David Hughes. That runner flew home late in his second start to win the Tremont Stakes at Saratoga over Belmont weekend.

Speaking of which, turns out that one of the Sunday winners, Hard Ten Stables’ All the Hardways, had worked “10 times” with Studlydoright, Robb said.

Did you like him?

“Yeah. After the other one [Studlydoright] turned out,” the trainer said.

In his debut All the Hardways, a Paynter colt bred by Hickory Ridge Farm, broke slowly before rallying willingly into second, a promising debut that foretold today’s race. All the Hardways, with Xavier Perez up, found himself in fourth early behind the dueling duo of Summerinthecountry and Little Bit Risky.

Perez got his mount in gear in mid-stretch, All the Hardways taking over at the furlong pole and drawing away to a sharp four-length win in 59.86 seconds over a fast main track. He paid $3.00 as the odds-on favorite.

Two races earlier, Robb had won the first of the race’s two divisions with Do It for Michael, a homebred for his and wife Gina’s No Guts No Glory Farm. Also under Perez, Do It for Michael dueled for early command while three wide before going on to win by 2 ½ lengths in 1:00.67.

“He’s never worked with either of these, but he’s worked just as good,” Robb said of Do It for Michael. 

Do It for Michael, out of the Great Notion mare Gracie’s Hero, paid $11.40 to win.

“He’s Maryland-bred and Maryland Million-eligible,” Robb pointed out, adding with a laugh, “And mine.”

Both horses, Robb said, are Delaware certified and Virginia certified, so while options are relatively few for two-year-old winners, this duo will have about as many as possible.

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