Double Crown, Magic Michael Among 20 for Sept. 10 Stakes
Joined by $100,000 Sensible Lady Turf Dash, $75,000 Challedon

LAUREL, MD – Graded-stakes winners Double Crown and Magic Michael, graded-stakes placed Calibrate and Yodel E.A. Who, and Be Better, who ran his win streak to three with his first stakes victory last time out, are among 20 horses nominated to the $100,000 Polynesian Sunday, Sept. 10 at historic Pimlico Race Course.

The 1 1/16-mile Polynesian for 3-year-olds and up is among three stakes worth $275,000 in purses on opening weekend of Pimlico’s boutique nine-day fall meet that runs Sept. 8-24.

A multiple stakes winner later claimed by owner-trainer Norman ‘Lynn’ Cash for $40,000, Built Wright Stable’s Double Crown sprung a 42-1 upset of the Kelso (G2) last October at Belmont Park. He won a 1 1/16-mile optional claiming allowance Aug. 13 at Laurel Park and ran seventh in the Charles Town Classic (G2) 12 days later.

Morris Kernan Jr., Yo Berbs and Jagger Inc.’s Magic Michael captured the 2021 Greenwood Cup (G3) at Parx to kick off a year-ending three-race win streak. The 6-year-old gelding, currently training toward his comeback at Delaware Park, has gone unraced since finishing second in defense of the Greenwood Cup title last September.

Magic Michael is one of seven horses nominated by Jamie Ness, the leading trainer and owner during Laurel’s recently concluded summer meet. Among the others are Madison Avenue Racing Stable, Inc. and Jagger Inc.’s 10-time winner Boss Logic; Josh Engel, Rich Engel, Greg Armatys and Chelsey Badura’s Calibrate, second in the Brooklyn (G2) and third in the Monmouth Cup (G3) this summer; Kernan, Berbs and Jagger Inc.’s multiple stakes winner Ournationonparade; and Troy Johnson, Charles Lo and Jagger Inc.’s Yodel E.A. Who, a 14-time winner of more than $600,000 in purses that ran second in the Feb. 18 General George (G3) at Laurel.

Repole Stable’s Be Better, a 4-year-old homebred son of champion Uncle Mo, was a 1 ¼-length winner over a solid field that included Nimitz Class and Ournationonparade in the 1 1/8-mile Deputed Testamony July 29 at Laurel. Moved to Maryland’s leading trainer, Brittany Russell over the winter, he began his win streak with a 3 ¾-length triumph going the Polynesian distance May 20 at Pimlico on the undercard of the 148th Preakness Stakes (G1), Middle Jewel of the Triple Crown.

Also prominent among nominees are Armando R, back-to-back stakes winner last fall at Laurel; Synthesis, exiting four straight graded-stakes sprint attempts including a second in the July 1 John A. Nerud (G2); multiple stakes winner Tappin Cat and his Gary Capuano-trained stablemate Zabracadabra, a winner of two straight that has been first or second in all five starts this year.

Most popular among horsemen with 26 nominations is the $100,000 Sensible Lady Turf Dash for fillies and mares 3 and up sprinting 5 ½ furlongs. Russell nominated Joel Politi’s Bosserati, winner of her first three grass starts including the 5 ½-furlong Stormy Blues June 18 at Laurel before having her streak snapped when fifth in the Blue Sparkler, also at 5 ½ furlongs, July 15 at Monmouth Park.

Pewter Stable and Spedale Family Racing’s All That Magic, based in Pennsylvania with trainer Kathleen Demasi, has reeled off four straight wins since being moved to the turf in June. The 4-year-old Fast Anna filly went unraced at 2 and had just one start at 3 but is 5-for-7 this year, most recently winning the 5 ½-furlong Incredible Revenge Aug. 6 at Monmouth.

Trainer Wesley Ward nominated Lael Stables’ Daring Do, a 3-year-old Into Mischief filly that is coming off a one-length victory in the 5 ½-furlong Pea Patch July 16 on the Ellis Park turf, and Spicy Marg, second in the May 19 The Very One on the Black-Eyed Susan (G2) undercard at Pimlico. Trainer Brad Cox nominated Klein Racing’s 5-year-old homebred mare Goin’ Good, winner of the 2021 Coronation Cup at Saratoga that has placed in nine other stakes, most recently the Kentucky Downs Preview Mint Ladies Turf Sprint Aug. 5.

Other nominees include 2021 Star Shoot winner Can’t Buy Love, third in last year’s Sensible Lady as well as the Incredible Revenge last out, and her Mike Trombetta-trained multiple stakes-winning stablemate Spun Glass; 2022 Rosies winner Determined Jester; Gal in a Rush, a winner of two straight turf sprints for trainer Christophe Clement; Runnymoore Racing homebred Late Frost, winner of the June 2 New Start and third in the Aug. 25 Charles Town Oaks (G3) yet to run on grass; Shamrock Farm homebred Money’s Worth, third in the July 1 Jameela sprinting on the Laurel turf, and Graham Motion-trained stablemate Queen Olly, Group 2-placed in England last summer.

Rounding out the Sept. 10 stakes action is the $75,000 Challedon for 3-year-olds and up that have not won an open sweepstakes sprinting six furlongs. Tappin Cat and Yodel E.A. Who are among the 21 nominees that also include One More Scoop, winner of the Aug. 18 Fabulous Strike for Pennsylvania-breds at Penn National; multiple stakes-placed Ain’t Da Beer Cold and Al Loves Josie; Holy Synchronicity, third in the July 29 Frank J. De Francis Memorial Dash at Laurel; 10-time winner Borracho; and Going to the Lead, third or better in 30 of 43 lifetime starts.

Entries will be taken and post positions drawn Monday, Sept. 4 for all three stakes.