Barbadian Runner defends home turf in Deputed Testamony
Truly Quality looks to get back on track
Grammy Girl seeks fourth straight score

LAUREL, MD—A competitive field of sprinters entered Saturday’s $175,000 Frank J. De Francis Memorial Dash for 3-year-olds and up at six furlongs at Laurel Park.

The De Francis Dash is the featured race on the 11-race program, along with three $125,000 stakes. The Deputed Testamony is for 3-year-olds and up at 1 1/8 miles; the Japan Racing Association Turf Cup is at nine furlongs on the Dahlia Turf Course; and the Alma North is for fillies and mares at 6 ½ furlongs.

The first post time is 12 pm ET, and there are two “Value Pick 5” wagers, each with a low 12% takeout. Laurel Park also offers a special “All-Stakes” Pick 4 on races seven through ten.

Additionally, Laurel Park hosts the De Francis Dash Day Handicapping Challenge, a one-day contest available both on-site and online. The $500 contest ($250 entry fee, $250 bankroll) allows Win, Place, Show, Exacta, and/or Daily Double wagers on the full schedule of live races at Laurel Park, plus select races at Monmouth Park. For entry information and contest rules, visit here.

Trainer Ron Moquett won the De Francis Dash in 2015 with Gentlemen’s Bet, and the race holds a special place in his heart.

“The De Francis is historical,” Moquett said. “It’s still my favorite trophy from winning a particular race. It was a classy trophy. If you grew up and saw the horses [that have won], they were historical, bad-ass horses.”

Moquett hopes to add Hymn’s name to the list of winners, which includes Hall of Famers Cherokee Run, Housebuster, Safely Kept, and Smoke Glacken.

Owned by Fleur de Lis Stables, William Sparks, and Bret Jones, Hymn showed ability from the start, winning his debut by four lengths at Oaklawn last year.

There was just one problem.

“From the time he walked into our barn, you could tell he had something on his mind,” Moquett said. “He was calling out to every female horse and pony he ever saw from the time he was 2 years old.”

After being gelded, Hymn crooned at a higher pitch, but he refused to sing the blues. Instead, he ran his two fastest races, winning a first-level allowance at Oaklawn on April 10 and a second-level race at Churchill on May 16.

“I think he's a better horse since we gelded him because his focus is a little more consistent,” Moquett said.

Moquett briefly considered starting Hymn in the Grade 3 Maryland Sprint Stakes at Laurel on May 16 but opted for the Churchill allowance.

“The reason I stayed there instead of going to the Maryland Sprint was that I didn't have to worry about how he would travel or how he would handle another surface,” said Moquett, who still understands that Hymn is a work in progress.

While Moquett believes Hymn is more effective at seven-eighths, he is very pleased with the gelding’s training heading into the De Francis. Rafael Bejarano rides from the far outside post position.

Hall of Fame trainers Shug McGaughey and Steve Asmussen are set to compete in the De Francis Dash.

McGaughey conditions Pentathlon, a late-blooming 5-year-old by Speightstown. Owned by Phipps Stable, St. Elias Stable, and Woodford Racing, Pentathlon captured the Army Mule Stakes at Gulfstream on March 28 and finished a solid third in Aqueduct’s Grade 3 Westchester Stakes last month.

A direct descendant of Hall of Famer Personal Ensign, Pentathlon has yet to win in two previous attempts at six furlongs. Sheldon Russell rides Pentathlon.

Asmussen, a two-time De Francis Dash winner, runs William and Corinne Heiligbrodt’s Faust, who finished second in the Maryland Sprint and last of six against Eclipse Award winner Book’em Danno in Saratoga’s Grade 3 True North Stakes three weeks ago. Six furlongs is the colt’s preferred distance. Mychel Sanchez rides.

Lewis Family Racing Stable’s Celtic Contender finished second, a length behind, in last year’s De Francis Dash, but raced only once more in 2025 before going to the sidelines.

He returned with a flourish, taking a high-level allowance at Laurel on March 28, posting a 100 Beyer Speed Figure.

Trainer Hamilton Smith explained the layoff, 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%.”

Celtic Contender finished fourth as the favorite in the Maryland Sprint. Forest Boyce retains the mount.

Bonuccelli Racing’s Wickeddivine steps up in class after winning three consecutive races.

“He's coming in great,” trainer Kenny Cox said on the “Maryland Racing Today” podcast, hosted by Frank Vespe. "It's a tough ask, but I think he deserves a chance at this point. He's done everything we've asked of him so far." Hot-riding Jeiron Barbosa will ride Wickeddivine.

