Neat, Fulmineo clash in Henry S. Clark

The $100,000 Henry S. Clark Stakes is among the highlights of Saturday’s card at Laurel Park and often serves as a key prep for the Grade 2 Dinner Party Stakes, held on the Preakness undercard at Pimlico on May 17. The one-mile turf test is the 10th race on a 12-race program.

Among the contenders is Neat, a 4-year-old son of Constitution who captured graded stakes at Keeneland, Aqueduct, and Saratoga last year. Owned by Red White and Blue Racing and trained by Rob Atras, Neat returns to Maryland after finishing sixth in his 2025 debut, the Grade 1 Frank E. Kilroe Mile at Santa Anita on March 1.

“It was a really tough race,” Atras said. “I don’t like to make any excuses, but the turf was a little bit on the soft side for California. I don’t know if that had anything to do with the result, but one of the reasons we went out there was the firm turf.”

On the opposite end of the turf preference spectrum is Fulmineo, a Maryland-bred 4-year-old colt by Bolt d’Oro, owned by Starlight Racing and Mark Grier. Trained by Arnaud Delacour, Fulmineo won two stakes last year—both over soft ground—but hasn’t raced since finishing seventh in the Grade 3 Virginia Derby on September 7.

“We thought he needed a break,” Delacour said. “His last two races were a little flat. We’ve been aiming for this race all winter because it’s a logical spot. He hasn’t missed a beat. His breeze pattern is every week. I’m happy with his condition, for sure. I’m hoping we have a bit of cut in the ground.”

Desvio, winner of the 1 3/8-mile Kent Stakes at Delaware last summer, also returns off a layoff. The Stonelea Stable and Bonnie Rye Stable colt followed that effort with a third-place finish in the Virginia Derby and ended his 2024 campaign with a sixth-place run in the Grade 3 Hill Prince at Aqueduct on November 9.

“We rode him for a week after that to let him down, then kicked him out to a farm nearby,” said trainer Madison Meyers. “He did great [over the winter]. He’s not always the easiest to deal with, but he’s just a bigger, stronger horse now. It’s a big cutback going back to a mile, but it’s kind of a good jumping-off place, and I feel he’ll probably be a little bit sharp off the layoff.”

Also entered are the sharp recent performers Card Trick, Signator, Degree of Risk, and Hammer. Ocean City projects to show early speed from his inside post. Grade 3-placed Crabs N Beer and stretch-out sprinter Mischievous Angel complete the field.