Plenty of quality racing Sunday

Laurel Park has put together a nice Sunday card that includes a pair of third-level optional claimers, a second-level race, and a first-level allowance. As Mid-Atlantic horsemen migrate north from Florida, field size appears to be picking up. The nine-race card has 85 entrants, or 9.4 runners per race. Four of the Sunday races are on turf.

The card includes entrants from Arnaud Delacour, Tom Proctor, and Alan Goldberg, who all wintered elsewhere. Some of Jamie Ness’s Florida runners have joined his Mid-Atlantic division.

Race 2: The old warrior Two Notch Road makes his 9-year-old debut in this second-level optional claimer, which will be run at 5 1/2 furlongs on turf. He won the Punch Line Stakes for Virginia-breds for the second year in a row at this distance at Laurel last September.

Pool Winner, trained by Goldberg, makes his first start since last November, when he won a first-level allowance turf sprint at Laurel by seven lengths.

Race 6: Gold Tinker looms a heavy favorite in this first-level turf sprint after winning her debut over 11 rivals in February at Gulfstream Park. She also is trained by Goldberg. The runner-up in her maiden win, Sky My Sky, won a Gulfstream maiden race in her next start.

Lady Allegra makes her second U.S. start in this race for Delacour and Team Valor International. She began her career in Ireland.

Race 7: Final Prospect drops into this third-level sprint after finishing fourth to Sonny Inspired in his last two starts, the statebred Ben’s Cat and the open Fire Plug stakes.

Race 8: Procurement, who has been racing in California for Proctor, is in for the optional $40,000 claiming price in this third-level race at 1 1/16 miles on grass. His chief rival looks to be Captain Dixie, who finished a close second in a $35,000 starter race at Gulfstream last out for Ness.