Heavyweight rematch headlines Saturday Christmastide Stakes spectacular
Quint’s Brew returns in the Howard and Sondra Bender Memorial
Takethemoneyhoney looks to rebound in the Politely
Complexity Jane seeks back-to-back victories

LAUREL, MD—There will be a big fight feel at Laurel Park on Saturday as Post Time battles Barbadian Runner in the Robert T. Manfuso Stakes for 3-year-olds and upward at 1 1/16 miles.

The Robert T. Manfuso is one of four $100,000 events on the nine-race “Christmastide Stakes” program. The first post time is 12 pm ET, and there are two “Value Pick 5” wagers featuring a low 12% takeout rate.

While maybe not at the level of Ali-Frazier or Creed-Balboa, for that matter, the Post Time-Barbadian Runner rematch features two popular and talented horses that slugged it out in their first bout, the Milton P. Higgins III Maryland Million Classic on Oct. 11.

Post Time, the reigning Maryland-bred Horse of the Year, entered the Maryland Million unbeaten from ten prior starts at Laurel Park, and was odds-on to keep that winning streak intact.

Inside the three-sixteenths pole, Post Time, racing along the inner rail under jockey Sheldon Russell, uncorked his patented furious stretch rally. Unperturbed, Barbadian Runner and jockey Forest Boyce saw off the challenge to prevail by three-quarters of a length.

While Post Time and Barbadian Runner are both Maryland-breds who debuted at Laurel Park, they’ve taken totally different career paths.

Owned by Mrs. Ellen Charles’s Hillwood Stables, Post Time was destined for big things from the outset, winning eight of his first nine starts, including the Grade 3 General George at Laurel, and the Grade 2 Carter at Aqueduct.

He criss-crossed the country last year for Maryland’s leading trainer, Brittany Russell, placing in two Grade 1 races at Saratoga, as well as finishing second in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile at Del Mar.

On the other hand, AJ Will Win Stables’ Barbadian Runner is the blue-collar throwback that shows up and does his job exceptionally well. A $5,000 yearling purchase, the 3-year-old gelding only captured one of his first eight starts, but veteran trainer Henry Walters never lost faith.

Barbadian Runner started 2025 on the right foot, taking the Spectacular Bid by a head. That was the trainer’s first stakes victory since he saddled Basketball Court in the 2004 Horatius at Laurel.

Since then, Barbadian Runner has raced 10 times, adding five more stakes victories and placing in three others. After besting Post Time in the Maryland Million, he dominated five rivals in the Richard W. Small at Laurel on Nov. 22.

“We were just hoping to get a decent Maryland-bred that would be competitive at any level,” Walters said after the Richard W. Small. “You don’t expect a whole lot when you have modest money you’re spending.”

Post Time ran in the Maryland Million only 14 days after finishing third in the Grade 2 Woodward at Aqueduct. Brittany Russell believes the additional time between the Maryland Million and the Robert T. Manfuso will help her stable star’s chances.

“I didn’t love running him back on the fast turnaround,” she admitted. “I asked a lot of him in a short time. I don’t think he was as good going into it. Barbadian Runner is a good horse. We’re not going to take anything away from him. He beat us on the day. I hope Post Time shows up, and he’s the good horse that we know. Hopefully, he has his running shoes on.”

With Not This Boy expected to scratch, per trainer Doug Cowans, Barbadian Runner inherits the inside post position under 125 lbs. After the scratch, Post Time is scheduled to depart from post three under 126 lbs.

They are far from the only two contenders.

RKTN Racing’s Pay Billy earned a guaranteed spot in the starting gate for the Grade 1 Preakness by virtue of his victory in Laurel’s Federico Tesio on April 19. After finishing seventh in the Preakness, Pay Billy went to the sidelines for the rest of the spring and through the summer.

He returned to the races with a sixth-place finish in the City of Laurel at seven furlongs on Nov. 29.

“In my mind, [the City of Laurel] was going to be a prep for him,” said trainer Michael Gorham. “He closed a little bit of ground, but he didn’t have time to get going. He just wants to go further.”

