Md. Million: Youth served, but experience counts too
Winning trainers range from 32 to 81
Frank Vespe
October 26, 2026
Youth was served in Saturday’s 41st Maryland Million. But experience held its own, too.
Trainer Phil Capuano, 32, logged his first Maryland Million triumph, while Hamilton Smith (81) and Jerry Robb (74) each won twice to move up the Million ladder.
For Capuano, Mopo’s determined victory in the Maryland Million Ladies at Laurel Park added his name to a family tradition. His uncle Dale, now retired, remains the event’s all-time leading trainer with 15 wins. His father Gary has seven.
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Phil now has one, courtesy of a filly who kept finding more.
Under Paco Lopez, Mopo Racing’s Mopo tracked runaway leader Precious Avary before taking command entering the stretch. Beautiful Blome ranged alongside, but Mopo turned her back to win by three-quarters of a length, completing 1 1/16 miles on firm turf in 1:43.28. The Mopo Racing runner returned $5.
“She wasn’t going to let that horse go by her today,” Capuano said.
The victory came a year after a foot abscess cost Mopo her opportunity to compete on Maryland Million day. This time, the Great Notion filly delivered, showing the same determination Capuano remembered from her maiden victory going long at Pimlico.
Her versatility gave Lopez options. Capuano said they anticipated Precious Avary’s early speed and planned to let that rival come back to them while preserving something for the stretch.
Capuano said he planned to make the Ladies her final start of the season, with a winter break ahead and the possibility of tackling more ambitious company next year.
For the moment, though, there was a milestone to enjoy, and more work waiting.
“It’s a great feeling. It’s a great day for Maryland racing,” he said. “It’s a wonderful card to showcase Maryland horses and everybody in Maryland.”
Smith, meanwhile, supplied a reminder that winning these races still requires solving the problems each horse presents.
His homebred Talking Foolish had been trying to get out, both in races and during morning training. Smith had her teeth checked and found no physical explanation. Equipment changes helped, with blinkers providing the breakthrough.
“But then when I put the blinkers on, then she went straight,” Smith said. “Been terrific ever since.”
In the $100,000 Lassie, the Blofeld filly rushed between rivals, took command and drew clear under Jevian Toledo. She beat Mountain Mamba by 2 1/2 lengths in 1:11.17 for six furlongs, paying $9.60.
Smith bred and owns Talking Foolish, making her victory a success across three roles. It also completed his personal double: earlier, Celtic Contender had captured the $100,000 Sprint for him and Lewis Family Racing Stable.
Forest Boyce guided the Irish War Cry horse to a stalking trip before bidding outside the leaders. Celtic Contender held Suremeanttoobe safe by a length, covering six furlongs in 1:10.15 and returning $5.20.
The two victories brought Smith’s Maryland Million total to 12.
Robb, meanwhile, reached 14, one behind Dale Capuano, with starter handicap winners Don’t Tell Deren on turf and Marriedtothegame on dirt.
Decades separate Smith and Robb, on the one hand, and Phil Capuano, on the other. But all three spent Saturday watching their preparation rewarded.
Smith, who turns 82 in January, offered no indication that he was ready to stop doing the work.
“I don’t know whether you’ve noticed or not, but I’m getting old,” he joked.
His prescription was simple: “Keep moving, keep working. I don’t like to sit around and do nothing.”
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