Grade 3 winner Full Moon Madness, multiple stakes-winner Slam Notion, Grade 2-placed Fire Pit, and stakes-winner Petingas Twin round out the quality field.

Trainer Gary Capuano reported that Haileysfirstnotion will scratch.

The race was named after the late Frank J. DeFrancis, who became Chief Executive Officer of Laurel Park in 1984. Before his death in August 1989, DeFrancis had put Laurel and Pimlico at the forefront of American racing.

Extensive facility renovations, including the innovative Sports Palaces at Laurel and Pimlico, were part of the De Francis operating mode, as were significant increases in advertising and promotional spending.

He also sought to market Maryland racing to horsemen across the country and internationally through events such as the revived Pimlico Special, an instant hit and one of the nation's leading older horse races; the International Turf Festival, a five-race grass extravaganza in October; and the winter sprint weekend at Laurel, featuring the lucrative General George and Barbara Fritchie Handicaps.

*Barbadian Runner defends home turf in Deputed Testamony

AJ Will Win Stable’s Barbadian Runner, the best Maryland-bred older dirt horse stabled at the grounds, defends his home turf in the Deputed Testamony.

Trained by Henry Walters, Barbadian Runner, a $5,000 yearling that has earned $857,050, exits a five-length triumph in a high-level allowance at Laurel Park on May 30.

“He grew at the withers and filled out a little,” Walters said after that race about Barbadian Runner’s well-deserved winter break following a 3-year-old campaign in which he won half of his dozen starts.

The Barbados gelding finished a close second in his seasonal debut, a seven-furlong, two-turn allowance race at Charles Town on May 8.

“He was a little more tucked up for this race than he was when I ran him at Charles Town,” Walters said. “I guess that one race tuned him up.”

Walters believes Barbadian Runner’s determination is one of his best qualities, but the veteran trainer also marvels at the gelding’s training.

“[It’s] the way he relaxes and just breathes effortlessly,” Walters said admiringly. “Watching him gallop, he has a rhythm to his breathing, and he's not stressed. He's never disappointed me. Everything he's ever done, he rises to the occasion.”

Forest Boyce rides Barbadian Runner.

Mike Rutherford’s Duke of Duval, a gray 5-year-old by Arrogate, met his second-level allowance last year and has since competed exclusively in graded stakes races for Asmussen. He finished fourth in the Grade 3 Pimlico Special at Laurel on May 15. Yedsit Hazlewood, Laurel Park’s leading rider, rides Duke of Duval.

Tami Bobo’s Catalytic finished second in the 2024 Florida Derby before being unplaced in the Kentucky Derby. Two years later, he won his first start for trainer Brittany Russell, a high-level allowance at Laurel on May 2.

“It took us a little time to get to know him,” Russell said after the win, impressed by the 5-year-old's long stride. “Obviously, he’s a good horse. He has some back-class, and he’s been running in tough spots.”

Sheldon Russell rides Catalytic.

Al and Bill Ulwelling’s Jokestar returns to Laurel Park for the first time since winning the Post Time Stakes on Valentine’s Day. Since that start, the Practical Joke gelding finished a close second in Oaklawn’s Temperence Hill Stakes and fifth in Woodbine’s Grade 2 Eclipse Stakes, run on Tapeta.

Trainer Kevin Attard believes that distance is key for Jokestar, who seems to prefer nine furlongs or longer.

“He’s a big, rangy horse,” he said after the Post Time. “We always thought he had some ability. I really think he matured between three and four.”

Mario Gutierrez rides Jokestar.

Stakes-winners Adero, multiple Grade 3-placed Cadet Corps, and multiple stakes-placed performers Warp Nine and Xcellent Star complete the field.

Capuano said Sacred Thunder will await an allowance race at Laurel Park on Sunday.

The Deputed Testamony honors the last Maryland-bred winner of the Preakness Stakes, who upset the Kentucky Derby winner Sunny’s Halo in 1983. Deputed Testamony also won the 1983 Haskell and Federico Tesio.

*Truly Quality looks to get back on track

After two consecutive off-the-board finishes, Augustin Stables’ Truly Quality looks to get back on track in the Japan Racing Association Turf Cup.

A multiple Grade 2-winning 6-year-old by Quality Road, Truly Quality is trained by Jonathan Thomas.

“He was a slow-learning 2-year-old who started to find his stride at three,” Thomas explained. “As we’ve stretched him out, he got better. I probably waited a little too long to get him out to a marathon distance, but once we really got some real estate in front of him, he started to showcase his elite stamina.”

Thomas believes there are legitimate excuses for Truly Quality’s last two races.

