Laurel Park hosted a pair of stakes Saturday for sophomores, both named for great Maryland-based horses of yore: the Spectacular Bid for open runners and the Xtra Heat for fillies.

In the Spectacular Bid, Barbadian Runner edged Crab Daddy in a thrilling duel to the wire, while in the Xtra Heat, Onyx Ten parlayed an inside trip into a 1 ¾-length victory. For both runners, it was their first stakes win.

TODAY’S QUOTES

He’s game as they come. The last couple times, he lugged in real bad. Today a little but, not as much as before, and I think that really made a big difference.

-Jockey Forest Boyce on Barbadian Runner

We changed bits and added blinkers, and that helped a lot. He was running well enough that, the first time he had lugged in, we just took it as it just happened. But after he did it the second time, we changed the bit, put the blinkers on.

-Trainer Henry Walters on Barbadian Runner

She got just the trip we were hoping for, obviously. Just poised there, and when the rail opened, she came through it. He had enough horse and finished well.

-Trainer Gary Capuano on Onyx Ten

We only paid $5,000 for him, and we never had high expectations from the beginning, but he’s turned out a nice surprise.

-Henry Walters

I had my fingers crossed: I was hoping he’d win the Eclipse [Award for champion apprentice jockey]. But he lost his bug in April, so he only had part of a year.

-Gary Capuano on jockey JG Torrealba

He comes out in the morning, and he breezes a lot for me, and he knows the horses. He’s a good strong finisher. He’s just a good rider. He’s tactical, he’s honest, and he gets a lot out of the horses.

-Capuano on Torrealba

I mean, he’s been running great; you can’t knock him at all. He’s a lovely horse, and Henry’s done a really good job with him.

-Forest Boyce

He’s a good-feeling horse. He wants food all the time, calls day and night for food. I mean, you gotta keep him happy. He’s an ornery little devil, but he’s a nice horse to work with.

-Henry Walters

TODAY’S WINNERS

Xtra Heat Stakes – 3yo fillies, 6 furlongs, $100,000

Spectacular Bid Stakes – 3yo, 7 furlongs, $100,000

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