Multiple Stakes Winner Caprice Among Noms for Stormy Blues
2-Year-Old Sprints Among Three $100,000 Stakes Saturday, Nov. 9
Rainbow 6 Carryover at $15,805 for Halloween Thursday Program
BALTIMORE – Undefeated multiple stakes winner It’s Hammertime, Grade 3-placed stakes winner Studlydoright and the top four finishers from the Maryland Million Nursery top 22 nominees to the $100,000 James F. Lewis III at Laurel Park.
The Lewis for 2-year-olds and $100,000 Smart Halo for 2-year-old fillies, both sprinting six furlongs, co-headline a Saturday, Nov. 9 program with the $100,000 Thirty Eight Go Go for fillies and mares 3 and older going 1 1/16 miles.
Eagle Up Stables, London Reid Thoroughbreds and Non Stop Stable’s It’s Hammertime, by Grade 1-winning millionaire Vekoma, has won all three of his starts, each at Delaware Park, including the First State Dash Sept. 11 and one-mile Rocky Run Oct. 9 last time out. He is trained by Gary Capuano, who won last year’s Lewis with Copper Tax.
Mens Grille Racing’s Studlydoright won the 5 ½-furlong Tremont second time out and was second in the six-furlong Sanford (G3), both this summer at Saratoga, and most recently was second as the favorite in the off-the-turf Laurel Futurity going one mile Sept. 28. Jerry Robb-trained stablemate Do It for Michael has won three of four starts including two straight capped by a neck decision over Re Markably in the Nursery.
Sacred Thunder, three-quarters of a length behind Re Markably, and fourth-place finisher All the Hardways also exit the six-furlong Nursery. Three-time Lewis-winning trainer Cal Lynch nominated last-out winner Hawkstone and Saxton, unbeaten in two starts including a front-running optional claiming allowance triumph Oct. 4 at Laurel.
J J Zo Zo, winner of the Sept. 7 Smoke Glacken at Monmouth Park, and stakes-placed Baby Dukes and Shootersgottashoot are also nominated.
Runnymoore Racing’s Caprice and fellow stakes winner Shkhara Fire lead 21 nominees to the Smart Halo. Caprice has raced exclusively at Delaware Park winning each of her first three starts including the Blue Hen and Small Wonder before losing for the first time when second as the favorite in the one-mile White Clay Creek Oct. 9.
Barak Farm and Dino’s Thoroughbreds’ Shkhara rallied for a neck decision over Malibu Hooch in the six-furlong Maryland Million Lassie Oct. 12 at Laurel. Malibu Hooch is also nominated along with third-place finisher Safe Trust, who also ran third in the 5 ½-furlong Keswick Aug. 3 at Colonial Downs.
Also prominent among nominees are Daze, a winner of her only two starts by 15 ½ combined lengths for trainer Brittany Russell, and stakes-placed Great Andrei, Not Too Late and Onyx Ten.
Grade 3 winner Foggy Night, Brazilian Group 1 winner Evidencias and 6-year-old multiple stakes winner Malibu Beauty are among 17 nominees to the Thirty Eight Go Go. Pine Brook Farm’s Foggy Night is winless in three starts this year after going 3-for-7 in 2023 with wins in the Delaware Oaks (G3) and Cathryn Sophia.
James Wigan and Denford Stud’s Evidencias has been third or better in all six starts this year with a last-out victory in the 1 1/16-mile Obeah Sept. 18 at Delaware, which came after she ran third behind Malibu Beauty in Laurel’s Caesar’s Wish Aug. 4. The 6-year-old Malibu Beauty has won six career stakes, three of them at Laurel including a popular triumph in the Aug. 18 All Brandy.
Maryland Million Distaff winner Foxy Junior; fellow stakes winners Kissedbyanangel, Princess Indy and Too Many Kisses; and three-time stakes-placed Sheliahs Warcloud, first or second in all eight career starts with three wins, are also among the nominees.
Notes: Jockey Xavier Perez doubled Sunday aboard Joyful Kitten ($15.60) in Race 5 and In the Dance ($7) in Race 7 … Piccolino LLC’s Sinetic ($10.80) got an ideal stalking trip from jockey Jaime Rodriguez and drew off late to graduate in Race 6, a 5 ½-furlong maiden special weight for 2-year-olds, in 1:04.06 over a firm Kelso turf course … Rodriguez added a second winner with Cover the Spread ($7.80) in the Race 9 finale … There will be carryovers of $15,805.74 in the 20-cent Rainbow 6 (Races 3-8) and $6,497.51 in the $1 Jackpot Super High Five (Race 6) when the fall meet resumes Thursday starting at 12:25 p.m.