Three Maryland-bred standouts will represent the Free State on racing’s grandest stage this Saturday at Del Mar, each tackling a different Grade 1 event on Breeders’ Cup Saturday — and each arriving with top credentials.

Splendora, bred by The Elkstone Group LLC, lines up in the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint and is 8-1 on the morning line in the seven-furlong contest.

The 4-year-old daughter of Audible, out of the Frost Giant mare Miss Freeze, has been a picture of consistency for trainer Bob Baffert, winning four of nine starts with four seconds for earnings of $340,800. One of those defeats came in her debut, and two others came in route races.

Owned by Talla Racing LLC and ridden by Flavien Prat, Splendora has made Del Mar her home base this season, winning twice, including the Tranquility Lake Stakes. She was runner-up to stablemate Seismic Beauty earlier this year in the Santa Margarita (G2), and her steady speed and comfort over the track make her a live contender against a deep field of national sprint stars.

Seismic Beauty, also trained by Baffert, is the 9-5 morning line favorite in the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Distaff for owners MyRacehorse and Peter Leidel. Bred in Maryland by Determined Stud, the 4-year-old Uncle Mo filly is out of Knarsdale, by Medaglia d’Oro, and has rapidly become one of the leading dirt females in the country.

With four wins and two seconds from seven starts and career earnings nearing $500,000, she enters off three consecutive graded victories, including the Grade 1 Clement L. Hirsch at Del Mar. Regular rider Juan Hernandez stays aboard as Seismic Beauty looks to use her early speed to control the pace against a field loaded with proven Grade 1 winners.

Rounding out the Maryland trio is Mindframe, 10-1 on the morning line for the $7 million Breeders’ Cup Classic. Bred by the late R. Larry Johnson, the dark bay 4-year-old colt by Constitution out of Walk of Stars (Street Sense) races for Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable and is trained by Todd Pletcher.

Mindframe’s raw ability has been evident since his debut, and despite a limited resume —  just eight lifetime starts — he’s amassed five wins, two seconds, and nearly $1.85 million in earnings. With Irad Ortiz Jr. in the irons, he returns to top-level company after a commanding Stephen Foster (G1) victory earlier this summer at Churchill Downs. Most recently he was bumped early and lost Ortiz during the running of the Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup Aug. 31 at Saratoga, so he hasn’t contested in and completed a race since late June.

Mindframe is currently the leader in the Mid-Atlantic Thoroughbred/The Racing Biz Top Midlantic-bred Poll. Seismic Beauty is ranked third, while Splendora is ninth.

In 2021 a pair of Maryland-breds – Knicks Go in the Classic and Aloha West in the Sprint – came home with Breeders’ Cup victories. With three live runners in Splendora, Seismic Beauty, and Mindframe, Saturday could be another banner day for Maryland’s breeding industry.