Lynn Ashby says it would be “an honor” to win a Maryland Million race, and she might well do it Saturday with Re Markably, who is 9-2 on the morning line.

But the truth is what the two-year-old Hoppertunity colt has already done has made her plenty happy. Heck, just breaking his maiden – which he did at first asking at Delaware Park July 3 – was important.

Re Markably was the last horse bred by Lynn Ashby’s late husband Mark with his longtime partner in breeding Bill Gotwals. When it came time to name him, Ashby approached Gotwals’ wife Susan – “She does the names. She’s really clever,” Ashby said – with an idea.

“I said, ‘Susan, can I put something with Mark in it?’” Ashby recalled. “And she said, ‘Oh, yeah, we’ve got to do that.’”

Remarkable Man was taken; so, too, Remarkable. And then the winning idea: “Wow, it’s perfect,” she said of her reaction to Re Markably.

“His nickname is Marky, just like my husband was,” she added of the horse. “I always think of that: you know, he stays around, he’s a horse every day. It was really emotional to break his maiden.”

After his maiden score, Re Markably headed south to compete in the Virginia-restricted Hickory Tree at Colonial Downs. He was a good third in there behind Candycrumbs and Do It for Michael, the latter of whom won his next start and will face Re Markably here.

Re Markably then galloped in the Delaware certified Dover Stakes at Delaware Park, winning by 5 ½ lengths, before running into a buzzsaw in It’s Hammertime, who defeated him in the First State Dash September 11.

“He had a little upper respiratory thing last time we ran in the stake, but he still ran a great race,” Ashby said of the First State. “I mean, I ran second to a heckuva nice horse.”

Re Markably’s effort perhaps was further flattered when It’s Hammertime returned to win the $125,000 Rocky Run at Delaware October 9.

Since that contest, Re Markably has posted a couple of recorded works, including a half-mile in 50 3/5 seconds over the Delaware strip October 7.

“I let him have a nice three-eighths blowout, and he galloped out an even 49-50, so I was real happy with that,” she said. “He’s looking good.”

Re Markably’s dam, the Colonel John mare A Dicey Dame, raced only once and finished 20 lengths behind the winner that day. But three of her four offspring to race won their debut outings, with the best of them – so far – Epic Luck, a stakes-winning earner of $188,112. But Re Markably, already with over $77,000 in the bank, is coming up fast.

The Nursery will be no easy spot, however. Among those he’ll face here are a pair for trainer Jerry Robb, including the aforementioned Do It for Michael; a pair for Gary Capuano, including Sacred Thunder, winner of two straight; and morning line favorite Say Me True (5-2), a first-out winner for trainer Robbie Bailes and owner-breeders Eric and Nancy Rizer.

But Ashby’s not looking to change positions. She’s got a speedy horse named for her husband and coming into the Nursery just the way she’d hope.

“The way his numbers are going up, he’s going to be fine,” she said. “He’s great right now. He feels awesome. We just have to keep him there.”

CHECK OUT THE LATEST OFF TO THE RACES RADIO!