Cruise the Nile notches first stakes victory in Henry S. Clark
“Barn favorite” Outlaw Kid reigns in the King T. Leatherbury Stakes

LAUREL, MD—Taj Mahal earned his way into the Grade 1, $2,000,000 Preakness Stakes, the second jewel of the Triple Crown, with a dominant performance Saturday in the $150,000 Federico Tesio Stakes for 3-year-olds at 1 1/8 miles at Laurel Park.

“This is our horse. He was awesome today. The jockey did a good job,” beamed winning trainer Brittany Russell, who had a four-win afternoon on Saturday’s 12-race “Preakness Preview Day” program.

“The jockey” is Brittany’s husband, Sheldon Russell, who won three races and sent Taj Mahal to the lead from the far outside post in the ten-horse Federico Tesio.

Showing brilliant early foot, Taj Mahal cleared to the rail before the halfway point of the clubhouse turn and opened a four-length lead after an opening quarter in 23.93 seconds.

“The outside post is always going to be a worry,” Sheldon Russell said. “I’ve rode a lot of races here, and I’ve lost a lot from that outside post. The goal was not to make the lead because we had the outside post. The plan was that this might be the race where something else does the dirty work, and he looms outside. He warmed up like he was going to break out of there and do something. He was there for me the second, third, fourth jump, and he wouldn’t stop until he got across.”

Freewheeling on the backstretch, Taj Mahal was ten lengths ahead of a shell-shocked Volendam after a half-mile clocking of 47.80 seconds.

Russell allowed the colt a breather entering the far turn. They completed six furlongs in 1:14.30, but that brought Volendam, Wild Warrior, and Let’s Go Lando into contention.

For a second, it looked like Taj Mahal’s tank was empty, but in the blink of an eye, he found another gear. Amid the crowd’s oohs and aahs, Taj Mahal bounded home, 8 ¼ lengths better than Wild Warrior, in 1:52.92 on the fast track.

“At the half-mile pole, he took a deep breath, and I knew once I could hear them coming, I could rev him back up,” Sheldon Russell said.

Let’s Go Lando finished third, 1 ¼ lengths behind stablemate Wild Warrior. Volendam, Hixon, Code of Silence, Higher Sense, Close the Gate, Classic Nofty, and Chayton followed.

Favored Taj Mahal returned $4.40 to win.

Bred in Florida by Vegso Racing Stable, Taj Mahal is a bay colt by Nyquist, out of stakes-placed Oola Gal, by Quality Road. Purchased for $525,000 as a yearling, Taj Mahal is owned by SF Racing, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, Stonestreet Stables, Bashor Racing, Determined Stables, Golconda Stable, Waves Edge Capital, and Catherine Donovan.

Taj Mahal began his career with Bob Baffert in Southern California, but was transferred to Brittany Russell before a winning debut at six furlongs on February 6.

“We sprinted him because he showed us signs that he was ready to run,” Sheldon Russell said. “He didn’t get away the best. He was all class. You could tell from that day he was something special.”

Taj Mahal was then immediately tested in the Miracle Wood Stakes at one mile and came through with flying colors, beating Let’s Go Lando by a neck in a furious stretch drive.

“It was on 13 days rest, and he blew me away that day how game he was,” Sheldon Russell said of the Miracle Wood.

Taj Mahal was scheduled to run in Aqueduct’s Grade 2 Wood Memorial on April 4, but the Russells opted to wait for the Federico Tesio.

“We had a very minor setback [that forced us to miss the Wood], and I’m so thankful that [the owners] let me take my time,” Brittany Russell said as she welcomed Taj Mahal to the winner’s circle.

Named for the noted Italian breeder, owner, and trainer whose homebreds Nearco and Ribot dominate Thoroughbred bloodlines worldwide. A total of 24 Tesio winners have run in the Preakness, with the most recent being Pay Billy in 2025. Maryland-bred Deputed Testamony is the only horse to sweep both races, accomplishing the feat in 1983.

The Preakness Stakes will be held at Laurel Park on May 16.

*Cruise the Nile earns first stakes victory in Henry S. Clark

Heading into the $100,000 Henry S. Clark Stakes for 3-year-olds and up, racing one mile on the Bowl Game Turf Course, handicappers knew Cruise the Nile had speed and natural ability.

But how would he fare against another speed horse?

That question was answered in the affirmative when Cruise the Nile and jockey Jorge Ruiz rallied from off the pace to nip Horsepower by a neck in 1:33.85 on the firm Bowl Game Turf Course.

Ruiz, a leading turf jockey in the region, recently returned to Maryland following his winter stint at Gulfstream Park. He achieved three grass race victories on Saturday.

“There was a lot of speed in the race,” Ruiz said. “My horse is getting better and better.”

Bartlett took the lead at 27-1 under jockey Frankie Pennington and set rapid fractions of 23.29 and 46.83 seconds. Meanwhile, Cruise the Nile settled in midpack after drifting out slightly on the first turn.

