Catman gave trainer Mike Maker and owners Paradise Farms Corporation and David Staudacher their second stakes victory on Saturday’s Preakness card at Pimlico when he hung on by a nose to win the $150,000 Laurel Futurity. Four races earlier Maker and company had won the $100,000 Hilltop Stakes with Evil Lyn. The field for the Laurel Futurity, a 1 1/16-mile turf race for 2-year-olds, had four scratches, reducing the field to six. Nautilus went to the lead over the yielding course from the outside post while Catman took up a stalking position under jockey Daniel Centeno. On the far turn, Catman bid for the lead outside Nautilus while Wootton Asset, who had been racing in third position, launched a three-wide challenge. Catman came away with the lead in the stretch, then lasted over Wootton Asset, who continued doggedly to just miss. Kidnapped, who was unruly at the gate and then was pinched back at the start, finished third, 1 1/4 lengths behind Wootton Asset. Catman, the second-longest price in the field, paid $22.60. The Kitten’s Joy colt, was timed in 1:50.51, .23 quicker than the 2-year-old filly Fluffy Socks took to win the Selima Stakes in the first race of the day. :: Get DRF Betting Strategies for Pimlico’s Preakness Day card “The grass is pretty soft today,” Centeno said. “He was getting tired but he hung on. He tried really hard today.” The Laurel Futurity was the first win for Catman from three starts. He finished last of 10 in his Saratoga debut, then was second, beaten a head, at Kentucky Downs in his most recent start. While Evil Lyn was a $40,000 claim by her owners, Catman was an $85,000 2-year-old purchase at the Ocala Breeders’ Sales. Wootton Asset was cross-entered in Sunday’s Nownownow Stakes at Monmouth Park. Trainer Graham Motion told the Monmouth publicity department that he had been told Wootton Asset, a French import who had made four starts overseas, did not like soft turf. Better may be forthcoming from Wootton Asset when he races over firm footing. James W. Murphy Stakes In late August at Saratoga, Bye Bye Melvin got up at 19-1 to beat 2-1 Don Juan Kitten by a head in the Grade 3 Saranac. On Saturday in the $100,000 James W. Murphy Stakes the finish was even closer, with 5-2 Don Juan Kitten holding on to win a head bob over 9-2 Bye Bye Melvin. Don Juan Kitten, with Gabe Saez in the irons, prompted the early pace in the one-mile turf race outside 60-1 outside Oceans Map. Don Juan Kitten cleared nearing the far turn and opened up a lead of several lengths on the bend. He maintained an open lead into the final furlong but tired late and just lasted by a nose. Bye Bye Melvin, with John Velazquez rating him while high in the saddle, responded willingly when asked and chased the winner the length of the stretch. He appeared to make the lead just prior to the wire but his head came up at the wrong time. Don Juan Kitten, who is trained by Danny Gargan and owned by Ken and Sarah Ramsey, paid $7. The yielding turf at Pimlico on Saturday was demanding, and he was timed for the mile in 1:42.24 with a final quarter-mile of 28.35 following a six-furlong split of 1:13.89. “I wanted to get him to relax on the backstretch and I was able to do what I wanted,” Saez said. “Thank God he had just enough left to hang on.” Reconvene finished third, beaten 1 1/4 lengths. Vannzy finished another half-length back in fourth. Don Juan Kitten, a son of Kitten’s Joy, is now 3 for 6. The Murphy is his first stakes win.