Maythehorsebwithu notches first stakes victory in Miracle Wood

Maythehorsebwithu ($5.80) earned the first stakes victory of his career when he took them gate to wire in Saturday's Miracle Wood Stakes for 3-year-olds at Laurel Park.

The one-mile Miracle Wood was the first of six stakes races worth $900,000 on the Saturday Winter Sprintfest card postponed from last Saturday due to inclement weather.

Trainer Brittany Russell felt confident that the gelded son of Bullsbay would appreciate today's extra distance.

"He's the kind of horse that always trains very forwardly," Russell said in an interview broadcast by Laurel. "You can't get this horse tired. He always has big, huge gallop-outs after his races."

Both Maythehorsebwithu and Kenny Had a Notion were stretching-out a furlong after finishing a neck apart in the Spectacular Bid Stakes going seven-eighths of a mile on January 16.

In that race, Kenny Had a Notion made the lead and the rail and fended off Maythehorsebwithu when jockey Sheldon Russell dropped the stick on the latter in the stretch.

Sheldon Russell broke aggressively with Maythehorsebwithu in Saturday's rematch, and they took the early initiative with Chad Brown-trained New York shipper Subsidize racing on his outer flank.

After opening fractions of 24.02 and 47.51 seconds, Subsidize packed it in and Kenny Had a Notion angled from the pocket to challenge turning into the long Laurel straight. Kenny Had a Notion had his chances, but flattened out in the final eighth and blew second to late-rallying Tiz Mandate. That horse broke very poorly from the inside post and gave a good late bid despite finishing up on his left lead.

Maythehorsebwithyou completed the mile in 1:37.02 and was four lengths clear of Tiz Mandate. Kenny Had a Notion was another half-length back in third. Subsidize and Newyearsblockparty completed the order of finish.

Maythehorsebwithu was bred in Pennsylvania and is the fourth blacktype winner sired by Whitney Handicap winner Bullsbay. He is a half-brother to Call Paul, winner of the Grade 2 Saratoga Special Stakes, from the female family of champion filly Landaluce.

Bankit wins John B. Campbell

Bankit broke a 13-race losing streak with a runaway victory over millionaire Mr. Buff in the Alex M. Robb Stakes on Dec. 12 to complete his 4-year-old campaign. On Saturday, Bankit ($5.40) confirmed that he is in career form with a powerful late-running win in the $100,000 John B. Campbell Stakes at Laurel Park.

Trained by Steve Asmussen, Bankit broke from the far outside post position in the eight-horse Campbell. That's often a disadvantage at the 1 1/16-mile distance at Laurel with a short run to the first turn, but jockey Sheldon Russell broke pretty well before settling three wide at the back of the pack.

Up front, Zabracadabra and Deal Driven battled through fractions of 24.10 and 47.48 seconds with Dixie Drawl settled comfortably in third. Bankit, relaxed in midpack, began his bid three furlongs out and advanced with a powerful four-wide run on the second turn.

Bankit made the lead at the three-sixteenths pole and held runner-up Galerio at bay. Bankit prevailed by 1 3/4 lengths and stopped the teletimer in 1:42.07. Cordmaker finished third followed by Deal Driven, Forewarned, Dixie Drawl, Zabracadabra and Awesome D J.

Bankit was bred in New York and is a son of Central Banker. He has now won a stakes race each of the last four years.