Racing Returns This Weekend at Laurel
Friday Includes MSW, $54,000 Allowance               

BALTIMORE – Nominations close Saturday for six stakes at Laurel Park on January 21 with total purses worth $550,000.

The six stakes are:

• $100,000 Spectacular Bid for 3-year-olds at seven furlongs
• $100,000 Xtra Heat for 3-year-old fillies at six furlongs
• $100,000 What a Summer for fillies and mares at six furlongs
• $100,000 Fire Plug for 4-year-olds and up at 6 ½ furlongs
• $75,000 Jennings for 4-year-olds and up (MD bred/sired)
• $75,000 Geisha for fillies and mares (MD bred/sired)

Laurel’s big winter festival will take place Feb. 18 with the running of the $250,000 Barbara Fritchie (G3), $250,000 General George (G3), $100,000 Miracle Wood and $100,000 Wide Country.

Racing Returns This Weekend at Laurel

The first three-day week of Laurel’s 2023 winter meet begins Friday with a nine-race program that includes a maiden special weight event for 3-year-olds and a $54,000 allowance event for 4-year-olds and up.

The $52,000 maiden special weight event at six furlongs for 3-year-olds will go as the third race and Michael Trombetta saddles two in Ironhorse Racing Stable LLC’s Code of Kings, a $120,000 Empire Maker yearling who hasn’t hit the board in three starts, and Live Oak Plantation’s Quick Quick Whit, a son of First Samurai who was fifth in his debut. Collect Redemption finished a closing fourth in his debut, and Captain Creed exits a second-place finish last time out.

Race 8 is a 5 ½-furlong, $54,000 allowance event for 4-year-olds and up that drew a field of eight including Maryland Million Turf Sprint runner-up Rock the Boat, the lightly raced Supreme Law, and Gerrys Gem, seeking his fourth consecutive win.