Out of retirement, Not Abroad will start in Maryland Million Classic

One of the more interesting horses on the Maryland Million card at Laurel Park on Saturday is Not Abroad, an 8-year-old who will run in the $150,000 Classic.

Not Abroad won the Classic in 2012, which encouraged his connections to run him in the Breeders’ Cup Marathon at Santa Anita. He bowed a tendon while finishing fifth in that race and soon afterward was reacquired by one of his breeders, Tom Bowman, and his children, Rebecca Davis and Brooke Bowman.

They bred Not Abroad to some mares, used him as a teaser, and finally turned him out.

“He was at my place, then my dad’s place, then my place again, and he just didn’t seem happy,” said Davis, who foaled Not Abroad.

Not Abroad was eventually put back in training with Lynn Ashby, who trains off her Delaware farm – the former Sharp Farm of the late philanthropist Bayard Sharp – which is now the Middletown Training Center.

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Ashby broke and worked with Not Abroad before he began his racing career in 2009.

“He wants to be a racehorse,” Ashby said. “He has just bloomed since he came back, so we’re going to grant him his wish.”

Not Abroad finished fourth in a high-level optional-claiming race at Laurel on Oct. 2 while making his first start in three years.

“He has done very well since,” Ashby said.

In addition to his Classic victory, Not Abroad has run in the Maryland Million three other times. He was second in the Juvenile in 2009, second in the Classic in 2010, and third in that 1 1/8-mile race in 2011. In all, the son of Not For Love has won 8 of 35 starts and $628,955.