Robert Cole Jr.’s Teachintherelease invades from Charles Town, where he has compiled an enviable record of 15 wins and 10 seconds from 33 starts. Claimed for $20,000 last year, Teachintherelease has grabbed seven of his previous eight races. He won his last five starts by a combined 27 ½ lengths for trainer Stephen Murdock.

Hittheroadjak, Secret Zipper, and Point Dume complete the field.

The Robert T. Manfuso is named for the longtime owner and breeder, and former owner of both Laurel and historic Pimlico Race Course. Instrumental in revitalizing Maryland racing, Manfuso passed away in March 2020.

*Quint’s Brew returns in the Howard and Sondra Bender Memorial

Quint’s Brew returns from a 230-day layoff in the Howard and Sondra Bender Memorial for Maryland-bred or -sired and Virginia-bred or -sired performers at seven furlongs.

The 4-year-old Mosler gelding shrugged off a 203-day freshening to win his seasonal debut, the restricted Jennings at Laurel on Jan. 18, then bounced back to win the prestigious General George here the following month.

After finishing a close second in the Grade 2 Carter and Grade 3 Westchester, both at Aqueduct, trainer Ned Allard decided to give Quint’s Brew a break.

“After his last two races in New York, we had a minor issue, but we decided to go ahead and give him a little time off because he had run really hard,” Allard said. “He’s a really nice horse.”

Allard noted there is always a concern bringing horses back off long layoffs, but “every time [Quint’s Brew] has worked, he hasn’t gotten the least bit tired, and gallops out real strong. He’s not the kind of horse that needs a real heavy program, anyway. I think I’m going to have him right.”

Owned by Paul Berube, Karen Linnell, and Heather Hunter, Quint’s Brew drew the inside post position under jockey Mychel Sanchez and will carry the top weight of 126 lbs. He was installed as the 6-5 morning line favorite by Ed DeRosa of Horse Racing Nation.

Eric Rizer’s Slam Notion has won his last three starts on dirt, including a breakout performance in the Fair Hill Training Center Maryland Million Sprint on Oct. 11. Slam Notion was scratched from the City of Laurel to await this spot.

“He acted like he was a little bit muscle sore,” said trainer Robbie Bailes. “That wasn’t a race we were really pointing for anyway. Our main goal was the Maryland Million and right to the Bender. He’s coming into this race really good.”

Trainer Jamie Ness, the nation’s winningest trainer in 2025, saddles Blue Kingdom for Darryl Abramowitz’s DEA Thoroughbred Racing. A winner in four of his last five starts, Blue Kingdom was a pacesetting winner of a first-level allowance at Aqueduct on Nov. 15. In that race, Blue Kingdom received a 98 Beyer Speed Figure.

“He did it real nice up there,” Ness said. “We gave him plenty of time off that career best at Aqueduct, so we have been pointing to this race for a month now. All systems go.”

The only loss during Blue Kingdom’s current streak came when he finished third behind Barbadian Runner and Post Time in the Maryland Million Classic.

“We got good fractions, but I think 1 1/8 miles is a little bit out of his range, no matter how slow he goes,” Ness stated.

Restricted stakes-winner Showstopper Copper, stakes-placed Bold Diversion, and Cap Com also entered.

Longtime owner-breeders Howard and Sondra Bender were fixtures at Maryland racetracks for nearly four decades. Among their more than 500 winners were graded-stakes winners Secret River, Foufa’s Warrior, Promenade Girl, Green Darlin, London Lane, and La Reine’s Terms.

*Takethemoneyhoney looks to rebound in the Politely

Takethemoneyhoney, a nose and a head away from being unbeaten after six starts, is the 3-2 morning line favorite in the Politely for Maryland-bred or -sired fillies and mares at six furlongs.

A 4-year-old by Golden Lad, Takethemoneyhoney drops into a restricted race for the first time since a facile allowance victory in her seasonal debut on Feb. 25. She scored the open Serena’s Song at Monmouth on May 11 before going to the sidelines.

Trained by Michael Moore for Kasey K Racing Stable and Michael Day, Takethemoneyhoney returned from a 195-day layoff to finish a game second in the open Willa On the Move here on Nov. 22.

