Laurel: First juvenile races carded for Friday and Saturday
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Laurel Park will run its first two races for juveniles this week, bringing out many of the Mid-Atlantic region’s most notable 2-year-old trainers. Jerry Robb, John Salzman Jr., and Jose Corrales entered 11 of the 12 horses across the two races, which will be run Friday and Saturday.
In Friday’s second race, six juvenile fillies will tackle 4 1/2 furlongs for the first time in a $47,000 maiden special weight. Robb, who won the first juvenile race in Maryland last year with 10 3/4-length debut winner Romeo, has two in this year’s 2-year-old opener. The trainer’s success with juveniles goes back decades.
“I like to be ready for the first few races,” Robb said. “Put it this way: It's a lot easier to break your maiden in May than it is in September.”
Costa Linda, an early standout in Robb’s barn, is royally bred by local standards and sure to turn heads in her first start. The Frosted filly is the second to reach the track for the dam Anna’s Bandit, who won 11 stakes during her career in Maryland and Virginia.
Anna’s Bandit’s dam, Onearmedbandit, produced one of Robb’s juveniles in the $47,000 maiden special weight on Saturday. Island Bandit, a colt by Essential Quality, could be the third runner out of the dam to win on debut.
“It’s been a great family for us, that’s for sure,” Robb said. “We just hope [Island Bandit] can keep up with the rest of his family.”
On Friday, Robb also entered The Stork Club, a filly by Engage who has worked alongside Costa Linda since late March. Pelican Pier, another filly, will take on male rivals at 4 1/2 furlongs alongside Island Bandit on Saturday.
Corrales also has four 2-year-olds split between the two races, but in line with his usual philosophy, he is not necessarily sending them out for a win so soon. Instead of looking for a quick breakthrough, the trainer uses these early races as seasoning for tougher spots down the line.
“They show enough for the kind of short races that we work,” Corrales said. “They show enough to be able to compete in those races.”
Corrales entered fillies Legend’s Girl and Sweet Bourbon Tea, a filly he co-owns, in the race Friday. On Saturday, he entered colts Moneta Agenda and Remembertheword.
Salzman has three runners across the two juvenile races, continuing his family’s prowess in preparing younger horses. Having spent much of his career alongside his father and brother, the late Tim Salzman, the trainer has always focused on early talent evaluation in racing.
“We buy horses out of the sale, me and my father, and at that time, my brother,” Salzman said. “We’d buy horses for a little bit of nothing. We can get them ready early and have them sharp and ready to go 4 1/2 furlongs and good at the gate and everything. We’d get our money back before the other horses are even ready to run.”
Salzman entered Engage At Will on Friday, while Speed Focused and Call Me Micky J. will both run with family ties Saturday. His brother’s wife, Megan Salzman, owns Speed Focused, while the trainer co-owns Call Me Micky J.
Salzman purchased the West Virginia-bred for $20,000 at the 2025 Fasig-Tipton Mid-Atlantic fall yearling sale. He was named by Salzman’s wife, a lifelong fan of The Rolling Stones and their lead singer, Mick Jagger.
“Every horse I think I've had lately has been named Mickey something, after Mick Jagger, and she's been all over the world to see The Rolling Stones,” Salzman said. “She's my main help. She’s with me every day at the barn. She runs the feed and stuff for me, so I let her do that.”
Trainer James Chapman is the only other trainer with a juvenile entered in both races. He will send out the filly Rebelka on Friday.
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