Timonium’s race meet reaches its conclusion with a four-day holiday weekend.

What’s that? Done so soon?

Timonium, we hardly knew ye. Its seven-day meet arrived with a flourish August 23, and it’ll be in the rearview mirror by early evening on September 2.

Still, there’s work to be done: four cards this coming weekend, three of which have already been drawn. Here’s what we’ll be watching for:

• Less X than you might expect: Last year’s leading rider Xavier Perez mounted a major assault on the Big T last weekend. The veteran rider had 18 mounts during the opening three days of the stand, tied with Angel Cruz for the most, and his five wins were also the most. Will he maintain his lead? It won’t be easy; Perez has just five mounts Friday-Sunday.
• Who else might come calling? Cruz, for one. He has two wins, three behind Perez, but he has 16 mounts during the racing weekend’s first three days. J. G. Torrealba’s another: he has three wins, good for second, and is named on 16 horses, though it’s likely he’ll ride at Colonial Downs Saturday and forego three of those.
• The race for the training title remains up for grabs. Jamie Ness, Kerry Hohlbein, and Ferris Allen share the top spot with two wins apiece, while a bunch of conditioners have one. Ness has six entered for the next three days, while Allen has one, and Hohlbein, none. Two other trainers to watch are Jose Corrales and Anthony Farrior. Corrales, with one win opening weekend, has 10 horses entered in eight different races, while Farrior, held scoreless the first three days, has entered 26 horses (!) in 17 different races.
• Twice as nice? Last year two horses – Anonymously and Here and Nofurther – won twice during the short Timonium stand. Will any do so this year?

Following Friday’s nine-race program, both Saturday and Sunday will see the Big T host 10-race programs. Saturday’s features a couple of allowance contests, while Sunday’s top race is a four-furlong maiden special weight contest for two-year-old fillies that’s drawn a full field of 10.

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