Wicked Prankster goes in front early, stays there in Maryland Million Turf

LAUREL, MD - Wicked Prankster, wheeling back quickly after a gate-to-wire victory in an entry-level allowance on Oct. 16, showed them his heels on Saturday at Laurel Park with a game front-running performance in the Maryland Million Turf for 3-year-olds and upward at 1 1/8 miles.

Owned and trained by Samuel Davis, Wicked Prankster looked like the controlling speed on paper and didn’t disappoint. He skipped right to the front under jockey Richard Monterrey, controlled fractions of 23.92, 48.28 and 1:11.91, and turned for home with both Crabs N Beer and Street Copper seemingly ready to strike.

Wicked Prankster ($11.80) always found a little bit more, however, and he gutted it out to the line, three-quarters of a length better than Street Copper in 1:49.44. Crabs N Beer was another neck back in third.

“I know he’s got a ton of speed,” Monterrey said in the winner’s circle. “Sammy always has him sharp, and I just tried to slow it down the best that I could. It seems to me that when he puts his ears up that he’s going a very comfortable pace.”

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It was an emotional win for Monterrey, who won eight races from only 84 mounts in 2022. Last year, Monterrey won five races from 123 starters.

“I’m very grateful for Sammy,” Monterrey said. “It’s really hard. You work hard, you want the doors to open, and for someone to stick with me, to keep me on this horse. I am very blessed to be part of Sammy’s success.”

This was the first stakes winner saddled by Davis, who began training in 2003 according to Daily Racing Form Statistics.

Davis claimed Wicked Prankster for $25,000 out of his career debut, a runner-up effort going six furlongs on dirt at Laurel on Sept. 7, 2020. A 4-year-old son of Mosler bred by Country Life Farm and Broken Trust Fund, Wicked Prankster has won five races from 24 starts since being claimed.

*Nursery

Johnyz From Albany ($10.20) gave trainer Dale Capuano and jockey Jorge Ruiz another victory in the $100,000 Nursery for 2-year-olds at 6 furlongs.

A homebred owned by Charles Reed, Johnyz From Albany was very fleet from the gate and showed easy speed in carving out fractions of 22.75 and 46.37 seconds.

Heldish and Wildhunch attempted outside bids on the turn, but Johnyz From Albany was simply too tough. He bested a game Heldish by five lengths in 1:11.35. Wildhunch was another 1 1/2 lengths back in third.

“When he was two in front on the backside, I said ‘holy cow’,” Capuano said. “It helps when they have races. He had three races under his belt. I’m old school. I like to run them.”

Capuano mentioned that Johnyz From Albany, the first stakes-winner sired by Blofeld, would remain sprinting on the circuit for the time being.

“I would really like to get him on the grass,” Capuano added. “His grass breeding is good, and he worked phenomenal on the grass. Next year, I think he’ll like the turf. How far he goes, I don’t know.”

Johnyz From Albany’s dam, Monster Sleeping, won two editions of the Maryland Million Ladies going long on the turf.

Capuano is the winningest trainer in Maryland Million history with 15 victories. He and Ruiz nabbed the 2020 Nursery with Kenny Had a Notion.

*Lassie

Blofeld sired the winners of both juvenile races as Chickieness ($3.80) rallied under Jaime Rodriguez to earn the $100,000 Lassie for fillies at six furlongs.

Trained by Jamie Ness, Chickieness had previously finished second in two stakes at Delaware behind undefeated Bound by Destiny, one of the region’s better juvenile filles.

Sent away the prohibitive favorite after Malibu Moonshine’s scratch earlier in the day, Chickieness sat in third position, but began to lose ground on the turn.

“Very nervous on the turn,” Ness admitted in the winner’s circle.

Chickieness got into gear turning into the straight, switched to her right lead, and stormed past the leaders to win by 1 1/2 lengths in 1:12.58 seconds. Skylar’s Sister ran by pacesetter Bosserati in the final yards for second.

“It’s extra special when they’re homebreds,” Ness said. “I claimed the dam. She had bad knees but a lot of heart.”

Ness felt that Chickieness’ willingness to change leads, something she had difficulty doing at Delaware, was the key to victory. “She’s getting better.”

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