Post Time Moves to 12:05 P.M. for Nine-Race Program
Journeyman Sheldon Russell Named in Friday’s Fifth Race
$100K Maryland Juvenile, Maryland Juvenile Fillies Saturday

BALTIMORE – Seeking a return to the winner’s circle for the first time since her Timonium Distaff victory in August, Breviary drew the outermost post in a field of six for Friday’s Race 8 feature as live action resumes at Laurel Park.

First race post time moves to 12:05 p.m. and will remain for the duration of the fall meet, which runs through Saturday, Dec. 31.

Owned and trained by Mario Serey Jr., Breviary is the 6-5 program favorite in the seven-furlong starter optional claiming sprint with regular rider Grant Whitacre aboard. He is entered for $20,000, his first time in for a tag since mid-July.

Serey claimed Breviary for $5,000 out of a Feb. 6 win at Laurel. For the year, the 5-year-old Super Ninety Nine mare owns five wins, five seconds and two thirds from 18 starts with purse earnings of just under $200,000.

Overall, Breviary has won eight of 34 starts and more than $300,000 in purses. She has raced four times since her half-length triumph at nearly 11-1 in Timonium, most recently finishing sixth in the Thirty Eight Go Go Nov. 12 at Laurel.

Trainer Kieron Magee entered the pair of Unrequited Love and My Boss Lady. Timothy Hopkins’ Unrequited Love (5-2) owns seven career wins and was fourth in the Maryland Million Distaff Starter Handicap two starts back, while James Wolf’s My Boss Lady was claimed for $12,500 out of a rallying second Nov. 6. Magee has a 24 percent success rate first off the claim.

Journeyman rider Sheldon Russell is named on one horse, Ellie Victorina, in Friday’s fifth race, a maiden claimer for 2-year-old fillies sprinting 5 ½ furlongs. The daughter of Grade 1 winner Army Mule is trained by Russell’s wife, fall meet leader Brittany Russell.

Sheldon Russell has not ridden since being unseated when his mount, 3-year-old filly Raise Your Game, stumbled badly one jump out of the gate of Race 6 Nov. 20. The 35-year-old seven-time meet champion and 2011 overall leading rider in Maryland got back on horses for the first time Tuesday morning.

“I have some hardware in the shoulder from a previous injury, so I just took a couple days off,” Russell said. “I’m just going to take it day by day and make sure everything’s good before I get back to riding. I’m on a horse Friday so I’m really just trying to take it day by day. I’ll get on a couple more and maybe breeze a few just to make sure everything’s good.”

A winner of 1,544 career races, Russell went 296 days between races following surgery and rehabilitation for a right foot injury before winning in his July 1 return at Laurel.

John Middleton’s Ellie Victorina, making her fourth career start, is favored at 3-1 on the morning line from Post 9 in a field of 10.

Saturday’s nine-race Laurel program features the $100,000 Maryland Juvenile Fillies led by Maryland Million Lassie winner Chickieness and New York shipper Malibu Moonshine, and $100,000 Maryland Juvenile with Maryland Million Nursery winner Johnyz From Albany and Post Time, undefeated in two starts.