Selima, Laurel Futurity highlight Saturday card
Trainer Brion seeks first flat stakes win in Selima
The Biz
September 25, 2026
Trainer Keri Brion will take two shots at her first flat stakes victory in Saturday’s $125,000 Selima Stakes at Laurel Park.
The Selima, won previously by 2019 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf winner Sharing, is one of three stakes on the Saturday card. Also scheduled are the $125,000 Laurel Futurity for two-year-olds and the All Along for fillies and mares. All three are on the turf.
Brion, an 11-time Grade 1 winner over jumps who conditioned The Mean Queen to a steeplechase Eclipse Award, will saddle recent maiden winners Sea Isle City (7-2) and Millford Lass (9-2) in the 1 1/16-mile turf test for 2-year-old fillies.
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“I’m really getting sick of being close. I’ve placed in plenty of stakes,” Brion said in a release. “It sure would be nice to get that milestone out of the way.”
Brion also appeared this week on the Midlantic Racing Today podcast.
Sea Isle City finished second in her turf debut at Saratoga before winning a 6 ½-furlong maiden race at Kentucky Downs Sept. 7. Vincent Cheminaud rides the daughter of Jack Christopher from post two.
“She acts like a filly that wants to go longer,” Brion said.
Millford Lass rallied to graduate going 5 ½ furlongs at Colonial Downs Aug. 22. Jorge Ruiz will ride from post 10.
“She has really taken a step forward since her maiden win,” Brion said. “She has figured out what racing is and has been training like it. This is what she’s bred to do.”
The Selima field also includes Brittany Russell trainees Dance to Glory, a debut winner going one mile on turf at Colonial, and Hidden Overture, who won an off-turf Delaware Park maiden by 13 ¾ lengths.
Maybe Gold, a debut winner at Colonial for trainer Jorge Duarte Jr., is the 3-1 morning-line favorite. Kentucky Downs runner-up Cherokee Purple and Ellis Park maiden winner Homeawayfromhome are among the other leading contenders.
The $125,000 Laurel Futurity, also for 2-year-olds at 1 1/16 miles on turf, drew New York starters Howard’s Hope, Fullcup, Broadcast, Perfect Dream, and Fire Marshal.
Miguel Clement sends out Broadcast (9-5), a younger half-brother to Breeders’ Cup winner Sharing. The Into Mischief colt finished a close fourth in his Saratoga debut at the Laurel Futurity distance.
“He’s a very straightforward, lovely colt,” Clement said. “He was a bit unlucky on debut.”
Howard’s Hope (9-2) rallied from well off the pace to win his debut against New York-breds for trainer Horacio De Paz. He had been considered for the Grade 3 With Anticipation Stakes but skipped that race after briefly going off his feed.
Perfect Dream (4-1), who broke his maiden at Monmouth in his first turf try, did run in the With Anticipation, pressing the pace for three-quarters of a mile before settling for third.
Graham Motion, who has won two of the last seven editions of the Laurel Futurity, will send out Colonial maiden winner Coast Highway (6-1). Jamestown Stakes upsetter Moneta Agenda (20-1), and Saratoga debut winner Fullcup (7-2) also are entered.
The Selima and Laurel Futurity are part of Laurel’s 10-race Autumn Turf Festival card, which begins at noon Saturday.
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