Can’t jinx classy Slewperstitus in Glenangus Farm Maryland Million Lassie

LAUREL, MD—Jockey Yedsit Hazlewood raised his whip to the heavens and swung it jubilantly as Big Cuddle overcame a seemingly disastrous start to rally past them in Saturday’s $100,000 Fasig-Tipton Maryland Million Nursery for 2-year-olds racing six furlongs at Laurel Park.

It was the fourth win for Hazlewood, his second stakes victory, and his third consecutive score on the program. He has won at least two races on each of the last five cards at Laurel Park.

Gary Capuano trains both of Hazlewood’s Jim McKay Maryland Million stakes winners.

Big Cuddle showed that he might be a force to be reckoned with going forward after he broke slowly and was pinched back shortly after the start. Many 2-year-olds would call it a day, but Big Cuddle gathered himself and advanced under a hustling Hazlewood to race three wide in midpack.

Big Cuddle started passing horses three wide on the turn, swung even deeper onto the track turning for home, then sustained that prolonged rally to wear down 20-1 shot Mo’s Glitter by three-quarters of a length in 1:12.10 over the fast main track.

“Today, that was phenomenal,” Capuano said. “Getting away bad like that and having to overcome. Gets dirt in his face, goes really wide, but still was able to grind them down.”

Capuano thought, “This isn’t good,” when Big Cuddle broke awkwardly. “Just had [Buds Notion] scratched in the post parade, and then he gets away bad. I thought it’s downhill from here. You think they’re going to make that run and then flatten out because most of them don’t have that kind of sustained run, especially a 2-year-old. I was rooting hard coming through the stretch. I could see him coming. Just whether or not he had enough ground to make up and enough time to get there.”

Lundi Loot placed third, a neck behind Mo’s Glitter. Hell Ofa Hillbilly, Mr. Supreme, Code of Silence, Golden Sand, Mose Smokin, Live Stream, Guitar Money, Feels So Right, Jessica’s Eyes, and The Big Lep completed the order of finish. Jigger and Flatter My Dad scratched early. Buds Notion was removed from consideration at the gate.

Big Cuddle returned $3.40 as the odds-on favorite.

Bred by Two Legends Farm, Big Cuddle is by Great Notion, the winningest active stallion in Jim McKay Maryland Million history. A $30,000 yearling purchase by Pocket 3s Racing, Big Cuddle rallied wide from off the pace to take his career debut, a 5 1/2-furlong maiden special weight at Delaware Park on Sept. 11.

“He acts like he’ll run all day,” Capuano said when asked if he felt Big Cuddle would appreciate more distance. “He’s built more of a sprinter.”

Capuano mentioned Laurel’s $125,000 Juvenile Stakes for state-bred or -sired runners racing seven furlongs on Dec. 6 as a potential next target for Big Cuddle

*Can’t jinx classy Slewperstitus in Glenangus Farm Maryland Million Lassie:

In the paddock before the $100,000 Glenangus Farm Maryland Million Lassie for juvenile fillies at six furlongs, Slewperstitus was the one that caught the eye. She was energetic, yet under control, displaying a rare professionalism for such a young horse.

On the track, Slewperstitus ran to her looks, gamely kicking down pacesetting Doc’s Miracle to prevail by a neck in 1:12.23.

Doc’s Miracle zipped to the front under Hazlewood and set fractions of 23.20 and 47.09 seconds while pressured from the outside by Rerun Table. Slewperstitus, who was off a hair slow, settled into stride and tracked the leaders while four wide from the second flight.

Doc’s Miracle survived the early pace battle and gave ground grudgingly in the final sixteenth when Slewperstitus made her winning bid.

“I wish I could have saved a little bit more ground on the turn, but I felt like I had too much horse,” said winning jockey Jevian Toledo. “I got the best horse, so I had to go around because I don’t want to get caught in traffic later on. I went around and I asked her. She scared me a little bit because I felt like I was going to go by so easily. When I asked her a couple of times to get on a roll, she picked it up and showed her class.”

The win was Toledo’s second of the afternoon. He eclipsed Hall of Famer Edgar Prado as the winningest jockey in Jim McKay Maryland Million history following Had to Have Him’s rallying victory in the 1/ST Bet Maryland Million Turf Sprint.

“It feels amazing,” Toledo said. “Edgar is a mentor to all of us here in Maryland. I never really thought that I’d ever be tied with him. Now passing, it’s incredible.”

Slewperstitus returned $3.80 as the heavy favorite. Stablemate Ginger Snap finished seven lengths behind Doc’s Miracle in third. Then came Share Success, Rerun Table, Noble Status, Blind Love, God I Need a Favor, and Barbados Bulldog. Divine Intentions and Witchyness were scratched early. Last Gift withdrew after acting up at the starting gate.

Slewperstitus, a 2-year-old filly by Great Notion, was bred by Nancy and Eric Rizer and is owned by Eric Rizer. Her dam, Slew of Bullets, was bred by the Rizer family and was stakes-placed sprinting on dirt at Charles Town.

Trained by Robbie Bailes, Slewperstitus showed ability from the very start.

“She showed a lot of good things [before she ran], Bailes mentioned earlier in the week. “We’ve liked her all along. She’s an easy-training filly. We were debating whether to get a little allowance race in between, but she does everything so well in the morning, the timeframe never really bothered me at all.”

Slewperstitus was an impressive debut winner at Colonial on July 9, rallying from off the pace to take a restricted maiden special weight at 5 ½ furlongs. The following month, she finished a close second to sharp Just Philtored in Colonial’s restricted Keswick Stakes. Three weeks after the Keswick, Bailes tried Slewperstitus on turf, and the filly again ran a good second to Just Philtored.

“She’s one of those horses [where] the trainer just has to make sure not to mess up,” Bailes said with a laugh.

Slewperstitus has banked $152,500, and Bailes is looking forward to her 3-year-old campaign.

“We’ll give her a little bit of time, and see where she takes us,” he said in the winner’s circle.