Gallo earns Maryland Million maiden bonus

LAUREL, MD—In her first start around two turns and first try at Laurel Park, Making Daisy made hay in Sunday’s featured eighth race, a first-level allowance for 3-year-old fillies at 1 1/16 miles.

She also made life a bit difficult for her jockey, Sheldon Russell.

As the six runners entered the starting gate, Making Daisys paused, balked, backed up, and dislodged Russell, who landed nimbly on his feet.

“She gave me a bit of a scare,” Russell said after weighing out. “When I rode her at Colonial, she sort of did the same thing. She’s a big filly. She’s obviously learning every time she runs.”

Once Making Daisy got comfortable in her starting stall, she broke sharply and appeared ready to take the lead heading into the first turn.

Russell was forced to opt for Plan B after the saddle slipped on Tacit Value. Her rider, Yedsit Hazlewood, tried to put on the brakes, but Tacit Value was keen and pulled away to a 3 ½-length lead through an opening quarter in 23.46 seconds.

Meanwhile, Russell gave Making Daisy a backstretch breather while tracking the keen leader after a half-mile clocking of 48.60 seconds.

Russell inched his mount closer to Tacit Value on the second turn, and they covered six furlongs in 1:14.45. Russell had to nudge Making Daisy, but she eventually dispatched Tacit Value and fended off Yau Majesty’s late bid to prevail by 1 ¼ lengths in 1:48.87.

Momaxie finished another length behind in third place. She was followed home by Tacit Value, Diamond N Dress, and Nothinglesswilldo.

“It’s not that she’s green,” Russell said. “She needs a friend [to run near]. I had a friend for the whole race at Colonial, but she didn’t want to pass. So I had to work on her, work on her, and I thought she would improve. But she’s done the same thing again today. She was stuck on [Tacit Value] a little bit too. She just doesn’t do a whole lot in front, but she got the job done. Hopefully, she’ll keep figuring it out. She’s a lovely ride.”

Making Daisy, the odds-on favorite, paid $3.80 to win.

Making Daisy was bred in Kentucky by Nancy Shuford. A daughter of Gun Runner out of the stakes-placed Stayclassysandiego, by Rockport Harbor, Making Daisy is a half-sister to multiple Grade 2 winner Pretty N Cool.

Purchased for $200,000 as a weanling, Making Daisys is trained by Wesley Ward for owner Thomas Bachman.

She raced twice last year, finishing off the board in her career debut on turf at Kentucky Downs and third in a maiden special weight over a one-turn mile on dirt at Aqueduct.

Ward removed blinkers and added Lasix for her 2026 debut, a maiden special weight at Colonial on March 13. As Russell said, she waited on horses once she got the lead, but had enough to defeat Tahlequah, a next-out 83 Beyer winner at Oaklawn.

“This will come,” Russell said. “She needs experience, that’s all.”

Now, Russell looks forward to next Saturday’s Preakness Stakes, where he will ride the unbeaten Taj Mahal for his wife, trainer Brittany Russell.

“It would be a dream,” Sheldon said about the prospect of winning the second jewel of racing’s Triple Crown.

*Gallo earns Maryland Million maiden bonus

Maryland-bred maiden winner Gallo earned a 5% bonus on Sunday. The bonus program, which began on March 1, rewards Maryland Million-eligible horses that win maiden races within the state.

Only horses sired by Maryland Million stallions, conceived in Maryland, and fully nominated and certified for the Maryland Million program qualify. Stallions must have been nominated in the year the horse was conceived.

Gallo is a 3-year-old gelding by Divining Rod out of Elegant Gal, by El Padrino. Bred by Milan Milosevic, he was claimed for $12,500 in his debut and is owned and trained by Joanne Shankle.

*Around the track:

Jockey Jevian Toledo rode two winners on Sunday’s card. Toledo placed Cut Glass ($4.80) in the lead in the fourth race, and they didn’t yield for trainer Jonathan Maldonado. In the sixth race, Toledo placed Vaya Jeffe ($6.40) close to the pace from the outside, and they sprinted home to score for trainer Lacey Gaudet.

Live racing resumes Thursday with a nine-race card featuring 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. Thursday’s guide is available on Wednesday evening. Click here to view it.

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.