Laurel: Rich Laurel Fall Meet Features 44 Stakes, $4.42 Million

By David Joseph —-

Rich Laurel Fall Meet Features 44 Stakes, $4.42 Million

Eight Super Saturdays with Multiple Stakes

32nd Maryland Million Set for Saturday, Oct. 21
De Francis (G3) Highlights Seven Stakes Saturday, Sept. 16
Three Graded Events, including Baltimore/Washington International, Saturday, Sept. 30
Six Stakes, Tribute to Retired Legend Ben’s Cat, Scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 11

LAUREL, MD – Highlighted by the ground-breaking Maryland Million program, four graded events and a tribute to retired legend Ben’s Cat, the Maryland Jockey Club will offer 44 stakes worth $4.42 million in purses during its upcoming fall meet at Laurel Park

The 60-day fall meet runs Friday, Sept. 8 through Sunday, Dec. 31. Racing will be conducted Fridays through Sundays in September and Thursdays through Sundays from October to December. There will be a special cards on Columbus Day Monday, Oct. 9 and Tuesday, Dec. 26 and no racing on Christmas Day.

There will be eight Super Saturdays at Laurel with multiple stakes races. Laurel will also host several special events including the sixth annual Brew & Bourbon Classic Saturday, Nov. 18.

“We’re looking forward to an incredible fall and winter season of racing,” said Sal Sinatra, President and General Manager of the Maryland Jockey Club. “Horsemen throughout North America continue to support our program. Bettors are seeing bigger fields, more competitive racing, and our world-class turf course is bringing some of the country’s top grass horses here

“The Maryland Million remains one of our best days of racing and a very special day for all of Maryland. We’re also excited about the Baltimore/Washington International Turf Cup., which will serve as a forerunner to the DC International, and the De Francis, which attracts some of the country’s top sprinters.

“It’s very special when you can put together a stakes and events schedule that has something going on every weekend.”

Celebrated as ‘Maryland’s Day at the Races,’ a concept that inspired similar events at tracks across the country, Jim McKay Maryland Million Day returns for its 32nd year on Saturday, Oct. 21 with 11 stakes worth more than $1 million in purses and incentives topped by the $150,000 Classic, won the past two years by Admirals War Chest.

The $250,000 Frank J. De Francis Memorial Dash (G3), at six furlongs on dirt, highlights a program of seven stakes, six contested over Laurel’s world-class grass course, worth $900,000 in purses for the Laurel Turf Festival Saturday, Sept. 16. Listed grass stakes that day are the $150,000 All Along, formerly known as the Lady Baltimore, $100,000 Laurel Dash and $100,000 Laurel Turf Cup.

There will be eight stakes worth $850,000 in purses on Commonwealth Day, Saturday Sept. 30, including three graded events – the $200,000 Baltimore/Washington International Turf Cup (G2), previously run as the Commonwealth Turf Cup, $200,000 Commonwealth Derby (G3) and $150,000 Commonwealth Oaks (G3). Past winners of the Turf Cup have included Kitten’s Joy, English Channel and Gio Ponti, while Onus, My Typhoon and Dreaming of Anna have previously won the Oaks.

Recently retired Mid-Atlantic legend Ben’s Cat, a 26-time stakes winner, four-time Maryland-bred Horse of the Year and earner of nearly $2.7 million in purses, will be feted on Saturday, Nov. 11. Helping to comprise the card are six stakes worth $575,000 in purses that include the $100,000 James F. Lewis III and $100,000 Smart Halo for 2-year-olds and $100,000 City of Laurel and $100,000 Safely Kept for 3-year-olds.

The $100,000 Maryland Juvenile Futurity and $100,000 Maryland Juvenile Filly Championship are among four stakes worth $375,000 in purses to be contested Saturday, Dec. 9. The stakes program concludes with six events worth $550,000 in purses Saturday, Dec. 30 featuring the $100,000 Dave’s Friend and $100,000 Thirty Eight Go Go for 3-year-olds and up and $100,000 Heft and $100,000 Gin Talking for juveniles.

Laurel’s fall stakes season gets under way with the $75,000 Challedon for 3-year-olds and up and the $75,000 Shine Again for fillies and mares 3 and older on Saturday, Sept. 9.

The current summer meet at Laurel Park concludes Sunday, Aug 20 before racing moves to the Maryland State Fairgrounds in Timonium for its 10-day meeting Aug. 25 to Labor Day, Sept. 4.

The full Laurel Park stakes schedule is attached.

