Phlash Phelps seeking three-peat in Maryland Million Turf

The $150,000 Classic is the featured event on Maryland Million Day on Saturday at Laurel Park, but this year Phlash Phelps single handedly makes the $100,000 Turf a more interesting race.

Named for the Sirius XM Radio host of the 1960s music program Phlash Phelps Phunny Pharm, the 7-year-old gelded son of Great Notion will be trying to win the one-mile Turf for a third time. In Maryland Million history, that is rarefied air.

With 32 Maryland Millions in the books coming into this weekend, a horse has never won three runnings of the Turf. The only other horses to have won the race twice are Roadhog (2012-13), Pocket Patch (2010-11), and La Reine’s Terms (2002 and 2005).

Phlash Phelps, who races for the Hillwood Stables of Ellen Charles and is trained by Rodney Jenkins, won the Turf in 2015 and 2016. In his lone start of 2017, Phlash Phelps won the six-furlong Mister Diz Stakes for Maryland-breds but was forced to the sidelines following a July workout with bruising of his cannon bones.

Although winless in three starts during his comeback, Phlash Phelps has raced well and looks ready for a top effort against his Maryland-sired rivals. He finished third in the open Henry Clark Stakes at a mile on turf in April, was beaten a neck when third in an off-the-turf no-conditions allowance in August, and finished fourth in another dirt race last month.

If Phlash Phelps is successful Saturday, he will become only the seventh horse to ever rack up three Maryland Million victories. The other six are Safely Kept, who won the Distaff from 1989 to 1991 and is in the national Hall of Fame; the legendary Ben’s Cat, who won the now defunct Turf Sprint from 2010 to 2012; and Eighttofasttocatch, Docent, Ms. Zill Bear, and Countus In.

Phlash Phelps had the poor luck to draw the outside post in the 11-horse Turf. It will be up to Victor Carrasco, who has ridden Phlash Phelps in all seven of his career victories, to work out a trip.

Talk Show Man, who won the Turf in 2014, is the top challenger in the field. Trained by Hamilton Smith, the 8-year-old has only started once this year, but he showed signs of life closing from far back to finish fourth in the six-furlong Laurel Dash on Sept. 22. He is much better suited by the mile distance on Saturday.

Trombetta has two in Ladies

Mike Trombetta holds a strong hand in the $100,000 Ladies, a 1 1/8-mile turf race, with My Sistersledge and Magician’s Vanity.

My Sistersledge is currently sharp enough that she won an off-the-turf optional-claiming race on Oct. 6 at Laurel. The honest 4-year-old daughter of Etched should appreciate getting back on grass and will be heavily bet.

Magician’s Vanity made her last two starts against restricted $35,000 claiming company at Saratoga. She is 2 for 44 in her career but has 10 second-place finishes.

Saint Main Event, trained by John Servis, comes into the Ladies off a third in the Maryland-restricted All Brandy Stakes.

Scrap Copper heads Nursery

Scrap Copper is the horse to beat in the $100,000 Nursery, a six-furlong race for 2-year-olds. He won a maiden race on the lead for Smith in July, then came back in September to close from well back to miss by a nose in the Laurel Futurity on turf.

Scrap Copper’s chief opponents look to be Sky Magician, who has finished second twice in maiden company, and Lippi Lorenzo, a Pimlico maiden winner who finished a close fourth in the Strike Your Colors Stakes at Delaware Park in August.

A sleeper in the field is Outofthepark, who was well bet in his debut but finished fifth. He has been gelded since that July race and comes into this off a pair of sharp works.

Lassie looks wide open

The $100,000 Lassie for 2-year-old fillies is wide open. My Star Potential, who just missed by a nose in a Parx Racing allowance for Claudio Gonzalez, will likely go favored in the six-furlong race, but is not a standout.

Miss Philly Dilly, who is trained by Ben Perkins Jr., has finished second in both of her starts. She chased a talented rival last time out in Enjay’s Brass, who came back to miss by a nose in a recent Keeneland allowance race.

Who U Gonna Call comes into this off a three-length Laurel maiden win in August. Belial won a maiden race at Timonium and then returned to finish a distant second to multiple stakes-placed Congrats Gal in an optional claimer.