Hamilton Smith has been training horses in Maryland for 50 years now, his first barn having been at Bowie when that was still an active racetrack.

He counts eight Maryland Million victories among the nearly 2,200 he’s recorded, but one race that’s gotten away from him thus far is the $150,000 Classic, which tops Saturday’s 12-race 39^th renewal of Maryland’s day at the races.

Smith will send out 9-2 morning line choice Feeling Woozy in an effort to add the Classic to his crowded trophy shelf. Seven of the 11 horses in the main body of the race – there are two also-eligibles unlikely to draw in – are lined at 8-1 or less.

“It’s good to see a well-grouped bunch of horses,” Smith said. “I’m really surprised that he’s the favorite.”

Feeling Woozy is winless in five starts this year but has been second or third three times while racing in allowance/optional claiming company. His most recent victory came – by 11 lengths – last December in an allowance/optional claimer. A win Saturday would be his first in stakes company.

Feeling Woozy, a four-year-old Irish War Cry gelding that Smith also owns, has won three times in 22 career starts while amassing purse earnings of $222,360. His most recent race came September 7, and he’s posted three works since, including a five-furlong move in 1:00 flat October 5 that was the fastest of 29 at the distance.

“He’s doing good,” Smith said. “I gave him a little bit of a rest. He ran hard last year, so hope for the best.”

Others with shortish odds include Mosler Time (5-1), a four-time winner this year for trainer Cal Lynch; three-year-old Mugatu (6-1), a Blofeld colt trained by Jeff Engler who’s run in eight consecutive stakes races, including the Preakness this past May; Brilliant Ice (6-1), a four-time-winning son of Great Notion for trainer Annette Eubanks; and Vance Scholars (6-1), a Holy Boss gelding who’s been second or third in six of eight outings this year for trainer Phil Capuano.

Also back are the top duo from last year’s Maryland Million Classic, Market Maven and Ain’t Da Beer Cold. Market Maven was first past the post in that event but disqualified for bumping Ain’t Da Beer Cold, who was elevated to first, a decision not official until December, when Market Maven’s connections dropped a planned appeal to the Maryland Racing Commission.

That result gave Ain’t Da Beer Cold’s veteran trainer, Kenny Cox, his first Maryland Million win and set off an enthusiastic celebration by the horse’s owners, Matt Spencer, Bonuccelli Racing, and Kenny Cox’s wife Kelly.

Market Maven, now with a new trainer, Jacinto Solis, is 6-1 on the morning line. He’s winless in five tries this year and 13 straight overall, dating back to a win in January 2023. Mychel Sanchez will ride.

Ain’t Da Beer Cold has one win in seven starts, that coming in the Native Dancer Stakes in April. He will have Jevian Toledo in the irons and is 12-1 on the morning line.

One other intriguing contender is Hittheroadjak (15-1) for owner-trainer Rodolfo Sanchez-Salomon. The three-year-old has won once in two starts this year and three of five overall.

Sanchez-Salomon claimed the Kobe’s Back gelding for $20,000 out of his second career race last November and tried him once more before putting him away for the winter. He raced next May 31, then not again until August 31 at Timonium, when he won a Maryland-bred allowance by more than nine lengths.

“We gave him a little time to mature, and we brought him back in the Maryland-bred allowance at Timonium,” said Joanne Shankle, Sanchez-Salomon’s assistant and partner. “So he’s coming into it really, really well.”

Shankle grew up in a racing family in nearby Frederick, so she knows what Maryland Million means to the state’s Thoroughbred industry.

“It would be the best to win a race like this,” she said.

Smith, too, sees the importance of the event.

“Naturally, it’s a great day for the owners,” he said. “I’m all for the farms myself. People don’t realize what it really takes to get a horse to the races and in stakes and so forth. These farms, they all work hard and do a good job. They’re well represented here, and rightfully so. It’s a big boost for the farm.”

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