If horses have destinies – and who’s to say they don’t? – then surely the destiny of a horse named for two of Maryland’s favorite things – crabs and beer – is to win a Maryland Million race on Maryland’s day at the races. 

Right?

“He has to. It’s actually a really bad thing if he doesn’t,” laughed Keri Brion, who trains, yes, Crabs N Beer. “He has a lot of fans. He’s kind of a Maryland house horse. Everybody loves him.”

Crabs N Beer, a five-time winner, has amassed more than $370,000 in career earnings. He registered his top effort when second in the Grade 3 Dinner Party at Pimlico May 18. But thus far, one of his top targets, the $125,000 Maryland Million Turf, has eluded him.

He ran third, beaten just a length, in the 2022 Turf. Last year, after chasing the early pace, he faded to fifth, though only two lengths behind the winner. Both years, that winner was Wicked Prankster, who snuck off on the front end each time.

While Wicked Prankster is not back to defend his title, the field is likely tougher than it has been in recent years. In addition to Crabs N Beer, the field includes the improving Starstruck Notion, Presious Passion Stakes runner-up Sports Editor, and hard-hitting Sky’s Not Falling. Crabs N Beer is 5-2 on the morning line; the others are 2-1, 4-1, and 3-1, respectively.

Since the Dinner Party, Crabs N Beer has run in three straight second-level allowance races, finishing third and seventh in New York and, most recently, sixth at Colonial Downs.

The race at Colonial was a last-minute decision, Brion said; the plan had been to run in the Find Stakes for Maryland-breds at Laurel. But that race came off the turf, necessitating Plan B.

“The only race I probably was truly disappointed in was at Colonial. But I just think it just wasn’t working,” Brion said. “You know, the Find comes off the turf last minute. It wasn’t the plan.”

Since that effort August 30, Brion has gotten four works into Crabs N Beer and likes the way her charge is coming into the race.

“I’ve done some different things with his training, and I have him back to what I think is his best now, and I expect a big run on Saturday,” she said. “His last two works have been very similar to what he worked like going into the Dinner Party. So I think we have him, you know, where he needs to be for sure.”

One thing that’s helped: after a long dry spell this summer, some recent rain has softened up the ground, enabling Brion to train him a little differently.

“When the ground’s rock-hard out back, it’s hard to train him because his feet hurt,” she explained. “Once we got the rain, he’s been able to train up and down hills a bit more, which is what he was doing into the Dinner Party. I just find, you know, he looks better. He’s got more muscle doing that.” 

The race could set up favorably for Crabs N Beer. He is a mid-pack sort of runner; his best efforts have come when rallying from a bit off the pace. That opportunity figures to be available Saturday; Sports Editor has plenty of early foot, Sky’s Not Falling arrives off a front-running score, and Goodbye Note’s best turf outing came when on the engine.

Sheldon Russell has the mount on Crabs N Beer.

“Sheldon actually came up [to Fair Hill] and worked him two weeks ago, and then he just had a little blowout yesterday, just a little three-eighths where he opened up about 10 on a filly he was working with by design, because I feel like sometimes he kind of gets to horses and stays there,” Brion said.

Brion trains Crabs N Beer for owner Charles Blanford, whose breeding partner Kyle Horlacher is the breeder of record. “He’s never won a Maryland Million race, so this would mean a lot to him,” Brion said of Blanford.

“She’s done fantastic with him,” Blanford said of Brion’s work with Crabs N Beer. “He’s spoiled, and she wants to do as good as I do, and he deserves it.”

Blanford, who got his first stakes win as an owner Wednesday with Beautiful Blome, won’t be at the Maryland Million, though, and for good reason. He’s getting married that day.

“I think Crabs literally runs when he’s walking down the aisle,” Brion said

“He’s a really cool horse to be around: super-kind, super-sweet, you know, just really nice to have in the barn,” the trainer added. “He means a lot to the barn. And it would definitely be great to pull this one off.”

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