Cutty Shark wins a January allowance. Photo by Jim McCue, Maryland Jockey Club.
From a Maryland Jockey Club release
A week after nearly 20,000 people attended the 30th running of the Jim McKay Maryland Million, Laurel Park resumes live racing Friday with big fields awaiting bettors on Friday and Saturday.
Friday’s 11-race program has 126 horses entered with the highlight of the card being a $50,000 allowance optional claimer at seven furlongs with General George (G3) runner-up Cutty Shark and the multiple-stakes winner Ain’t Got Time meeting six others. Meanwhile, Saturday’s 12-race program, which includes five turf races, drew 162 entries.
First race post time is 12:35 p.m. Doors to the newly-renovated Laurel open at 11 a.m.
Friday’s program will also feature a $3,473 carryover on the Pick 5 with an industry-low 12-percent takeout and a Rainbow 6 carryover of $5,591.
Cutty Shark, a 4-year-old gelding trained by Donald Barr, was second by a neck behind Misconnect in February in the General George at Laurel and was beaten less than a length in January in the Fire Plug. The son of Old Fashioned will be making his first start since March. Forest Boyce has the ride.
Cutty Shark emerged as a local force late last season, when the Florida-bred ran second, at 31-1, in the City of Laurel Stakes in November. He followed that with a win against allowance rivals before finishing third, beaten just a half-length, in the Fire Plug.
In the Grade 3 General George, Cutty Shark, nearly 25-1 at post time, surged to command at the head of the lane, opening a 2 1/2 length lead. But he could not contain the late rally of Misconnect, who was up late to post the neck victory.
Ain’t Got Time, a son of Roman Ruler trained by Tim Ritchey, comes into Friday’s race off a victory in the Governors Day Stakes last month at Delaware. The 4-year-old took the Carl Hanford at Delaware in July. Scott Spieth has the mount.
