Post Time draws post five in Milton P. Higgins III Memorial Maryland Million Classic

LAUREL, MD—"He's got something that you [only] see once in a while," trainer Hugh McMahon said of apprentice rider Yedsit Hazlewood after the teenage phenom piloted Lady Ensign to a gate-to-wire victory in Sunday's featured eighth race at Laurel Park, a first-level allowance for fillies and mares at 5 1/2 furlongs on the Kelso Turf Course.

"You see him so well-centered, so well-balanced. Before he even started, [trainer] Jose Corrales told me that he had a guy that was really good. He was talking about [Hazlewood]."

The youngster won his first riding title during the Maryland State Fair meeting at Timonium and has continued his hot streak during this fall stand at Laurel Park. On Sunday, he rode multiple winners for the third consecutive day and now leads the jockey standings by four victories over veteran Jevian Toledo.

“I have a lot of grace for apprentices when they make mistakes,” McMahon continued. “He’s going to make apprentice mistakes, but the horses just run for him.”

Lady Ensign made no mistakes, bouncing right to the lead and controlling fractions of 22.88 and 44.81 before staying strong to the wire, 1 ¾ lengths ahead of a chasing Chantico. Even-money favorite Waittilmidnitehour finished another head back in third. Sweeterthanwhiskey, Obliging, Wellareyouhappynow, Martyna’s Joy, and Sporting Lady completed the order of finish.

“After I saw 44, I thought that maybe she’s cooked,” McMahon admitted. “But she looked like she was doing it comfortably.”

Lady Ensign completed the distance in 1:02.44 over the firm turf and returned $12 as the third choice in the betting.

“We’ve had so much trouble being behind horses,” McMahon mentioned when asked about Lady Ensign’s pacesetting tactics. “She’s a big, powerful filly, and then she gets behind horses, [and] she wants to go. It’s just a fight, and when you’re fighting a horse in a sprint race on the turf, you’ve got no finish.”

Bred in Maryland by Country Life Farm and Sister State LLC, Lady Ensign is a 5-year-old mare by Midshipman from the family of Grade 1 winner Cara Rafaela. McMahon claimed her for $30,000 during the summer of 2024 on behalf of owner Larry E. Rabold.

“I saw Colonial Downs, and the potential to win a nice race because the purses are really big,” McMahon stated when asked about the claim. “It was disastrous this year. It was one thing after another of bad trips. She’s not an easy horse to ride.”

McMahon credits the mare’s enhanced maturity as one reason for today’s success.

“She was rank for the longest of time, and my son was working with her,” he said. “He got her to be a lot more pleasant to ride. He could turn her loose in the post parade, and we didn’t have to worry about her running off.”

Lady Ensign now owns three wins from 22 starts, earning $151,170.

“She’s really beautiful,” McMahon concluded. “She’s just a big, powerful presence of a horse.”

*Post Time draws post five in Milton P. Higgins III Memorial Maryland Million Classic

Reigning Maryland-bred Horse of the Year Post Time drew post position five for Saturday’s $150,000 Milton P. Higgins III Memorial Maryland Million Classic for state-bred or sired 3-year-olds and upward traveling 1 1/8 miles on dirt at Laurel Park.

The Classic is the feature race on Jim McKay Maryland Million Day, presented by Brown Advisory.

Trained by Brittany Russell for Mrs. Ellen Charles’s Hillwood Stable, Post Time was installed as the 3-5 morning line favorite.

A 5-year-old gray son of Frosted, Post Time is unbeaten from 10 prior outings at Laurel Park. The winner of last year’s Grade 3 General George Stakes at Laurel, Post Time won the previous two editions of the Polynesian Stakes here by a combined 28 ½ lengths. In his most recent start, the Grade 2 Woodward Stakes at Aqueduct, Post Time finished third of three, 4 ¼ lengths behind the victorious Locked.

Post Time will be piloted by regular rider Sheldon Russell, and is the Classic high weight at 124 lbs.

Blue Kingdom is the 5-1 second choice on the morning line. A 4-year-old gelding by First Mondays, Blue Kingdom captured his last three starts by a combined 16 ¾ lengths, including a gate-to-wire romp in a $50,000 starter allowance at Delaware on Sept. 25. Trained by Jamie Ness for Darryl Abramowitz’s DEA Thoroughbred Racing, Blue Kingdom breaks from post six under jockey Mychel Sanchez, and will carry 120 lbs.

Barbadian Runner, the third choice on the line at 6-1, breaks from post position two under Forest Boyce. Trained by Henry Walters for AJ Will Win Stables, Barbadian Runner is a 3-year-old gelding by Barbados. A four-time stakes-winner this year, all against open company, Barbadian Runner recently won the $500,000 Robert Hilton Memorial for 3-year-olds racing seven furlongs at Charles Town. Barbadian Runner carries 121 lbs. in the Classic.

First preference in the Maryland Million goes to horses that are Maryland-sired. If there are fewer than eight Maryland-sired entrants in a race, then Maryland-bred runners are included in the body of the field. With fewer than eight Maryland-sired entrants in the Milton P. Higgins III Memorial Maryland Million Classic, both Post Time and Secret Zipper were allowed to enter. All the Hardways, the lone Also Eligible in the lineup, will compete if there is a race-day scratch.

Here is the complete field:

Around the track:

Live racing resumes Friday with a 10-race program. First post time is 12:10 pm ET, and there are two “Value Pick 5” wagers, each with a low 12% takeout rate…Bids are still being taken for the Maryland Million Silent Auction. All proceeds benefit the Maryland Horse Foundation and Saddle Up Scholars. Click here for items and bidding information…Special first post time for Jim McKay Maryland Million Saturday, presented by Brown Advisory, is 11:30 am ET. Gates open at 10:00 am ET…Reserve your spot for our weekly “Bubbly Brunch Sundays”. Kick back with friends over delicious brunch favorites and bottomless mimosas in our vibrant Stone Bar Restaurant and Bar. Sunday Brunch begins at 11:00 am ET and runs through the final live race at Laurel Park.