Feliciano fields two fast ones in Sprint

Handicappers who enjoy playing races with full fields will get a smorgasbord of opportunities with the undercard of the $200,000 Maryland Million Classic Stakes at Laurel Park on Saturday.

Along with the Classic, Laurel will card 10 other stakes Saturday that drew a total of 105 horses. Seven of the races have purses of $100,000, and the conditions range from 2-year-olds going seven furlongs to two 1 1/8-mile turf races.

In the $100,000 Maryland Million Sprint, trainer Ben Feliciano will bring the favorite and the second choice into the six-furlong race, which has a field of 12. Feliciano said both Crossing Point, 5-2 on the morning line, and Ameri Brilliance, at 9-2, will likely go to the lead, but he hopes one or both will rate.

"My thoughts are that they are both going to fly," he said. "I am hoping they can relax together because neither cares if they run head to head."

Eight horses are expected in the $100,000 Maryland Million Turf. Elberton will try to improve on his second-place finish last year, but will be threatened by Move Those Chains, who comes into the Turf with five in-the-money finishes from six starts this year, including three wins.

The $100,000 Maryland Million Distaff Handicap at seven furlongs presents an intriguing match-up. Willa on the Move, a 4-year-old graded stakes winner, will take on upstart Finally Here, a 3-year-old who has won five in a row at five different tracks. Both run from off the pace, and several speedsters in the race should give them something to shoot at.

The $100,000 Maryland Million Ladies Stakes, at 1 1/8 miles, is a wide-open, nine-horse affair. Five of the mares started on Sept. 6 in the Maryland-bred All Brandy Stakes, but only one, Leebearski, the favorite, finished in the money in that race. The best bet Saturday, however, is Twilights Prayer, a New Jersey-bred who finished third in the Ladies last year at 34-1. She is in much better form this year.

Nine 3-year-old fillies will go to post in the $100,000 Maryland Million Oaks at 1 1/8 miles. River Cruise will likely be favored over Coquettish, who was cross-entered in the Ladies but scratched on Thursday. In the July 24 Twixt Stakes at Laurel, River Cruise led from start to finish and held off Coquettish to win by seven lengths. Bettors can expect the same performance on Saturday. Valley of the Gods will be a longshot based on speed figures, but she could come late to pick up some pieces.

Polish Rifle, a recent open maiden winner at Pimlico, is the best horse in the $100,000 Maryland Million Nursery for 2-year-olds going seven furlongs. Summer Carnival looked good winning a $50,000 maiden race in his last start at Delaware Park on Sept. 16, and Move to Strike, an easy winner of a four-furlong race at Timonium on Sept. 1, will try to go 2-0 in his first start for trainer Brenda Brady.

In the Maryland Million Lassie Stakes, for 2-year-old fillies going seven furlongs, two fillies, He Loves Me and Richetta, stand out in the 11-horse field. He Loves Me easily won her first start, which came at at six furlongs at Pimlico on Oct. 1. She made a last-to-first move, making up 9 1/2 lengths and winning by three. Richetta also won her first start, but lost in her most recent start as the 6-5 favorite in a $50,000 optional claiming race over a sloppy track.