Slam Notion provides "early Christmas present" in Bender * The Racing Biz

Slam Notion provides “early Christmas present” in Bender

Frank Vespe
December 20, 2025

“There’s a vibe in [trainer Robbie Bailes’s Laurel Park] barn right now,” Eric Rizer said following Saturday’s Howard and Sondra Bender Memorial Stakes. “Everybody’s just happy, and everybody feels good, and when they do, the horses feel good, too.

“I’m with it,” Bailes countered with a laugh. “That vibe’s been there ever since [the Rizers’ horses] came into the barn.”

As horse racing explanations go, good vibes work better than most.

This article contains affiliate links. If you click and buy, we may earn a commission at no extra charge to you.

Get tickets now!

Pick up reliable and rewarding tickets for major events!

And in truth, the Rizers and the Bailes barn have plenty to celebrate these days. The Rizer horses are winning at a 26% clip under Bailes’s tutelage, and on Saturday Slam Notion, a three-year-old Rizer homebred, won the third stake of his career with a sharp three-length score in the Maryland- and Virginia-restricted Howard and Sondra Bender Memorial Stakes.

*Slam Notion scored in the Howard and Sondra Bender Memorial. Photo by Jeff Snyder.*

The win came exactly two weeks Slewperstitus, another Bailes-trained Rizer homebred, won the Maryland Juvenile Filly Stakes, likely securing state-bred distaff juvenile honors.

“[Wife] Nancy and I have been in racing about 25 years,” Rizer said. “This is probably the most fun we’ve ever had.”

Slam Notion is a big part of the reason. The three-year-old Great Notion gelding broke his maiden Dec. 21, 2024, and Saturday’s triumph was his sixth in 10 outings this year. Overall, he’s won seven of 12 and earned more than $350,000.

Slam Notion has been gradually improving while tackling tougher company. Each of his three most recent dirt starts produced a new career-best Beyer speed figure, reaching 93 last time out in winning the Maryland Million Sprint; and he’s now 3-for-3 against older horses.

“It’s like he keeps stepping up to the plate each time,” Bailes said.

But he entered today’s contest perhaps a bit below the radar. The Ned Allard-trained Quint’s Brew, a dominant winner of the General George last February who subsequently finished second in a pair of graded stakes, went off the 7-10 choice in his first start since early May. Blue Kingdom, a flashy New York allowance last time out, was 8-5.

That left Slam Notion, off at 7-2, the clear third choice in the field of five.

Quint’s Brew, though, broke a bit sluggishly and quickly found himself in a tough spot behind horses. Jevian Toledo, meanwhile, had Slam Notion in action early, pressing the moderate pace set by Blue Kingdom, who rattled off a quarter-mile in 23.59 seconds and a half in 47.24.

“When I saw the early fractions, I’m like, ‘Okay, well, that’s not bad,’” said Bailes, who had not expected his charge to be so close to the pace. “I thought they were gonna be clipping along, 22-and-change, maybe 45 or 46. I felt good about it.”

Toledo and Slam Notion took the fight to Blue Kingdom in earnest passing the three-eighths pole and disposed of that rival as the field turned for home. Quint’s Brew, biding his time in behind the speed, was able to slip between for a clear shot at the new leader.

But with a relatively stress-free trip behind him, Slam Notion kicked home smartly, extending his lead to three lengths at the finish and stopping the timer in 1:24.51 for seven furlongs on a fast main track.

Next up? Probably some time off on the Rizers’ Virginia farm.

“We’re going to give him a little bit of a break now, and hopefully, he’ll come back stronger next year,” Bailes said.

Oh, and some celebrating.

“It feels absolutely awesome, especially coming into the Christmas holiday,” Rizer said. “This win, and our son just had a baby, so we have our first grandchild. We’re really getting nice early Christmas presents.”

Get tickets now!

Pick up reliable and rewarding tickets for major events!

LATEST NEWS