Excessive Drama on hunt for first stakes win on Maryland Million Day

The usual suspects are lining up for the Maryland Million at Laurel Park on Saturday.

The 8-year-old Eighttofasttocatch will try for his third Classic win, the 7-year-old Roadhog will attempt to win the Turf for the third straight year, and fans of the 8-year-old Ben’s Cat – already a winner of three Maryland Million races – are hoping he will opt for the Sprint rather than the Nearctic Stakes at Woodbine the following day.

But that doesn’t mean there isn’t room for new blood in the seven-stakes series.

Francis Abbott III has a new shooter in Excessive Drama, whom he has pre-entered in both the $150,000 Classic and $125,000 Turf. Excessive Drama, a 4-year-old, won a second-level turf allowance at Delaware Park in September and is 5 for 12 lifetime.

Excessive Drama was claimed in May for $15,000 at Penn National by owner-trainer Courtney Young. He started once for Young before being acquired by Sterbenz Racing, for whom Abbott trains.

In his first 10 starts, Excessive Drama had never raced beyond six furlongs. For Abbott, he has made a pair of two-turn turf starts. Abbott added blinkers for Excessive Drama’s most recent race, and the result was a fast finish and a nose victory.

“I thought a change in surface and stretching him out would help,” Abbott said. “It was nice to get him a win at two turns. The Maryland Million won’t be an easy spot, but it will be a fun day to run him.”

Abbott, 31, has been involved in Mid-Atlantic horse circles since an early age. His father, Franny, is a past president of the National Steeplechase Association, and his uncle, Rick, is a former chairman of the Pennsylvania Racing Commission and a sales consignor through his Charlton Bloodstock.

Abbott’s grandmother is Betty Moran, principal of the famed Brushwood Stable, which among many other accomplishments owned Creme Fraiche, the winner of the 1985 Belmont Stakes. Moran also owned Papillon, the winner of the 2000 Grand National at Aintree, and she and her son, Michael Moran, bred 2007 Kentucky Derby runner-up and successful stallion Hard Spun.

Abbott, who is nicknamed “Tres” (pronounced Trez) after the “III” that follows his name, left the nest when he was 19 and went to Britain, where he stayed for seven years. While overseas, he worked for Michael Stoute, Aidan O’Brien, and others. Upon his return, Abbott spent a winter at Palm Meadows with Todd Pletcher.

Abbott currently trains 15 horses out of Fair Hill and in the winter races in Florida. His best horses to date are Nellie Cashman and Medea, both Grade 3 winners on turf.

Nellie Cashman began the year with an optional claimer followed by three stakes starts, including a third in the Grade 2 Ballston Spa at Saratoga. Abbott dropped her into an optional-claiming race at Laurel on Sept. 26, and she won handily.

“She’s been running hard, and I thought it was important to get her picture taken,” Abbott said. “We’re looking next at either the Cardinal at Churchill or the My Charmer in Florida.”

Nellie Cashman likely will race again next year.

“She’s owned by a racing partnership, and as long as she’s sound and happy, the plan is to run at 5,” Abbott said. “We will take her to Florida and probably give her two runs down there.”

Medea is a 5-year-old daughter of Danehill Dancer who was originally trained by Stoute. She won the Grade 3 Eatontown at Monmouth Park in June and the Lady Baltimore at Laurel the day after Nellie Cashman’s recent victory.

“We had discussed retiring her, but she has started coming into herself,” Abbott said. “She is going to come to Florida, and we’ll see how things go. The Marshua’s River is possible for her.”

Other regional events

The Maryland Million isn’t the only major event going on in the Mid-Atlantic on Saturday. Charles Town will hold its Breeders’ Classics that evening, and the 94th annual Far Hills Steeplechase races in New Jersey will be held during the afternoon.

The nine Breeders’ Classics stakes for West Virginia-breds will offer total purses of $1.28 million. The $500,000 West Virginia Breeders’ Classic is the richest statebred race in the country. First post will be 7 p.m. Eastern.

At 9 a.m. Saturday, the Sports Breakfast of Champions will be held at Charles Town. Retired rider Ramon Dominguez will be the honored guest.

The main speaker will be Leonard Shapiro, a longtime editor and sports columnist at The Washington Post and a member of the writers’ wing at the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

The breakfast will benefit the Charles Town Race Track Chaplaincy and Eastern Panhandle Free Clinic. Admission is $15.

◗ The highlight of the Far Hill Steeplechase races on Moorland Farm will be the Grade 1, $250,000 Grand National at 2 5/8 miles. Five undercard races worth a total of $275,000 are scheduled. First post is 1 p.m.