Admirals War Chest seeks 3rd straight Maryland Million Classic win

The $250,000 De Francis Dash may be the richest race of the Laurel Park fall meet, but the true high point of the season comes Saturday when the Jim McKay Maryland Million will be held for the 32nd time.

The day’s focus is on the Maryland breeding industry, which, like the state’s racing product, is improving. There is a lot of homestate pride on display on Maryland Million Day, which last year had an announced attendance of more than 21,000 and handled $4.5 million. Total purses on the day exceed $1 million.

The first post at Laurel on Saturday is an earlier-than-usual 12:15 p.m.

The seven stakes and four starter races are for Maryland-sired horses, with Maryland-breds allowed into a field if it draws fewer than six Maryland-sired entrants. Cross-entered runners do not count toward the total.

Of the seven stakes, the Classic and Sprint were opened to horses who are statebred but not Maryland-sired. The five other stakes have Maryland-bred horses waiting on the also-eligible list in case enough Maryland Million-registered horses scratch and allow them in, which seems unlikely.

Admirals War Chest is one of six Maryland-sired horses in the $150,000 Classic. The 1 1/8-mile race was opened to statebreds because Nicaradalic Rocks was cross-entered in the Sprint, a race he won last year, and Jerandson also is in the Turf.

A win would make Admirals War Chest the first horse to win the Classic three consecutive years, but he will face difficult tests from John Jones and Bonus Points, neither of whom is Maryland-sired.

Eighttofasttocatch, who won the race in 2011, 2013, and 2014, is the only three-time Classic winner.

Due to a quarter crack and a second minor physical ailment, Admirals War Chest made his first start of the year 13 days ago. He set the pace in a one-mile optional claimer at Laurel, but tired to finish fifth after dueling for the lead.

Trainer Corby Caiazzo said he wanted to give Admirals War Chest more time between his comeback race and the Classic, but several races he entered failed to fill.

“He came out of the race pretty good,” Caiazzo said. “He galloped the other day and he was pretty happy. I think he got something out of the race, but the two weeks scares me a little bit.”

Look for jockey Steve Hamilton to let Admirals War Chest go to the front, which is how the 6-year-old has won the last two Classics.

John Jones developed into one of the top older horses in Maryland in 2016 after being claimed for $25,000 by trainer Lacey Gaudet. After being given an extended rest for a minor injury, he made his first start of 2017 on Oct. 5, finishing a closing fourth in a tough turf sprint at Belmont Park.

“He’s become an amazing horse,” Gaudet said. “The ground broke out from under him at Belmont. He came out of the race great. I would think he’ll be right up there early in the Classic.”

Bonus Points, who like Jerandson is trained by Todd Pletcher, won the $100,000 Parx Derby in May. In his most recent start, he finished fourth to runaway winner Pavel in the Grade 3 Smarty Jones at Parx.

Bonus Points was beaten only 1 1/2 lengths for second in that race and holds an edge on Admirals War Chest and John Jones since he has started eight times this year.