Laurel Park picks and ponderings: October 11, 2025 * The Racing Biz

Laurel Park picks and ponderings: October 11, 2025

John Piassek
October 10, 2025

In which we pick the races from Laurel Park each day…

First post time: 11:30 a.m.

Carryovers:
Chesapeake Jackpot Pick 6 (races 7-12) — $2,099
Jackpot Super High 5 (race 6) — $1,712
Early Pick 5 (races 1-5) — $0
Late Pick 5 (races 8-12) — $0

Check out our other handicapping here!

RACE 1: MARYLAND MILLION DISTAFF STARTER HANDICAP, 3-YEAR-OLDS AND UP, FILLIES AND MARES, MD-RESTRICTED, 7 FURLONGS

9-8-3-1

The 40th Jim McKay Maryland Million day has arrived!! Note the early first post. #9 Cluck Cluck (9-5) would’ve been a contender in the Maryland Million Distaff later on the card, but opts for this softer spot instead. She’s hit the exacta nine times in 10 starts this year, while running brisnet figures in the 90s in her last four starts on this track. She couldn’t get there after a wide trip last out, but while she’s stuck on the outside again, at least this time, she won’t have as tough of rivals to run down. #8 Neolithica (2-1) looms as the main speed of this contest. She got caught up in a duel and faded last out at Delaware Park, but went gate-to-wire in her last two tries when she had an easier time of things on the lead. There’s some speed to her inside, but she looks fast enough to outrun them, and will be especially dangerous if she can do so. #3 Gilda’s Girl (6-1) gets Jaime Rodriguez back in the saddle, and has great late tactical speed along with a solid late punch.

RACE 2: MARYLAND MILLION TURF SPRINT, 3-YEAR-OLDS AND UP, MD-RESTRICTED, 5 1/2 FURLONGS (GRASS)

1-3-8-2

The first of eight stakes races today attracted a very competitive field. #1 Had to Have Him (2-1), after looking promising for a while, has finally found his best self this year. He put it all together last out with an impressive come-from-behind win in the Laurel Dash, rallying with giant strides down the center of the track. If he can get himself in the clear from off the pace, he’ll be very tough to hold off. #3 Witty (9-5) won the 2023 edition of this race and was the 17-10 favorite to repeat last year, but never got involved. He’s won three times, including a pair of stakes races, since then, all of them with his signature late kick. He’s a bit inconsistent, but his best effort makes him a serious threat as he inches towards the $1 million mark in career earnings. #8 Whenigettoheaven (3-1) comes in off of back-to-back stakes wins, both of them won after racing on or near the pace. Last year, he wasn’t able to outrun Bosserati early and settled for fifth, but he looks fast enough to clear from the outside post and try to run away with it.

RACE 3: MARYLAND MILLION STARTER HANDICAP, 3-YEAR-OLDS AND UP, MD-RESTRICTED, 7 FURLONGS

4-3-10-9

#4 Mose Perfect (6-1) won in a pacesetting effort the last time he raced for Kieron Magee. He sent the pace and faded in two starts for Michael Pino at Parx, but should wake up in his return to the Magee barn. #3 Alvy (30-1) goes first off the Claudio Gonzalez claim and is one of two in here to run brisnet figures in the 80s in each of their last three starts (Mose Perfect is the other). Those aren’t bad credentials for such a big morning line longshot. If you bet #10 Irish Hero (5-1), you know that, if nothing else, he’ll be in front for a while. He has blazing early speed and has gone gate-to-wire in four of his last five races. However, all of those wins were at 5 ½ or 6 furlongs. He’s an unknown quantity going this long. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see him hit the front and just keep going, but it’s no guarantee, either.

