With today’s Maryland-bred/Maryland-sired stakes at Laurel Park taken off the turf thanks to a brief but torrential storm that passed through central Maryland Saturday, the $75,000 Find Stakes seemed to be a two-horse affair.

But nobody told Riccio that.

Vance Scholars was a main track only entrant and had compiled a stakes win and more than $340,000 in earnings on dirt. And Bestsugardaddyever had won six of his 14 main track tries, including a pair of allowance victories since trainer Jamie Ness had claimed him in April.

But that pair – off at 8-5 and 4-5, respectively – ended far in arrears of Riccio, who powered to a flashy score by nine widening lengths. Running time for the flat mile on a fast main track was 1:38.79.

“I thought he had a shot at winning, but not the way he ran it,” said winning trainer and co-owner Rick Sillaman. “He’s been training great, though.”

Riccio, a four-year-old Cross Traffic gelding, entered the Find with five consecutive starts on turf, including all four of his outings this year. But Sillman said he was untroubled by the race’s being moved to the main track.

“I didn’t really care either way,” he said. “He runs the same either way.”

When the gates opened in the Find, Wicked Prankster and Hunter Joe pulled their way to the front, the former leading after the opening quarter and the latter a half-length better after a half in 47.47 seconds. Riccio was perched just behind and outside of the lead pair: a perfect spot from which to pick up the chase.

“That was the plan, sit right behind the speed and turning for home, go after them,” Sillaman said.

Jockey Daniel Centeno executed that plan perfectly, pouncing on Hunter Joe, who had shrugged off Wicked Prankster, with about a quarter-mile to go. By the time the field hit the furlong pole, Riccio was three lengths clear, and that gap widened considerably in the final eighth.

Hunter Joe was second, four lengths clear of Wicked Prankster, who finished third. Vance Scholars, 14 ¼ lengths behind the winner, and Bestsugardaddyever, who bled and finished 21 behind Riccio, completed the order of finish.

Riccio was bred in Maryland by Glenangus Farm LLC. He is out of the multiple stakes-winning Polish Numbers mare Richetta and was purchased at the 2021 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic fall yearling sale for $15,000 by Sheffield Stable. Sheffield, in turn, sold Riccio privately to Sillaman and partners – Sterling Road Stables and LBR Racing – following a fifth-place finish in the 2023 MIracle Wood Stakes at Laurel.

Riccio paid $16.80 to win, and the exacta returned $40.80 for a one-dollar wager.

Sillaman said he didn’t know where his charge might next start, but off a dominant win on the dirt – and a couple prior wins on the turf – he’s got plenty of options.

Two races prior to the Find in the All Brandy, Malibu Beauty won her second stake in two weeks, surging clear and then holding off the bid of the resurgent God Digging Broad to win by three parts of a length. 

Two weeks after a front-running score in the Caesar’s Wish at Laurel, Malibu Beauty pressed the pace of Gold Digging Broad, took over entering the turn, and opened up a 3 ½-length lead with a quarter-mile to go. But Gold Digging Broad found more and chopped into the lane, running out of real estate three quarters of a length short. Bella Bettina finished third.

Running time for the flat mile was 1:38.83.

Malibu Beauty, a six-year-old Buffum mare, won her third straight race and fourth in six outings. Overall, she has 12 wins and $738,699 in earnings from 38 career starts. She is trained by Gary Capuano and is a homebred for ZWP Stable and Non Stop Stable.

Jockey JG Torrealba, who won three on the day, was aboard for the second straight time.

“That was fun,” Torrealba said. “[Gold Digging Broad] was the speed of the race. My horse sat second and relaxed, and it was a good finish. She fought hard.”

Malibu Beauty, the post time favorite, paid $3.80 to win. The exacta returned $12.10 for a buck.

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