LRL: Big tests await for 2yos in Lewis, Smart Halo
Walt’s Notion strong favorite in Lewis
The Biz
October 2, 2026
Walt’s Notion gets another chance at a stakes win, while Welovemollynteddy gets a chance to show whether her runaway debut was a sign of things to come Saturday at Laurel Park.
The two juveniles are leading contenders in the $100,000 James F. Lewis III and $100,000 Smart Halo, respectively. Both races are at six furlongs and join the Twixt and Polynesian on a program featuring four $100,000 stakes. First post is noon.
Walt’s Notion, the even-money morning-line favorite in the Lewis, won his Delaware Park debut by 2¾ lengths before losing a head decision to Strong Suspicion in the Sept. 11 First State Dash. Walt’s Notion had bested Strong Suspicion in that debut victory.
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“He put forth a winning effort in his last start,” trainer Phil Capuano said. “It was a shame that he just got beat by a better horse. Those two ran together the first time, and I would say we got a better trip. [Last time, Strong Suspicion] had the perfect trip, the perfect post.”
The Great Notion colt, a half-brother to stakes winner Pont Aven, races for Louis Ulman, Walter Vieser II and Michael Scheffres. He adds cheater blinkers Saturday, with Mychel Sanchez aboard, as Capuano looks to sharpen his focus.
“The first time when he broke his maiden, it looked like he was kind of looking around,” Capuano said. “He just really wasn’t focused out there. On the gallop-out in the stake, he just stuck right next to that horse, and didn’t really keep on going. He came back, and he really wasn’t blowing. He didn’t act like he was tired.”
Grind It Out offers an intriguing challenge. Colts Neck Stables’ Vekoma colt led throughout a 4¾-length debut win at Colonial Downs Sept. 3 and returns with Johan Rosado for trainer Jorge Duarte Jr.
“He hasn’t missed a beat in training. He’s very easy to train,” Duarte said.
Brittany Russell’s Harewood returns to dirt after finishing third in Colonial’s Jamestown Stakes on turf. He won his only dirt start by three lengths and has Sheldon Russell aboard. Prince of Peace also enters off a Colonial maiden win, while Dats Improbable won his Timonium debut by 10¼ lengths.
Remembertheword and It’s Prime Time are also entered. Graham Motion said Indian Pharoah, cross-entered at Delaware, was 50/50 to run at Laurel.
The Smart Halo’s shape depends partly on Harper’s Corner, who is also entered in the Grade 3 Matron on turf at Belmont. Cal Lynch’s filly won Saratoga’s Schuylerville by 5¼ lengths and finished second, beaten 4¾ lengths, in the Grade 1 Spinaway. If she ends up at Laurel, she’ll be odds-on.
If not, the race opens up. Welovemollynteddy brings plenty of intrigue. The Cyberknife filly won her Aug. 25 Parx debut by 15½ lengths for Bran Jam Stable and David Clark.
“We thought that [debut] was in her, and she certainly showed it,” trainer Lou Linder Jr. said.
Managing her temperament is arguably a tougher assignment.
“She’s a flight risk. She’s an absolute handful,” Linder said. “We do a lot of repetitive [schooling] at the gate to try to get her head in the game.”
Eliseo Ruiz rides Welovemollynteddy, who faces two unbeaten Brittany Russell trainees. Piggybunz won her Colonial debut by 5¼ lengths, covering six furlongs in 1:09.29, and retains Sheldon Russell. Bellablaze, a half-sister to Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint winner Shisospicy, switches to dirt after a turf debut win and gets Sanchez.
Hamilton Smith’s Talking Foolish, a rallying maiden winner at Colonial, could benefit if the speed horses keep one another busy. Taylor Kingsley rides.
Gary Capuano said Martiniwithatwist and Whitten Way were unlikely to run, while Hugh McMahon plans to scratch Go New York Go for a Sunday race.
The Smart Halo is carded as the fourth race on a 10-race program, while the Lewis is the sixth.
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