Twisted Tom returns to scene of early success in Johnson Memorial

Surrounding the Private Terms and Beyond the Wire – a pair of 3-year-old stakes that serve as stepping-stones for potential starters in the Preakness and Black-Eyed Susan – three supporting stakes for older horses are part of a terrific 11-race Saturday card at Laurel Park in Laurel, Md.

All three shape up as competitive events. Here’s a quick rundown of each:

◗ $100,000 Harrison Johnson (race 5) – Since sweeping the Private Terms and Federico Tesio as a 3-year-old in 2017, Twisted Tom has become a stalwart in the ranks of older New York-breds. Now, he’ll return to Laurel for the first time in nearly two years as a lukewarm 5-2 program choice when he breaks from post 1 in a field of seven older horses in this 1 1/8-mile race.

Nik Juarez has the call from trainer Bill Mott on Twisted Tom, whose prime opposition could come from Unbridled Juan (post 4, Alex Cintron), a Stronach Stables homebred who came to peak form last fall.

Unbridled Juan “is training fabulous,” said trainer Jose Corrales. Despite defeats in the Hooper at Gulfstream and the John B. Campbell at Laurel to open his 7-year-old season, “I still think this is going to be his year,” he added.

Bonus Points (post 3, Feargal Lynch), an 11-1 winner of the Campbell for Todd Pletcher, also could have a say in the outcome, along with fringe players John Jones, Cordmaker, and General Downs.

The Harrison Johnson honors the memory of the trainer who died in a 1985 small-plane crash in rural Maryland.

◗ $75,000 Conniver (race 9) – A lineup of 11 Maryland-bred fillies and mares makes for the largest field among the five stakes on the day, with the 2018 winner, Anna’s Bandit, listed as the 5-2 morning-line choice.

Trained by Jerry Robb, Anna’s Bandit has made a nice living in the restricted ranks and has fared particularly well at Laurel, having won six of 13 starts over the main track. The 5-year-old mare will have Xavier Perez aboard when she breaks from post 6 and stretches out to this seven-furlong distance after wiring allowance foes at 5 1/2 furlongs Jan. 10.

“That last one was definitely a big race for her,” said Robb.

Among the other top threats are Enchanted Ghost (post 4, Jevian Toledo to ride), turning back from a gritty score in the two-turn Maryland Racing Media on Feb. 18 for trainer Hamilton Smith, and S W Briar Rose (post 10, Jacquie Davis), who has steadily ascended the class ranks in recent months for trainer George Albright.

The Conniver is named for the Maryland-bred who was the top handicap mare of 1948.

◗ $75,000 Not for Love (race 10) – Familiar rivals Laki and Lewisfield are the principals in a field of six older Maryland-breds who will clash at six furlongs in the final stakes of the afternoon.

Laki (post 5, Horacio Karamanos) is the 9-5 program favorite on the strength of the solid form he has compiled for trainer Damon Dilodovico. A three-back winner of the Howard Bender Memorial, the 6-year-old gelding has recorded Beyer Speed Figures of 95 or better in his last four starts and has racked up a terrific local record. He has never been worse than third in 12 starts at Laurel, having won seven times, while having gone winless in five starts elsewhere.

Lewisfield (post 2, Arnaldo Bocachica), third as the odds-on favorite in the Dec. 8 Bender, was a three-back winner of the Maryland Million Sprint in October for trainer Jeff Runco. He’s been working right along in recent weeks at his Charles Town base and surely will try taking a tactical edge with his sublime turn of speed.

Helping to round out the cast are Struth (post 4, Jorge Vargas Jr.), a classy 7-year-old sent out by perennial leading trainer Kieron Magee and making his first start in nearly 11 months, and Rockinn On Bye (post 3, Victor Carrasco), who stands to capitalize if early fractions get too hot.

Struth underwent ankle surgery since his last start but “is coming back strong,” said Magee. “I expect a big effort from him.”

The Not for Love is named for the horse who was named Stallion of the Year in Maryland a remarkable 13 times prior to his pensioning in 2015 and subsequent death in 2016.

– additional reporting by Jim Dunleavy