The John B. Campbell Stakes is the first of five consecutive Winter Carnival stakes at Laurel Park on Saturday. It begins the Rainbow 6 and reunites Someday Jones, Alwaysmining, Monongahela, and Bonus Points, the first four finishers from the Dec. 28 Native Dancer at Laurel. The Campbell will be followed by two other hundred-granders, the Wide Country and Miracle Wood for 3-year-olds, and the co-headliners, the Barbara Fritchie and General George, both seven-furlong Grade 3’s with a purse of $250,000. Irad Ortiz Jr., the leading rider at Gulfstream Park and 2018-2019 Eclipse Awards winner, has five mounts – Monongahela in the Campbell, Bankruptonthebeach in the Wide Country, and Firenze Fire in the General George for Jason Servis; Dreams Untold in the Miracle Wood for John Servis; and Factorintheheat in a maiden race for Mary Eppler. :: To stay up to date, follow us on: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter While the Native Dancer results were clear cut, with Someday Jones taking control in midstretch and bobbing and weaving to a two-length score, the talent level of the leading contenders appears much closer than that. In November, Monongahela beat Someday Jones by three lengths in the Swatara at Penn National, and as a result was sent off the 6-5 choice in the Native Dancer. The Native Dancer was Alwaysmining’s second start off a layoff. He has since come back to beat Maryland-breds in the Jennings while Someday Jones and Monongahela have turned in only a single workout apiece in the ensuing seven weeks. On Saturday, the trio will be joined by Wait for It, a winner of seven of 19 starts who is coming off a strong optional-claiming victory at Parx in which he earned a 98 Beyer Speed Figure for trainer Eddie Coletti Jr. That figure puts him in the same neighborhood as Someday Jones, who earned a 100 in the Native Dancer for John Servis, and Monongahela, who blazed a 104 in the Swatara. In the 2019 Campbell, Bonus Points, with Feargal Lynch up, hung a neck decision on Monongahela. Bonus Points and Lynch will be back at it again Saturday, but the late-runner hasn’t won since Winter Carnival 2019. The Campbell distance has been shortened from 1 1/8 miles to 1 1/16 miles this year, which could work against him and to the benefit of Alwaysmining, who races for Kelly Rubley. In the 1 1/8-mile Native Dancer, Monongahela and Alwaysmining tracked a realistic pace set by 2-1 Major Cabbie. They challenged on the far turn with Monongahela taking the worst of it between horses and Alwaysmining giving up ground three wide. Entering the stretch, Alwaysmining took the lead with Julian Pimentel appearing to have a handful of horse. Monongahela flattened out in upper stretch while Someday Jones rolled by Alwaysmining, who finished second-best. Someday Jones received the right trip in the Native Dancer as the early pace took a toll on the leaders, and he might again Saturday as Monongahela, Alwaysmining, and Wait for It have more speed than he does. But the shorter distance of the Campbell and the benefit of his Jennings win on Jan. 18, make Alwaysmining very dangerous at a better price. Bella Aurora the one to beat Bella Aurora has won her last two in sharp style for trainer Mike Trombetta and is the horse to beat in the seven-furlong Wide Country. A filly from Blue Grass and Tampa Bay Derby winner Carpe Diem’s first crop, Bella Aurora closed stoutly from eighth under Pimentel to win the Gin Talking at Laurel on Dec. 28. She will have to overcome post 1 in Saturday’s nine-horse field. Bella Aurora’s chief rival appears to be Miss Marissa, whom James Ryerson ships in from Belmont Park. Miss Marissa finished third last out in the Ruthless and shares a race-high Beyer of 77 with Princess Cadey, whom Claudio Gonzalez sends out off a 7 1/4-length allowance victory. Jose Lezcano will ride Miss Marissa. Alex Cintron will be aboard Princess Cadey. Dreams Untold brings potential Dreams Untold comes into the one-mile Miracle Wood off a 14 1/4-length maiden victory over a sloppy track at Parx. A Patricia Chapman-bred and -owned Smarty Jones gelding trained by John Servis, he earned an 89 Beyer for his win but will have to handle an expected dry track Saturday. New Commission ran very well for trainer Diane Day when second to the talented Monday Morning Qb in the seven-furlong Heft at Laurel, but weakened in the 1 1/8-mile Withers at Aqueduct on Feb. 1. Trainer Mike Stidham sends Albert Park north following a runner-up effort to three-time winner Liam’s Lucky Charm in the Pasco Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs. A debut winner at Arlington, Albert Park will be making his fifth career start over his fifth different track. Lezcano is named to ride. 2019 Maryland-bred champions On Tuesday evening at the annual Renaissance Awards, Sharing was named 2019 Maryland-bred Horse of the Year, champion 2-year-old filly, and champion turf horse. She completed her 2019 campaign by winning the Selima Stakes at Laurel Park and the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf at Santa Anita. Sharing, a daughter of Speightstown – Shared Account, by Pleasantly Perfect, is owned by Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Gainesway Stable. She is trained by Graham Motion. Her breeder, Sagamore Farm, was honored as Maryland breeder of the year. The other Renaissance winners were Laddie Liam, 2-year-old male; Alwaysmining, 3-year-old male; Las Setas, 3-year-old filly; Cordmaker, older male; Majestic Reason, older female; Lewisfield, sprinter; Great Notion, stallion; and Taft Lil Queen, broodmare. Mike Trombetta was voted Maryland trainer of the year; Trevor McCarthy, jockey; and Hillwood Stable, owner.