Eliseo Ruiz retains the mount aboard Takethemoneyhoney, who handles the top weight of 126 lbs.

Brittany Russell counters with two entrants. John Middleton’s Grayson’s Girl, never off the board from nine starts, rallied from behind to capture the open Safely Kept for 3-year-olds on Nov. 29.

“Her running style, it’s what she wants and how she does things,” the trainer said. “We know she’ll run her race. I just hope it sets up for her.”

Jevian Toledo pilots Grayson’s Girl while Sheldon Russell has the call on stakes-placed Conquerthosewecan, who ran third in an open allowance race on Nov. 30.

“We’ve thrown her some tests,” Brittany Russell said of Conquerthosewecan, a homebred owned by Sycamore Hall Thoroughbreds. “She shows up. I guess we’re looking for that kind of breakthrough.”

Frank Sample’s Onyx Ten and No Guts No Glory Farm’s Green Eyed Monster ran one-two in the Shamrock Farm Maryland Million Distaff on Oct. 11. The former then finished third to Grayson’s Girl in the Safely Kept.

Gary Capuano trains Onyx Ten, who boasts three stakes victories in 2025. John Robb conditions Green Eyed Monster and uncoupled stablemate Itsamonstamash, who enters following two consecutive wins against non-stakes competition.

Narrow Leaf Farm’s Miss Harriett, a multiple stakes-winning filly who finished third in the Willa On the Move, is expected to show high gate speed from the inside post under Forest Boyce.

Devil Pays in Gold also entered.

Maryland-bred Politely was bred and raced by Mrs. Richard du Pont’s Sagamore Farm. She won 21 of 49 career starts, including 13 stakes victories. Politely was a member of the inaugural Maryland-bred Thoroughbred Hall of Fame Class of 2013.

*Complexity Jane seeks back-to-back victories

Brittany Russell also owns a strong hand in the Carousel for fillies and mares at 1 1/8 miles.

Golden Lion Farm’s Complexity Jane can be rambunctious. She balked at the starting gate before winning the Weber City Miss on April 19, then unseated jockey Sheldon Russell during the post parade of the Hilltop at Pimlico, necessitating a late scratch.

When the 3-year-old filly minds her manners, she can step, as evidenced by her unbeaten record at Laurel, highlighted by her 3 ¼-length triumph in the Thirty Eight Go Go on Nov. 9.

“It was really good,” Brittany Russell said. “She came out of it great and has trained really forwardly since. She has her little things about her. Hopefully, if we can keep her feet on the ground and get her in the gate, she’ll run well.”

Bridlewood Farm and Madaket Stables’ Lute Warm has done most of her running on turf. She came back from a 328-day layoff to win her only start this year, a high-level allowance on grass at Laurel on Nov. 14.

“It was a very minor thing [that caused the layoff], Russell said. “Unfortunately, it took a lot of time, but I think it was good for her. She’s a very good filly on the grass. The goal here, obviously, will be to get her some black type. She trains well on the dirt in the morning, so you have to see sometimes if that translates to the afternoon.”

Larry Fowler’s Intrepid Mo leaps into stakes company for the first time after winning two of her last three starts.

“She’s turned out pretty good,” said trainer Gary Capuano after Intrepid Mo’s first-level allowance victory on Dec. 5. “She’s come a long way. As a baby, we had to nurse her along pretty slow, and give her a lot of time, but it’s paid off.”

Doctor Abbie finished a fast-closing second to Complexity Jane in the Thirty Eight Go Go. She’ll attempt to rebound from a seventh-place finish in Parx’s Cornucopia on Nov. 26 for owner Bush Racing Stable and trainer Tim Kreiser.

The Sky Is Falling leaves West Virginia for the first time in her career, but the 13-time winner took three of four starts at Charles Town since returning from a summer vacation. Jeff Runco conditions the Cupid mare for owner David Raim.

Sultry Lass, claimed for $80,000 out of her last start by owner Joel Politi and trainer Tom Amoss, drew the inside post.

Late Nite Call, speedy Di’s Surprise, stakes-placed Bailintin, Secret Journey, and Audibly are also expected.