Magee trying to win another stakes with a claimed horse

After claiming Classier from Brittany Russell last spring, trainer Kieron Magee won three of his first four starts with the horse, including the off-turf Henry Clark Stakes at Pimlico. On Saturday, Magee attempts to turn a similar trick with Point Dume in Laurel Park’s Miracle Wood for 3-year-olds at a one-turn mile.

The Miracle Wood is one of two $100,000 stakes on the card for 3-year-olds, along with the Wide Country for fillies at seven furlongs.

Point Dume, a $450,000 yearling purchase, is by champion sire Into Mischief out of multiple Grade 1-placed Maya Malibu. He didn’t show much in three starts for Bob Baffert before being transferred to Russell, who entered the colt in a $30,000 maiden claimer on New Year’s Eve.

“I was shocked that she ran him,” Magee said. “When I saw the horse entered for 30, I thought, ‘Wow, we’ve got to take a look at this thing’. He is a big, good-looking son of a gun.”

Point Dume went gate to wire to win by 11 lengths and then backed up that performance for Magee by winning a first-level allowance by 3 1/2 lengths on Feb. 4. Point Dume rated before powering clear to earn a career-best 82 Beyer Speed Figure.

“If he runs to his last race and goes long, we’re in a good spot,” Magee said.

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Russell counters with Regalo, who is unbeaten in two Laurel starts. Shipped to Aqueduct for the Jerome, Regalo hooked up in a pace battle and then tired. He’ll receive blinkers for the first time in the Miracle Wood.

Speedyness has won three of his last four, including a 14 1/4-length romp in a first-level allowance at a mile over muddy going Jan. 7. He is trained by Jamie Ness, who is pleasantly surprised the gelding has excelled at middle distances.

“He came across as a stone-cold sprinter when he was young,” Ness said. “Ever since I put blinkers on and stretched him out, he’s been a different horse.”

Speedyness has earned all four of his wins in gate-to-wire fashion, and Ness is somewhat concerned about the presence of other speed on Saturday.

“I don’t know if we can go up there and go 22 and 45 and hang on,” he said. “How much he can rate, take dirt in the face, I don’t know.”

Circle P makes his seasonal debut after polishing off his 2-year-old campaign with a win in the restricted Maryland Juvenile at seven-eighths on Dec. 2. Trainer Flint Stites mentioned in the winner’s circle that Circle P was still a little green. Circle P showed a strong late kick and could benefit from the expected solid pace up front.

Sweet Soddy J captured the Heft at seven furlongs here in his final start at 2. He likely was overmatched seven days later when last in the Jerome. The gelding returned to finish second behind odds-on Guanare in Laurel’s three-horse Spectacular Bid.

Startswithadream, a son of Kentucky Derby winner Always Dreaming, stretches out after a sharp debut win at six furlongs for Chuck Lawrence. The third-place finisher from that race returned to graduate by 10 1/2 lengths with a 78 Beyer.

Cap Cop, Cool in Blue, Formal Affair, and Had to Have Him complete the field. Copper Tax is expected to scratch, per trainer Gary Capuano.

Wide Country

Roanan Goddess weighs less than a thousand pounds, but the gray filly makes up for her lack of size with a big heart. She seeks her second consecutive stakes victory in the Wide Country after capturing the Xtra Heat on Jan. 27.

Pocketed behind the early leader that day, Roanan Goddess squeezed through along the better footing, then was slammed from her outside by pacesetter Reconcile. Undaunted, Roanan Goddess drew off to win with a career-best 84 Beyer.

“She’s a tough little nut,” trainer Hamilton Smith said that day. “She always tries. She’s a very small filly, but she gives you all she’s got.”

Determined Driver has won 2 of 3 and was unlucky when second against males in the Timonium Juvenile last summer. She scored a first-level allowance off the layoff here Feb. 9.

“I wasn’t 100 percent confident that I had her fully cranked down to put forth a winning effort,” trainer Phil Schoenthal said. “She’s a racehorse.”

Miss Harriett pulled off a 62-1 upset when winning her debut in the Maryland Million Lassie for Brandon McFarlane. She rebounded from a fifth-place finish in the Smart Halo on Nov. 11 to nab her seasonal debut in a first-level allowance/optional claimer by seven lengths. The Blofeld filly could be the controlling speed.

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The last race “woke her up a little bit,” McFarlane said. “She’s still a little baby, but I’ve noticed in the last week, the light switch went off in her head.”

McFarlane credits exercise rider Catie Keil for much of the filly’s success.

Shamans Girl also won her debut in a stakes. She grabbed the restricted Shady Well over Woodbine’s Tapeta in last-to-first fashion on Dec. 2 for Harold Ladouceur. A half-sister to Grade 2-placed dirt router Jamyson ’n Ginger, Shamans Girl appears to have enough pedigree to handle the surface switch.

Kissedbyanangel won the Maryland Juvenile Filly over this course and distance. She enters off a third-place finish in Gulfstream Park’s Glitter Woman over sloppy going Jan. 7.

Perfectly Wicked and Photo Finish also are entered.

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