Stakes Closing Thursday, August 31, 2017

Saturday, September 9, 2017 $75,000 Guaranteed
THE CHALLEDON STAKES (Non-winners
of a sweepstakes)
Three Year Olds and Upward
Seven Furlongs
Saturday, September 9, 2017 $75,000 Guaranteed
THE SHINE AGAIN STAKES (Non-winners
of a sweepstakes)
Fillies And Mares Three Year Olds and Upward
Seven Furlongs

Saturday, September 16, 2017 $250,000 Guaranteed
THE FRANK J. De FRANCIS MEMORIAL
DASH – Grade III
Three Year Olds and Upward
Six Furlongs
Saturday, September 16, 2017 $150,000 Guaranteed
THE ALL ALONG STAKES – Listed
(formally named The Lady Baltimore Stakes)
Fillies And Mares Three Year Olds and Upward
One Mile And One Sixteenth(Turf)
Saturday, September 16, 2017 $100,000 Guaranteed
THE LAUREL FUTURITY
Two Year Olds
Six Furlongs(Turf)
Saturday, September 16, 2017 $100,000 Guaranteed
THE LAUREL DASH STAKES – Listed
Three Year Olds and Upward
Six Furlongs(Turf)
Saturday, September 16, 2017 $100,000 Guaranteed
THE SENSIBLE LADY TURF DASH
Fillies And Mares Three Year Olds and Upward
Six Furlongs(Turf)

Saturday, September 16, 2017 $100,000 Guaranteed
THE SELIMA STAKES
Fillies Two Year Olds
Six Furlongs(Turf)
Saturday, September 16, 2017 $100,000 Guaranteed
THE LAUREL TURF CUP – Listed
Three Year Olds and Upward
One Mile And One Half(Turf)

Saturday, September 30, 2017 $200,000 Guaranteed
THE BALTIMORE/WASHINGTON
INTERNATIONAL TURF CUP – Grade II
(formally named The Commonwealth Turf
Cup)
Three Year Olds and Upward
One Mile(Turf)
Saturday, September 30, 2017 $60,000 Guaranteed
THE JAMESTOWN STAKES
(Reg. VA Breds / VA Sired)
Two Year Olds
Five And One Half Furlongs(Turf)
Saturday, September 30, 2017 $60,000 Guaranteed
THE PUNCH LINE STAKES
(Reg. VA Breds / VA Sired)
Three Year Olds and Upward
Five And One Half Furlongs(Turf)
Saturday, September 30, 2017 $60,000 Guaranteed
THE OAKLEY STAKES
(Reg. VA Breds / VA Sired)
Fillies And Mares Three Year Olds and Upward
Five And One Half Furlongs(Turf)
Saturday, September 30, 2017 $60,000 Guaranteed
THE BERT ALLEN STAKES
(Reg. VA Breds / VA Sired)
Three Year Olds and Upward
One Mile And One Sixteenth(Turf)

Saturday, September 30, 2017 $60,000 Guaranteed
THE BROOKMEADE STAKES
(Reg. VA Breds / VA Sired)
Fillies And Mares Three Year Olds and Upward
One Mile And One Sixteenth(Turf)
Saturday, September 30, 2017 $200,000 Guaranteed
THE COMMONWEALTH DERBY – Grade
III
presented by the Virginia Equine Alliance and
the Virginia HBPA
Three Year Olds
One Mile And One Eighth(Turf)
Saturday, September 30, 2017 $150,000 Guaranteed
THE COMMONWEALTH OAKS – Grade III
presented by the Virginia Equine Alliance and
the Virginia HBPA
Fillies Three Year Olds
One Mile And One Eighth(Turf)

Saturday, October 21, 2017 $100,000 Guaranteed
A MARYLAND MILLION NURSERY
Two Year Olds
Six Furlongs
Saturday, October 21, 2017 $100,000 Guaranteed
A MARYLAND MILLION SPRINT
Three Year Olds and Upward
Six Furlongs
Saturday, October 21, 2017 $100,000 Guaranteed
A MARYLAND MILLION LASSIE
Fillies Two Year Olds
Six Furlongs
Saturday, October 21, 2017 $150,000 Guaranteed
A MARYLAND MILLION CLASSIC
Three Year Olds and Upward
One Mile And One Eighth

