Maryland Juvenile: Speedyness has improved with blinkers and distance

After two pacesetting victories, Speedyness is living up to his name.

“When he was turned out as a baby, he was flying around the field passing horses, so we nicknamed him ‘Speedy,’ ” said trainer Jamie Ness, who campaigns under the Jagger Inc. name.

Speedyness steps back into stakes competition on Saturday at Laurel Park in the $100,000 Maryland Juvenile, a seven-furlong race for Maryland-bred or -sired performers.

A debut winner against open maidens traveling 4 1/2 furlongs at Laurel, Speedyness missed time over the summer due to shin issues.

Off the board in his first two starts back, Speedyness has responded with two front-running wins, the latest by 7 1/4 lengths going a one-turn mile. “We put blinkers on, stretched him out, and he turned around to a different horse.”

Ness describes Speedyness as “speed with a high cruising speed that can last. He’s fast enough to make the lead going short, but when you go long and don’t have to go fast, he seemed to have more stamina.”

Catahoula Moon, trained by John Robb, bested Speedyness over a good track in the Maryland Million Nursery, then ran fifth against top regional juvenile Copper Tax in the open James F. Lewis III on Nov. 11.

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Late-running Catahoula Moon would benefit from quick fractions. He’ll try seven furlongs for the first time, but Robb believes the robust son of Golden Lad will thrive at longer distances.

Call Me Andy, multiple stakes-placed in Kentucky for Brendan Walsh, hopes to rebound from a sixth-place finish in an open first-level allowance over sloppy going at Churchill Downs.

Cap Con and King’s River try Speedyness again after finishing behind him on Nov. 17.

Hittheroadjak is unbeaten in two starts and was claimed from his last race for $20,000 by Rodolfo Sanchez-Salomon. Circle P was favored against Speedyness when third on Oct. 29, and hasn’t finished off the board.

Three horses are cross-entered on Sunday. Trainer John Salzman Jr. said Jumpingjaggerflash will scratch Saturday while Sanchez hopes to run recent maiden winner Mister Agent. All the Way also is cross-entered.

Maryland Juvenile Filly

Sharing top billing with the Juvenile is the $100,000 Maryland Juvenile Filly, also a restricted race at seven furlongs.

Sheilahs Warcloud, named after trainer Justin Nixon’s mother, finished second as the favorite in the Maryland Million Lassie.

“The winner came out to us and maybe it just intimidated her, and we couldn’t get by that filly,” Nixon told track publicity this week. “We ran as good as we can run and not win.”

Determined Sail adds blinkers and switches to dirt after racing exclusively on turf.

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“She appears to get over the ground equally well training on the [synthetic] or the dirt course at Fair Hill,” said trainer Phil Schoenthal.

Schoenthal was disappointed in Determined Sail’s last two races, both around two turns, and believes she might appreciate cutting back in distance.

Kissedbyanangel is the field’s lone two-time winner. Binnie closed from last to win her debut.

Little Crybaby, Lucky Cougar, Still Game. and Big Earn also are entered.

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