It was like old home week as familiar faces thrived in several Virginia-bred stakes Saturday at Colonial Downs.
Doctor Mounty, a 7-1 shot, upset G1 winner Divisidero to take the Prince George’s County Stakes at Laurel Park.
With new whip rules – and a whipless day of racing – under consideration in California, Maryland jockeys cast a skeptical eye westward.
Two runners repeated this Maryland Million day, and a half-brother of last year’s Nursery won this year’s running of that event.
A 25-1 longshot, Doctor Mounty upset the Grade 3 BWI Turf Cup over a yielding Laurel Park course.
The expected showdown between Crabcakes and Shimmering Aspen fizzled, while Crabcakes sizzled en route to a decisive score at Laurel Park.
Riders based at Laurel Park swept the day’s seven stakes, a natural result, they said, of the many good riders in the room.
The connections of Maryland Pride stakes winners Crabcakes and Just Howard were feeling the absence — and presence — of the late breeders of their stars.
“They do all the hard work and we just… look to get around there without getting hurt,” jock Forest Boyce said of trainers after a Maryland Pride day stakes win.
With a half-dozen stakes at Laurel and Delaware, to say nothing of stakes held at Monmouth and Parx, here are five things we learned over the weekend.