RACE 4: MARYLAND MILLION TURF, 3-YEAR-OLDS AND UP, MD-RESTRICTED, 1 1/8 MILES (GRASS)

9-7-8-6

This race features seven Maryland-sired entries in the main body, plus morning line favorite #7 Youknownothing (1-1) to complete an eight-horse field. As such, the also-eligibles will need only one scratch to draw in. #9 Coringa (5-1) will be a serious threat if he can draw in. He went gate-to-wire against Maryland-restricted rivals last out, and looks like the most dangerous speed horse in the race. He’s been in improving form throughout the year and hasn’t run a bad race on this track. OIf he doesn’t draw in, Youknownothing looks especially tough to beat. She’s been facing better all year, including a second-place effort in the Bewitch Stakes at Keeneland in April. Last out, she was second to Stellify, who returned to win the Ladies Marathon Stakes at Kentucky Downs next out. Stellify set a very slow pace in that race, so Youknownothing ran about as well as could be expected given the circumstances. #8 Zevon (15-1) rallied wide and just missed in a 1 ½-mile first-level contest last out. He got fanned wide in the stretch, while the winner, Coiled, saved ground and rallied up the rail. Even if this one gets outkicked by the aforementioned two, he can shake up the exotics.

RACE 5: MARYLAND MILLION LASSIE, 2-YEAR-OLDS, FILLIES, MD-RESTRICTED, 6 FURLONGS

10-6-3-5

#10 Slewperstitius (9-5) dazzled in her debut on opening day at Colonial. She made a huge rally in the center of the track and won going away with an impressive 84. She was second to Just Philtored in her next two starts, and with that rival not here, she should have a much easier time of things. J.G. Torrealba rode her in her first three starts, and while he’s absconded for another promising rival, Jevian Toledo is a more-than-capable replacement. The aforementioned rival is #6 Rerun Table (5-1), who broke her maiden last out at Timonium. She came from well off the pace in a four-furlong race, never easy to do, and prevailed by a head. She’s worked well since then, and should enjoy the extra quarter-mile. #3 Noble Status (20-1) also made an impressive move on debut, kicking away to win by 4 ¼ lengths, albeit against an especially soft maiden field. We’ll see how that punch plays out against these types, but you’ll be well-rewarded if you believe that it’ll play well.

RACE 6: MARYLAND MILLION TURF STARTER HANDICAP, 3-YEAR-OLDS AND UP, MD-RESTRICTED, 1 1/16 MILES (GRASS)

1-6-3-11

If Coringa and/or Zevon run well in race 4, it’ll boost the stock of #1 The Last Scip (10-1). He finished fourth behind those rivals last out after getting caught wide early on. It was the third time he’s run in the 80s within his last four grass starts, right in the range he needs to be in to win this race. #6 King’s River (4-1) runs by far his best races when he gets a hot pace to close into. He won going away at Pimlico in May after closing into an opening half of 46 seconds, then rallied into similarly fast fractions three starts back at Colonial to get second behind Public Defender, who was in the midst of a four-race win streak. There’s enough speed in here that he might get the setup he wants. #3 Whiskeyinthejaro (8-1) was third behind Zevon last out in his first start off a three-month break. He’ll also do his best running late, and has been in improving form on grass.

RACE 7: MARYLAND MILLION DISTAFF, 3-YEAR-OLDS AND UP, FILLIES AND MARES, MD-RESTRICTED, 7 FURLONGS

3-12-7-1

#3 Onyx Ten (6-1) won back-to-back stakes races over the winter, capturing the Xtra Heat Stakes and the Wide Country Stakes. She stopped badly going a mile in the Beyond the Wire Stakes in late March and went to the sidelines, but rebounded with a career-best 90 in the Tax Free Shopping Distaff in her first start off a 5 ½-month break last out. She has tons of upside, and will be tough if she keeps moving forward. #12 Foxy Junior (3-1), last year’s winner, looks primed for a repeat. She demolished an open field in the Twixt Stakes by almost five lengths last out with a big 94, her third consecutive mark in the 90s. The draw isn’t great, but she overcame post nine to win the Twixt, and won this race from the outside last year. #7 Sheliahs Warcloud (5-1) has finished second in a Maryland Million event each of the last two years, finishing second in the 2023 Lassie and in last year’s Distaff. She’s making her first start since April, but she’s run well off of long layoffs before, and has good tactical speed.

