Laurel Park plays host to five stakes races Saturday, including the $100,000 Dahlia Stakes, a one-mile turf test for fillies and mares 3 and up. Among the headliners is millionaire Sparkle Blue, who returns to familiar ground in search of her third Laurel stakes win—but she may once again face a serious challenge from Cut From Class, who pushed her to the wire in last year’s Big Dreyfus Stakes.

Trained by Graham Motion, Sparkle Blue has already etched her name into Laurel Park’s record books, having won the last two editions of the Big Dreyfus. A Grade 2 winner and model of consistency, the 5-year-old mare became a millionaire in 2024 and brings both class and experience into the Dahlia.

“She’s a very generous, straightforward filly. She makes my life very easy,” Motion said. “She’s just a real blue-collar, hard-knocking filly.”

Sparkle Blue last ran in the Grade 2 Hillsborough at Tampa Bay Downs on March 8, where she finished fifth in a deep field.

“I don’t know if I can make too many excuses for her,” Motion said. “I thought I had her pretty fit. It also came up a pretty competitive race. I think the first two are proper Grade 2, Grade 1 type fillies.”

Sparkle Blue, 6-5 on the morning line, is owned by Catherine Parke and Augustin Stable and will have Jorge Ruiz up.

She’s since turned in a sharp workout, breezing five furlongs in a bullet 1:01.60 over Fair Hill’s All Weather Training Track on April 13, going in company with Gimme a Nother, a Group 1 winner in South Africa who was second in the Hillsborough.

Looking to turn the tables is Cut From Class, who made Sparkle Blue earn every inch of her Big Dreyfus title last summer, finishing just a half-length behind after setting the pace.

“To run against that kind of competition and come so close, I was extremely proud of her,” said trainer Caitlin Keil, who is seeking her first stakes win.

The daughter of Blame, owned by Keil and her father Steve Keil, hasn’t raced since November but makes her 2025 debut with tactical plans in mind.

“I’m hoping she’s fit enough,” Keil said. “She hasn’t had a start since November. I like the mile. Hopefully, it’ll hit her right between the eyes.”

Keil added, “I hope Cut From Class is on the lead.”

Kevn Gomez will ride. Cut From Class is 5-1 on the morning line.

The Dahlia also features Tufani, a multiple stakes winner who rallied to finish second in the Tom Benson Memorial at Fair Grounds and appears to be rounding into form in her third start of the season.

Fantastical and Nineteenamendment enter off allowance wins over synthetic tracks at Turfway and Gulfstream, respectively. Gourmet, Di’s Surprise, and Pure Majestic complete the field, while Skip Thru Da Fire is entered main track only.