Saturday, October 21, 2017 $100,000 Guaranteed
A MARYLAND MILLION DISTAFF
Fillies And Mares Three Year Olds and Upward
Seven Furlongs
Saturday, October 21, 2017 $50,000 Guaranteed
MARYLAND MILLION AND/OR
REGISTERED MARYLAND-BRED
STARTER HANDICAP
Three Year Olds and Upward
Seven Furlongs
Saturday, October 21, 2017 $50,000 Guaranteed
MARYLAND MILLION AND/OR
REGISTERED MARYLAND-BRED
DISTAFF STARTER HANDICAP
Fillies And Mares Three Year Olds and Upward
Seven Furlongs
Saturday, October 21, 2017 $125,000 Guaranteed
A MARYLAND MILLION TURF
Three Year Olds and Upward
One Mile(Turf)
Saturday, October 21, 2017 $125,000 Guaranteed
A MARYLAND MILLION LADIES
Fillies And Mares Three Year Olds and Upward
One Mile And One Eighth(Turf)
Saturday, October 21, 2017 $60,000 Guaranteed
MARYLAND MILLION AND/OR
REGISTERED MARYLAND-BRED TURF
STARTER HANDICAP
Three Year Olds and Upward
One Mile And One Eighth(Turf)
Saturday, October 21, 2017 $60,000 Guaranteed
MARYLAND MILLION AND/OR
REGISTERED MARYLAND-BRED TURF
DISTAFF STARTER HANDICAP
Fillies And Mares Three Year Olds and Upward
One Mile And One Eighth(Turf)

Saturday, November 11, 2017 $75,000 Guaranteed
THE GEISHA STAKES
(MD Bred / MD Sired)
Fillies And Mares Three Year Olds and Upward
One Mile
Saturday, November 11, 2017 $100,000 Guaranteed
THE JAMES F. LEWIS III STAKES
Two Year Olds
Six Furlongs
Saturday, November 11, 2017 $100,000 Guaranteed
THE SMART HALO STAKES
Fillies Two Year Olds
Six Furlongs
Saturday, November 11, 2017 $100,000 Guaranteed
THE RICHARD W. SMALL STAKES
Three Year Olds and Upward
One Mile And One Eighth
Saturday, November 11, 2017 $100,000 Guaranteed
THE CITY OF LAUREL STAKES – Listed
Three Year Olds
Seven Furlongs
Saturday, November 11, 2017 $100,000 Guaranteed
THE SAFELY KEPT STAKES – Listed
Fillies Three Year Olds
Seven Furlongs

Saturday, December 9, 2017 $75,000 Guaranteed
THE HOWARD M. BENDER MEMORIAL
STAKES
(MD-bred / MD-sired)
Three Year Olds and Upward
Six Furlongs

Saturday, December 9, 2017 $100,000 Guaranteed
THE WILLA ON THE MOVE STAKES
Fillies And Mares Three Year Olds and Upward
Six Furlongs
Saturday, December 9, 2017 $100,000 Guaranteed
THE MARYLAND JUVENILE FUTURITY
(MD Bred / MD Sired)
Two Year Olds
Seven Furlongs
Saturday, December 9, 2017 $100,000 Guaranteed
THE MARYLAND JUVENILE FILLY
CHAMPIONSHIP
(MD Bred / MD Sired)
Fillies Two Year Olds
Seven Furlongs

Saturday, December 30, 2017 $75,000 Guaranteed
THE JENNINGS STAKES
(MD Bred / MD Sired)
Three Year Olds and Upward
One Mile
Saturday, December 30, 2017 $100,000 Guaranteed
THE THIRTY EIGHT GO GO STAKES
Fillies And Mares Three Year Olds and Upward
One Mile
Saturday, December 30, 2017 $100,000 Guaranteed
THE DAVE’S FRIEND STAKES
Three Year Olds and Upward
Six Furlongs
Saturday, December 30, 2017 $75,000 Guaranteed
THE POLITELY STAKES
(MD Bred / MD Sired)
Fillies And Mares Three Year Olds and Upward
Six Furlongs

Saturday, December 30, 2017 $100,000 Guaranteed
THE HEFT STAKES
Two Year Olds
Seven Furlongs
Saturday, December 30, 2017 $100,000 Guaranteed
THE GIN TALKING STAKES
Fillies Two Year Olds
Seven Furlongs

Laurel Park is a Stronach Group company, North America’s leading Thoroughbred racetrack owner/operator. The Stronach Group racetracks include Santa Anita Park, Gulfstream Park & Casino, Golden Gate Fields, Portland Meadows, Laurel Park and Pimlico Race Course, home of the world-famous Preakness. The company owns and operates the Palm Meadows Training Center in Florida and is one of North America’s top race horse breeders through its award-winning Adena Springs operation. The Stronach Group is one of the world’s largest suppliers of pari-mutuel wagering systems, technologies and services. Its companies include AmTote, a global leader in wagering technology; Xpressbet, an Internet and telephone account wagering service; and Monarch Content Management, which acts as a simulcast purchase and sales agent of horseracing content for numerous North American racetracks and wagering outlets. The Stronach Group is also a leading producer of social media content for the horseracing industry.

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