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$150,000 MARYLAND MILLION CLASSIC AT LAUREL PARK
The Lead:
The first of the state-bred Breeders' Cups of sorts, the Jim McKay Maryland Million will be renewed for the 36th time Saturday at Laurel Park. The 12-race bonanza represents top Maryland-bred competitors and offspring of Maryland Million-eligible stallions. An early first post of 11:30 a.m. ushers in the all-stakes card.
1/ST BET and Xpressbet offer a pair of horseplayer-friendly promotions to celebrate Maryland Million. Enjoy up to a $10 money-back guarantee on all 12 races Saturday if your win bet finishes second or third. Plus, fire at the late pick four for your chance at a $5,000 hit-and-split. If you hit the late pick four, you'll get your parimutuel winnings AND split $5,000 in bonus cash with others who play the wager successfully on the 1/ST BET and Xpressbet platforms. Two winners last Sunday at Santa Anita scored $1,000 each on a $2,000 hit-and-split, for example.
Field Depth:
Maryland Million-eligible horses comprise the main, 8-horse body of the field and Maryland-breds who are not Maryland Million-eligible are placed on the also-eligible list and can only compete if less than 8 Maryland Million-eligible runners can compete. That means those on the also-eligible list will only run if there are scratches in the main body of the 8-horse field. CORDMAKER and McELMORE AVENUE are the first-up from the AE list based on earnings in the past year, and either of them would vie for favoritism if fortunate enough to compete. CORDMAKER would be the only open-company stakes winner in the field. TAPPIN CAT and PRENDIMI have won restricted stakes in Delaware and New Jersey, respectively. AIN'T DA BEER COLD is stakes-placed in open company. There's not a wide class gap between these if CORDMAKER does not compete, so don't be afraid of a class riser in good form.
Pace:
PRENDIMI has set the pace in the last 2 editions of this race, and should have company up front by 3-year-old Maryland Million Classic newbie AIN'T DA BEER COLD, as well as stretch-out sprinters TORCH OR TRUTH, middle distance sort THE POSER and wide-drawn likely favorite TAPPIN CAT. This race sets up for a late-runner, especially over a 1-1/8 miles distance that is farther than most of these have gone, and want to go.
Our Eyes:
TAPPIN CAT drew post 8 and would be widest in the field barring any scratches. That's not a great post for 1-1/8 miles on this circumference track at Laurel, but it wouldn't be a deal-breaker. Nonetheless, with at least 3-4 other speed horses in this race, obviously all to his inside, the onus will be on jockey Jevian Toledo to work out a trip. For a horse who faced only 25 rivals total in his last 6 starts, this will be a much more challenging trip than his last 3 wins that were essentially perfect for his skillset. He was third in this race in 2019, but did not appear a year ago. TAPPIN CAT could win, but you're looking at an underlay price for the challenge at hand.
PRENDIMI nearly stole the 2019 Classic on the front end, finishing second by a half-length. He wasn't as good here in 2020 and his form this year hasn't been quite as good as his past lines. At age 6, this doesn't look like the kind of pace set-up that will allow him any breathers while trying to get over the hump. TORCH OF TRUTH, third here in that '19 Classic and absent in '20, has sprinted in 8 of his last 9 starts. So the move not only back to a route, but all the way to 9 furlongs, is a legitimate concern. The 6-year-old has done most of his best work at Laurel in fairness.
The closers here are DREAM BIG DREAMS and CROUCHELLI. Both have a solid string of strong late finishes. DREAM BIG DREAMS comes in off an open-company allowance win over the track at 1-1/16 miles (2 turns) and is 3: 2-1-0 on the local dirt. Trainer Brittany Russell rocks the percentages annually and this pairing with Feargal Lynch is a great style fit in the saddle. CROUCHELLI has back-to-back wins at Pimlico and Timonium from off the pace, but is only 2-36 lifetime at Laurel. The barn's been solid all year, but the jockey has struggled at the meet and will have to negotiate several decisions from far off the front.
Of course, the X-factor would be the presence of CORDMAKER, who stands out on class and form if able to make the field from the AE list. His pace versatility would help in this race and give him an even greater chance for success.
Most Certain Exotics Contender:
DREAM BIG DREAMS is in hot form and hasn't missed an exacta over this track. The sophomore gets 6 pounds from the favorite, who is drawn wide.
Best Longshot Exotics Contender:
AIN'T DA BEER COLD -- named for the famed tag phrase after a Baltimore Orioles or Colts victory by the late, great announcer Chuck Thompson -- has been highly inconsistent in his 9-race career. His only pair of 2-turn races netted a win and second by a nose, both here at Laurel, but his last 2 starts take a lot of handicappers' forgiveness. He'll get Lasix for the first time.
Sending it in ($100 bankroll):
$100 win DREAM BIG DREAMS in the event CORDMAKER does not compete. If CORDMAKER does compete, then shift to $100 exacta CORDMAKER over DREAM BIG DREAMS.
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