“We learned over the winter that he loves Del Mar, and he does not care for Santa Anita, for whatever reason,” he said. “We felt he was a little below par [when fourth in the Grade 3 San Luis Rey], and then he got completely smashed in his last start at Keeneland [the Grade 2 Elkhorn Stakes on April 16] coming out of the gate, dropped out of it, and left himself with an impossible task.”

Thomas considered running Truly Quality in either Delaware’s Cape Henlopen Stakes or Churchill’s Chorleywood Stakes, both on June 13, but opted for the Japan Racing Association Turf Cup.

“We wanted to find him a race to get him back on track,” Thomas said. “Look, [the distance] is probably a bit short for him, but Laurel has a really nice turf course. You can close well there. I’d like to give him a little confidence boost, and we can set our sights on something a little longer.”

Thomas cited the Grade 2 Del Mar Handicap on August 29 and the Grade 2 Hollywood Turf Cup on November 27 as future goals. Truly Quality has won the last two editions of the Hollywood Turf Cup. Sheldon Russell will ride Truly Quality on Saturday.

Titletown Racing Stables’ A Bourbon for Toby appears to be entering the Japan Racing Association Turf Cup in top form for trainer Tom Morley.

The 4-year-old Bernardini colt won two consecutive races, finished third behind classy Integration in a second-level allowance at Aqueduct on May 7, then rallied to second in the Grade 3 Dinner Party Stakes over this course and distance nine days later. Boyce picks up the mount on A Bourbon for Toby.

Nelson Avenue, a multiple stakes-winner on dirt, along with stakes-winners What Say Thee, Crisper, and Belouni, multiple stakes-placed Thundering, stakes-placed Hardspun Reason, and Mackenzie’s Novva are also expected.

The Japan Racing Association Turf Cup highlights the close relationship between The Maryland Jockey Club (TMJC) and the Japan Racing Association (JRA).

On March 7, Bill Knauf, President and General Manager of TMJC, was on hand at Nakayama Racecourse to present the winner’s trophy for the Grade 3 Laurel Park Sho Nakayama Himba Stakes. Two JRA representatives are expected to attend the Japan Racing Association Turf Cup at Laurel Park.

*Grammy Girl seeks fourth straight win

Grammy Girl has won four of her last five starts, including three in a row, heading into the Alma North Stakes.

Trained by Saffie Joseph Jr., the 5-year-old Mastery mare looms as an obvious strong contender after sweeping through two Grade 3 stakes in New York to kick off her 2026 campaign.

Grammy Girl is no stranger to Laurel Park, gamely prevailing in the Willa On the Move Stakes over this distance on November 22.

“We gave her time off [after that race],” Joseph said. “But when you give them time off, you never know how they’re going to come back, especially fillies. She’s come back just like she left off last year, and hopefully she can keep building on it.”

Joseph believes that Grammy Girl has the talent to face the top distaff sprinters. He mentioned Saratoga’s Grade 1 Ballerina Stakes on August 29 as a potential summer goal. Sanchez rides Grammy Girl.

Brittany and Sheldon Russell bring Goodfellas LLC’s Maida back to the races to start her 4-year-old campaign.

A daughter of Improbable, Maida dominated four other fillies to win the Weather Vane Stakes at Laurel last year.

“We think a lot of her,” Brittany Russell said after the Weather Vane. “She’s acted as if she were something good from the beginning.”

“She dragged me to the lead and traveled beautifully,” Sheldon Russell added. “She’s got a high cruising speed.”

Maida raced again after that big win, finishing a troubled sixth in the Grade 2 Raven Run at Keeneland on October 18.

Asmussen counters with Kaleem Shah’s consistent Benedetta. The multiple-stakes-winning daughter of City of Light has hit the board in 14 of 19 dirt starts, including a strong second-place finish in last month’s Skipat Stakes at Laurel. Vincent Cheminaud rides Benedetta.

Trainer Jorge Abreu entered two New York-based shippers. Jody’s Pride, owned by Parkland Thoroughbreds, Sportsmen Stable, and Avanti Stable, aims to reach the winner’s circle for the first time since the Grade 2 Ruffian Stakes last year. Mad Dog Racing Stable’s Bam’s Bliss Kiss has won her last six races, including the restricted Biogio’s Rose Stakes at Aqueduct on April 19. Gutierrez rides Jody’s Pride, while Hazlewood rides Bam’s Bliss Kiss.

Barry Schwartz’s Love You More, the winner of Delaware’s Rehoboth Stakes on May 30, aims for her third consecutive victory. The fast stakes winner Hold Your Breath is expected to display strong early speed