Richest of Four Stakes Worth $450,000 in Purses Sunday, July 28
Preakness Contender Uncle Heavy Nominated to $100K Concern
Alma North Noms Include G3 Winner Apple Picker, Defending Champ Beguine
Post Time, Tapit Trice Among $100K Deputed Testamony Nominees

BALTIMORE – Graded-stakes winners Dean Delivers, Durante and Little Vic, multiple graded-stakes placed Ninetyprcentmaddie, Prince of Jericho and Twisted Ride, and Subrogate, undefeated in three starts this year, top 20 nominations to the listed $150,000 Frank J. De Francis Memorial Dash at Laurel Park.

The six-furlong De Francis for 3-year-olds and up is the headliner on a Sunday, July 28 program featuring four stakes worth $450,000 in purses. It is joined by the $100,000 Concern for 3-year-olds and $100,000 Alma North for fillies and mares 3 and up, respectively sprinting seven and 6 ½ furlongs, and $100,000 Deputed Testamony at 1 1/8 miles for horses 3 and older.

Named for the late former president and chairman of Laurel and historic Pimlico Race Course, the De Francis was first run in 1990 and boasts an illustrious roster of winners including Housebuster – who beat fellow Hall of Famer Safely Kept in 1991 – and sprint champion counterparts Cherokee Run, Smoke Glacken, Thor’s Echo and Benny the Bull.

Switzerland won the 2018 De Francis and went on to become a multiple group-stakes winner in Dubai including the 2022 Golden Shaheen (G1). Millionaire Lite the Fuse – bred, owned and trained by the late Dick Dutrow – is the only two-time De Francis winner (1995-96).

Stonehedge homebred Dean Delivers won the Smile Sprint (G3) at Gulfstream Park and was third in the A.G. Vanderbilt (G1) in successive starts last summer. The 5-year-old gelding has put together back-to-back wins in the May 27 Mr. Prospector at Monmouth Park and Delaware Park’s Alapocas Run July 8.

David Jacobson-owned and trained Durante captured the Bold Ruler (G3) and was second in the Fall Highweight (G3) last fall at Aqueduct. He is one of three De Francis nominees entered in a third-level optional claiming allowance scheduled for 5 ½ furlongs on the grass Friday at Laurel including stakes winner Johnyz From Albany, in for main track only.

Victoria’s Ranch’s Little Vic upset the six-furlong Tom Fool (G3) last spring at Aqueduct and has one win in seven subsequent starts, two of them Grade 1 stakes, finishing second to Dean Delivers in the Mr. Prospector over a sloppy track in his most recent start.

LC Racing’s Ninetyprcentmaddie is a Parx-based multiple stakes winner that has raced four times in 2024 with a last-out third in the July 6 John A. Nerud (G2) at Aqueduct and three seconds including June 8 True North (G2) at Saratoga. Michael Dubb and Morris Bailey’s Prince of Jericho won a pair of stakes at 3 and this year has placed in three more with a third in the Maryland Sprint (G3) and second to Dean Delivers in the Alapocas Run.

Prince of Jericho is trained by Brittany Russell, who ran second in three straight editions of the De Francis with Wondrwherecraigis starting in 2021, when the now-retired gelding was disqualified and placed behind Jalen Journey for interference when the race last held Grade 3 status.

Kasey K Racing Stable, Michael Day and Final Turn Racing Stables’ Twisted Ride is a multiple stakes winner that was second in the Runhappy (G3) and Maryland Million Sprint – the latter his only prior start at Laurel – and third in the Bold Ruler last year. Colts Neck Stables’ Subrogate is 3-0 as a 4-year-old, including a six-length optional claiming allowance romp June 29 at Aqueduct.

Multiple stakes winners Alwaysinahurry, Gordian Knot, No Cents, Recruiter and Seven’s Eleven, the 2023 Maryland Million Sprint winner that is unraced since finishing second behind Post Time in the Feb. 17 General George (G3) at Laurel, are also prominent among De Francis nominees.

The Concern drew 18 nominations including Feb. 3 Withers (G3) winner Uncle Heavy, sixth in the Preakness Stakes (G1); Billal, third in the July 6 Dwyer (G3) at Aqueduct; Celtic Contender, disqualified from first to third for interference in Laurel’s June 29 Star de Naskra; promoted Star de Naskra winner Play Harder, on a three-race streak; Quint’s Brew, placed second in the Star de Naskra after opening his career with two straight wins; and Sunny Breeze, unbeaten in two starts at Delaware for trainer Ned Allard.

Apple Picker, upset winner of the Feb. 17 Barbara Fritchie (G3) at Laurel and May 18 Skipat at Pimlico, and defending champion Beguine are among 21 nominees to the Alma North, along with multiple stakes winners Cheetara, Disco Ebo and Malibu Beauty; stakes winners Intrepid Dream, Late Frost, Sweet Alyssa and Talk to the Judge; and Amaretti, a last-out optional claiming allowance winner June 26 at Churchill Downs for Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott.

Most popular among horsemen, the Deputed Testamony attracted 24 nominees led by two-time graded-stakes winner Post Time, most recently second in the June 8 Met Mile (G1) at Saratoga, and Brittany Russell-trained stablemate Be Better, the defending champion; 2023 Blue Grass (G1) and Tampa Bay Derby (G3) winner Tapit Trice, trained by Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher and unraced since finishing third in the Travers (G1) last August; June 8 Suburban (G2) runner-up Bendoog; 2023 Lecomte (G3) winner Instant Coffee; 2021 Greenwood Cup (G3) winner Magic Michael; and Feb. 17 Mineshaft (G3) winner Money Supply.

Entries will be taken, and post positions drawn Monday, July 22 for all four stakes.