Mandatory Payouts on Closing Day Sunday
Chesapeake Pick 6 Carryover at $29,036
LAUREL, MD—Lewis Family Racing Stable’s homebred Celtic Contender had a successful 2024, winning two stakes races.
Although Celtic Contender didn’t win last year, he finished in the money in all five stakes starts, including runner-up finishes in the General George and Frank J. De Francis Memorial Dash.
Sidelined after a third-place finish in the Reigh Count Stakes at Colonial Downs on July 26, Celtic Contender returned strongly in Saturday’s featured seventh race at Laurel Park, a $63,000 allowance for 4-year-olds and up at six furlongs.
Breaking from the inside post under jockey Forest Boyce, Celtic Contender exhibited strong early speed from the two-path, leading the way outside Petingas Twin through an opening quarter in 22.85 seconds.
Celtic Contender cleared his pace rival and main competition on the turn, completed the opening half-mile in 45.79 seconds, and pulled away to win by 3 ¼ lengths in a lively 1:10.29 on the fast track.
“He’s been breezing real good since he came back,” said trainer Hamilton Smith. “Most of his breezes have been in hand, but he still breezed fast. It looks like he’s filled out a little bit more.”
Petingas Twin, the winner of last year’s Dave’s Friend Stakes, had a slow start, quickly moved up to challenge the pace, and stayed on quite bravely to finish second. The multiple stakes-placed S S Sinatra finished third, 5¼ lengths behind the runner-up. Multiple stakes-winner No Cents finished last of the four.
Celtic Contender, the second betting choice, returned $6 to win. Sunny Breeze scratched.
Smith explained the layoff by saying that Celtic Contender “had a little foot problem. He hit something down there with his foot. We had to give him time for that. Naturally, a foot takes a lot longer to heal than a chip in the knee or something like that, but he came back 100%.”
The dependable Boyce picked up the mount from an absent Mychel Sanchez.
“Thank you,” Boyce told Smith, hugging the veteran trainer in the winner’s circle. “I appreciate that one.”
“You got the mount back,” Smith replied.
A 5-year-old foaled in Maryland, Celtic Contender is by Irish War Cry out of Celtic Katie, a stakes winner by Posse. He is a half-brother to stakes-placed Hunter Joe. Their second dam is stakes-winner Katie’s Love.
“That old mare is a good mare,” Smith said of Celtic Katie after Celtic Contender won the 2024 Maryland Million Sprint, a few races after Hunter Joe took the Maryland Million Turf Starter Handicap.
Unraced at two, Celtic Contender showed promise early in his career, winning his second race by 10 ½ lengths. He finished first in the Star de Naskra Stakes in 2024 but was disqualified and placed third for early interference. He also placed in the Concern Stakes and City of Laurel Stakes that season while racing about once a month.
Smith mentioned the Grade 3, $150,000 Maryland Sprint Stakes at Laurel on May 16 as a potential next start. Celtic Contender finished third, beaten by 1 ¾ lengths, in last year’s Maryland Sprint.
Celtic Contender has won one-third of his 18 races, earning $389,275.
“He’s just a good runner,” Smith concluded.
*Mandatory Payout Sunday – Chesapeake Pick 6 Carryover at $29,036
Live racing resumes Sunday with an eight-race card, marking the final day of the Laurel Park Winter Meet. The first post is at 12:00 pm ET.
Mandatory payouts apply to wagers with carryover potential, such as the 20-cent Chesapeake Pick 6 Jackpot and the $1 Jackpot Super High 5.
The Chesapeake Pick 6 Jackpot sequence runs from races three through eight and features a $29,036 carryover heading into Sunday’s card. The Jackpot Super High 5 event is the sixth race.
Additionally, Laurel Park offers two “Value Pick 5” wagers, each with a low 12% takeout rate.
The free “Laurel Park Handicapping Guide” is available on every race day. It provides picks, analysis, trainer stats, trip notes, horses to watch, track bias info, and more from The Maryland Jockey Club’s team of handicappers. Sunday’s guide is available. Click here to view it.
Reserve your spot for our weekly “Bubbly Brunch Sundays.” Relax with friends over delicious brunch favorites and bottomless mimosas at our vibrant Stone Bar Restaurant and Bar. Sunday Brunch starts at 11:00 am ET. Learn more here.
*Around the track:
Veteran jockey Xavier Perez achieved a consecutive double on Saturday. He expertly guided Stylish Gem ($5) to an inside-out stalking trip in the third race for trainer Jerry Robb, then was assertive early aboard Late Nite Call ($7.20) in the fourth for trainer Niall Saville.
The husband-wife, jockey-trainer team of Sheldon and Brittany Russell won two races together. Lannister ($2.40) graduated in the second race, and Bells Beach ($5) gave a strong late rally to take the fifth.
Heading into the final day of the Winter Meeting, apprentice rider Yedsit Hazlewood holds an unassailable lead in the race for the meet’s top jockey. Hazlewood, 18, has won 50 races at Laurel Park this year, 19 more than Angel Cruz. Apprentice Jose Vargas is third in the standings with 20 victories.
On the trainer’s side of the ledger, Jamie Ness has a two-win lead over both Hugh McMahon and Jose Corrales.
Never miss a second of the action on the Laurel Park YouTube channel. Click here to watch full pan and head-on replays.
Watch “Today at the Races,” the Maryland Jockey Club’s morning handicapping show every racing day at 11 am ET on the Maryland Jockey Club X account. Click here to watch.
