Barbadian Runner a heavy favorite to repeat in Maryland Million Classic

When Barbadian Runner stunned the Maryland-bred standard-bearer Post Time in the $150,000 Maryland Million Classic last year, he upended the division and cemented himself as a powerhouse in the Mid-Atlantic. In this year’s edition on Saturday at Laurel Park, he will be the one with the target on his back, the new ruler seemingly without equal in the local ranks.

“I don’t want to take anything for granted, but he’s in the same spot that Post Time was in last year,” trainer Henry Walters said.

Walters, who had one stakes victory in his first 44 years as a trainer, has never taken a second with Barbadian Runner for granted. In 26 career starts, the gelding has won eight stakes and $1.1 million in purse money, doing most of that work at home at Laurel. He is the 2-5 morning-line favorite on Saturday.

The 1 1/8-mile Maryland Million Classic is the featured race on Maryland Million Day at Laurel, a 12-race card featuring eight stakes races. First preference in those races is given to Maryland-sired horses, with Maryland-breds filling in as necessary.

Since trading wins with Post Time last year, Barbadian Runner has predictably stepped up to become the best 4-year-old dirt runner in Maryland, winning 3 of 6 starts in 2026, including the $200,000 Battery Park at Delaware Park earlier this month. He will run at Laurel on an atypical three-week turnaround.

“Probably would have been better with four weeks instead of three,” Walters said. “But looking at the race, he doesn’t have to ship, obviously, and he’ll be running on his home grounds. I guess it would make up for the extra week, so to speak. He’s doing well, training well, and it looks like another good spot for him.”

In his last 14 starts, Barbadian Runner has finished worse than second once, when Walters stepped him up in the Grade 2 Charles Town Classic in August. The issue that day was not the class hike, but the trip, as he encountered traffic. He finished fifth by 4 1/2 lengths before rebounding in the Battery Park. He has not run in state-restricted company since last year’s Maryland Million Classic.

“He definitely was one on the rise last year,” Walters said. “Being a year older and running against older horses, more competitive horses, I think he’s moved forward again. Hopefully, he’s got some more room to improve. He’s been pretty true blue ever since the end of his 2-year-old year.”

Six horses in the main field of eight, along with all three also-eligible runners, are coming out of allowance or claiming company, and the Jamie Ness-trained 8-year-old Market Maven is the only other last-out winner.

Wickeddivine, a 4-year-old gelding trained by Kenny Cox, finished last by 17 1/4 lengths in the $125,000 New Castle Handicap at Delaware last month. It was his first start since June, when he ran a much better race to finish third in the $175,000 Frank J. De Francis Memorial Dash. He will stretch out beyond a mile for the first time.

While Barbadian Runner is 5 for 7 at the 1 1/8-mile distance, the other 10 horses entered are a combined 1 for 8.