RACE 1: MAIDEN SPECIAL WEIGHT, 2-YEAR-OLDS, 5 FURLONGS

5-6-4-3

Guadalupe Preciado thought enough of #5 Fire Pit (8-5) to try and get him in at Saratoga on opening weekend, but he landed on the also-eligible list and was scratched. He now ships down here off a series of increasingly impressive workouts at his Parx base, including a July 6 drill in 46 2/5 seconds where he outworked a slew of older horses, among them a pair of Butch Reid-trained stakes winners. #6 Tojo’s Mojo (2-1) looks like the best of the ones with experience. He went off at 23-1 on debut – a high price for a John Salzman Jr-trained runner- and rallied well to grab second after falling far behind early. #4 Sinetic (5-1) turned in back-to-back bullet workouts at Pimlico in late July for Antonio Machado, and gets Jaime Rodriguez aboard for his career bow.

RACE 2: CLAIMING $20,000 (N/W2L), 3-YEAR-OLDS AND UP, FILLIES AND MARES, 6 FURLONGS

1-5-7-4

#1 Hateful (8-5) battled on the lead last out, disposed of her dueling partners (everyone else near that pace finished well up the track), and pulled clear late, only to be swallowed up by a rival who closed from last. Still, she ran an improved brisnet figure for the third straight race, and has worked well since that May 9 effort. #5 Stormy Midnight (4-1) broke her maidens in impressive fashion in April, rating off the pace and crushing a pair of next-out winners, but hasn’t shown as much in her last two dirt starts after getting involved in early duels. If she can avoid getting caught up in the pace, she’s in with a big chance. #7 Enemynumbernine (8-1) broke her maiden going away at 12th asking last out after a great stalking trip. She has a high ceiling, but somewhat inconsistent form.

RACE 3: CLAIMING $20,000 (N/W2L), 3-YEAR-OLDS, FILLIES AND MARES, 5 1/2 FURLONGS (GRASS)

5-9-4-3

#5 Concrete Faze (9-2) gobbled up ground and got third first time on grass two starts ago, then faced a better non-winners of two field last out and was flat after a wide trip. Denis Araujo, who has been riding excellently at the meet (7-for-29), gets the call for the first time. #9 Nicky Jolene (5-2) surged and just missed at Delaware Park last out, and has a high ceiling on this surface, having broken her maiden on it last summer at Belmont Park with an impressive 86. #4 Lady Mosler (3-1) ran some solid races against these types last year, but her 1-for-25 career record, including an 0-for-15 mark on grass, is a tad uninspiring. She’s worked well for Damon Dilodovico to prepare for her fist start of the year, and Dilodovico does well with hoses off a long layoff, but she might not have enough late speed to hang around after showing early foot.

RACE 4: ALLOWANCE (N/W1X), 3-YEAR-OLDS AND UP, MD-RESTRICTED, 5 1/2 FURLONGS

1-6-4-5

Both halves of the Jamie Ness entry are strong; however, I give the slight edge to #1 Must Be Love (9-5), off an impressive gate-to-wire win at Parx last out, his third consecutive figure in the 80s. He’s the only one in the race to run that fast in three straight starts. #6 Irish Warlock (5-2) has run in the 80s four times in a row in sprints, with his only bad recent race coming around two turns. He lasted through pace pressure last out and held third behind Freeze the Fire, who’s in the midst of a three-race winning streak, with a career-best 88. #4 Irish Hero (6-1) was done in by a poor start last out, but fought Celtic Contender hard on the lead two starts back and held second. That one came back to cross the wire first in the Star De Naskra Stakes,

RACE 5: JAMEELA STAKES, 3-YEAR-OLDS AND UP, FILLIES AND MARES, MD-RESTRICTED, 6 FURLONGS (GRASS)

10-6-2-4

The great Maryland-bred mare of the late 1970s and early 1980s is honored with this contest. #10 Kissed by Fire (2-1), who’s done most of her work in California, now makes her first start in her home state. She won three in a row to cap her 2023 season, going gate-to-wire each time, then ran a big race on the lead in the Las Cienegas Stakes in January. She’s worked well at her current base of Keeneland since a flat effort in the Giant’s Causeway Stakes in April, and has the class edge over these. Her only drawback is that she might get caught wide on a contested pace. If she can’t last on the front end, #6 One Silk Stocking (8-1), who has also spent plenty of time in California, would be the most likely one to take advantage. She runs in the mid/upper-80s with regularity, and has a great middle punch that’s prime for closing into duels. She declined a bit on a soft grass track last out, but should run better on a firm course and cutting back around one turn. #2 Speightful Sis (8-1) sat just off the pace and kicked away impressively last out to beat first-level foes at Delaware to improve to 2-for-2 on the lawn. She has the figure edge on these, but now gets her class test, especially with a likely contested pace.

RACE 6: STARTER OPTIONAL CLAIMING $30,000, 3-YEAR-OLDS AND UP, 1 1/16 MILES

2-8-1-5

#2 Always Laughing (6-1) will almost certainly make the rail and the lead from the inside post. The last time she drew the rail, she controlled the tempo and held on to win. She got run down by Ginger Girl in her last two races, but doesn’t have to face anyone as good here. #8 Haint Blue (3-1) closed into slow fractions to win two starts back, and should at least get up for a share as long as the early pace isn’t too slow. #1 Divine Grace (9-5) fought hard all the way on the lead and held on to win at Parx in her last dirt start, and might try to make things interesting for Always Laughing from the outside.

RACE 7: PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY STAKES, 3-YEAR-OLDS AND UP, 1 1/8 MILES (GRASS)

8-6-4-3

Laurel Park straddles Prince’s George’s County and Anne Arundel County; the former is the namesake of this race. Graham Motion has had a white-hot start to the summer season; I’ve got his two runners on top. #8 Hardspun Reason (9-2) has won three in a row, including a big victory first off the bench last out. He has great late speed, an affinity for this course, and tons of upside. Stablemate #6 Highland Chief (8-5) has run two solid races against graded stakes company since returning off an 17 1/2-month layoff in April, and now faces the easiest field he’s seen since then. Jorge Ruiz, who has enjoyed great success with Motion runners at the meet, gets the call. He was scratched out of the Million Preview Stakes at Colonial Downs yesterday to run here. #4 Forever Souper (9-5) declined a bit getting caught wide in the Cliff Hanger Stakes last out, but ran some huge figures earlier this year, and may well have won the Henry Clark Stakes on this track with a cleaner trip.

RACE 8: BEN’S CAT STAKES, 3-YEAR-OLDS AND UP, MD-RESTRICTED, 6 FURLONGS (GRASS)

12-8-7-10

This race pays tribute to the 4-time Maryland-bred Horse of the Year and fan favorite. This race is completely dependent on if #12 Witty (6-5) draws in off the also-eligible list, because if he does, he has them over a barrel. He beat a similar field easily in the Maryland Million Turf Sprint last fall on this track, and finished second to much better grass sprinter sin his last two races, with marks in the 90s both times. #8 Matta (7-2) ran a game third against second-level foes first off an eight-month break last out, and has shown lots of promise in the past. He never rounded back into his best self last year, but the last race was nonetheless encouraging. We’ll see how much he has in the tank as an 8-year-old. #7 Tidewater (5-1) cruised to victory against first-level foes last out, and was second to Witty in last year’s Maryland Million Turf Sprint. He should sit a nice trip from just off the rail.