“I went a little bit wide,” Ruiz said. “This is more of a tighter track [than what he’s used to].”

Cruise the Nile advanced outside on the far bend, was floated out a couple of paths during his stretch rally, then regrouped to sprint his final eighth in less than 12 seconds.

“I sent my horse passing the three-eighths, and he finished strong,” added Ruiz.

Cruise the Nile, the betting favorite, paid $4.40 to win. Bartlett held third, followed by Hold Out, Baby Max, Vote No, King Size, Naptown, Sherlock’s Jewel, Mischievous Angel, and Neat.

Cruise the Nile is a 4-year-old gelding by Cairo Prince, out of the multiple stakes-winner Party Boat, by Into Mischief.

Bred in New Jersey, Cruise the Nile is a homebred owned by Hope Jones and has been patiently handled by trainer Graham Motion.

“We had some problems with him, so we missed his 2-year-old year,” Motion said earlier this week. “His owner has been incredibly patient. He was always a horse that we liked a lot.”

Cruise the Nile debuted late last year, finishing fourth in a six-furlong maiden special weight race on a muddy dirt track. Since then, he’s been unstoppable, winning four straight races.

“He’s a very sensible horse to ride, so even though he’d been on the lead in his previous starts, we thought he would relax,” Motion said. “He needed to settle today, and he stepped up and handled everything really well. He’s a very cool horse to train in the morning. He’s very relaxed.”

Motion said he wants to keep Cruise the Nile at one mile for now.

The Henry S. Clark is named for the Hall of Fame trainer, known as the “dean of Maryland trainers.” Clark trained 33 stakes winners, including Preakness runner-up Linkage.

*“Barn favorite” Outlaw Kid reigns in King T. Leatherbury Stakes

Benefiting from an electric pace and a wonderful ride by Ruiz, Outlaw Kid returned firing in his first start of the year to win the $100,000 King T. Leatherbury Stakes for 3-year-olds and up, covering 5 ½ furlongs on the Exceller Turf Course.

Outlaw Kid, an honest 7-year-old gelding by Violence, saved ground in midpack as multiple stakes-winner Doncho and the speedy Jean Valjean blitzed through the opening quarter in 22.08 seconds.

Ruiz spied an opening along the inside as they turned into the long stretch, and Outlaw Kid lengthened his stride. Forced to briefly angle outside a tiring Doncho, Ruiz immediately maneuvered his mount back to the rail, and they stormed home to win by a neck over multiple stakes-winner Chasing Liberty.

Whenigettoheaven rallied for third, a length behind the runner-up. Defending champion Fore Harp, Schwarzmeier, Had to Have Him, Jean Valjean, Prince of Jericho, Eamonn, Determined Kingdom, Incinerator, King Covee, and Doncho completed the order of finish.

Outlaw Kid paid $24 to win.

“I broke well and waited for the room,” said Ruiz. “Once I asked him for a finish, he responded very well. He’s a nice horse.”

Outlaw Kid has been skillfully trained by George Weaver since a sixth-place finish in his 2022 debut. A two-time winner of Woodbine’s restricted Vice Regent Stakes, Outlaw Kid finished fourth in his final start last year, the Aqueduct Turf Sprint Championship.

“I talked to [Jorge] a little bit,” Weaver said via telephone. “He watched the horse’s replays, and had a good feel for how this horse needed to be ridden. I thought he did a great job.”

Bred in Ontario by Robert G. Harvey, Outlaw Kid is out of Calling Rhy Rhy, a multiple stakes-winner by City Zip. A half-brother to stakes-winner Babbo, Outlaw Kid is owned by R A Hill Stable and SGV Thoroughbreds.

Outlaw Kid finished second in the 2024 King T. Leatherbury, also on his return from a winter vacation. He has earned stakes wins or placings at Aqueduct, Woodbine, Laurel, and Saratoga, has captured seven races from 24 starts, and has earned $627,614.

“He’s a barn favorite,” Weaver said. “He’s a real class horse. He’s sweet to be around. He has a great disposition. Willing to do whatever you ask him to do. You couldn’t ask for a better racehorse.”

The King T. Leatherbury is named for the legendary Hall of Fame trainer who passed away earlier this year at age 92.

Leatherbury’s horses won 6,508 races, earning $64,693,537. He captured 52 training titles in Maryland, 26 each at Pimlico and Laurel, and four meet championships at Delaware Park.

Leatherbury led all North American trainers in wins in 1977 and 1978, and won 300 or more races each year from 1975 to 1978.

He secured at least 200 victories annually for 11 consecutive years and had 100 or more winners for 26 straight years. Leatherbury ranked among the top three in North American wins annually from 1975 to 1980 and was among the top ten nationally in earnings four times.

Leatherbury was inducted into the National Museum of Racing’s Hall of Fame in 2015. A Celebration of Life for Leatherbury was held at Laurel Park on Saturday morning.