RACE 8: MARYLAND MILLION TURF DISTAFF STARTER HANDICAP, 3-YEAR-OLDS AND UP, FILLIES AND MARES, MD-RESTRICTED, 1 1/16 MILES (GRASS)

11-12-13-7

#11 Put a Rock On It (8-1) has been more forwardly placed in her last few races since getting claimed by Kieron Magee in late June. Her new running style has paid off, as she’s hit the board in three of her four starts since the claim, and in the race where she didn’t, she ran a career-best figure of 84. #12 Sharmin (9-2) fended off odds-on favorite Notable Exchange to win last out. Granted, it was on a track that may have been at least leaning towards speed, but it was still her best figure going two turns on grass. She also has good tactical speed that will serve her well. #13 Fivecommatwo (15-1) made decent late ground in a similar field last out. She almost won this race last year, as she struck the front in the stretch, only to drift in late and get third. She lost to Next Girl and Cover the Spread that day, both of whom are better than any of her rivals this year.

RACE 9: MARYLAND MILLION NURSERY, 2-YEAR-OLDS, MD-RESTRICTED, 6 FURLONGS

1-4-5-3

Many of these are coming off of gate-to-wire maiden wins. If they’re all sent for speed again, the pace would become especially electric, which would play into the hands of #1 Lundi Loot (5-1). He finished second in the First State Dash two starts ago to Probably Dreaming, then ran a game second to the impressive Tough Guy Tony in his next start. He’s the only one in the field to run in the 80s twice, and should get a nice setup on the rail. #4 Big Cuddle (3-1) took advantage of very fast fractions to swoop the group on debut at Delaware. With the way the pace might shake out, would it be surprising if he did that again? Of the two Jerry Robb trainees, #5 Jessica’s Eyes (10-1) is a bit more interesting to me. He battled for the lead throughout on debut on the Colonial grass, and kicked away to win impressively. He has the best early pace figures and a good draw. Daniel Centeno rode him in that maiden-breaking win, and he’ll keep the mount.

RACE 10: MARYLAND MILLION LADIES, 3-YEAR-OLDS AND UP, FILLIES AND MARES, MD-RESTRICTED, 1 1/16 MILES (GRASS)

2-6-9-1

#2 All Gas No Brakes (10-1) has been in slowly improving form throughout the year, and ran her best race yet last out. She came from off of fast fractions to beat non-winners of two claiming foes going away. There’s a good amount of speed in here, so she might get the setup she wants once again. She’s also, believe it or not, one of only two who has won going two turns on grass this year. #6 Concrete Faze (8-5) has never won on grass before, but she’s won three times on dirt this year. She’s one of the main speeds, and if she takes to this surface (a big “if,” especially as the favorite), she could be gone. #9 Mopo (2-1) is the other one who’s won around two turns on grass this year, having broken her maiden over a fairly salty field on Black-Eyed Susan day. She’s developed a case of second-itis since then, but finds a fairly easy field. Interestingly, she was Mychel Sanchez’s pick over the Ness trainee Concrete Faze (Jaime Rodriguez picked up the mount on that one).

RACE 11: MARYLAND MILLION CLASSIC, 3-YEAR-OLDS AND UP, MD-RESTRICTED, 1 1/8 MILES

5-2-4-7

#5 Post Time (3-5) was able to get in the race by virtue of being the highest Maryland-bred entrant in a race that drew fewer than eight Maryland-sired starters. His accomplishments here at Laurel are well-documented, and while he’s tailed off a bit from his peak, with dull efforts in the Whitney Stakes and the Woodward Stakes, he should have more than enough left to handle these. #2 Barbadian Runner (5-1), one of the great stories of the national racing scene this year, has won four stakes races, including a win at seven furlongs in the Robert Hilton Memorial Stakes at Charles Town last out. He’s won around two turns before, he also loves this track, and should be able to outkick the rest even if Post Time runs away from them. #4 Secret Zipper (20-1) was on a hot streak over the fall and winter, winning four races in a row in gate-to-wire fashion. He ran well in his second start off a 4 ½-month layoff last out, setting fast early factions and holding on for third. While there’s speed to his outside, he should improve with another race under his belt.

RACE 12: MARYLAND MILLION SPRINT, 3-YEAR-OLDS AND UP, MD-RESTRICTED, 6 FURLONGS

5-8-9-3

#5 Slam Notion (5-2) passed his first test against older foes with ease, sitting off the pace and kicking on to win at Colonial. His only bad races this year have come when he’s broken poorly. Take those lines out, and he’s in improving form and primed to run a career-best race. #8 Haileysfirstnotion (2-1) ran a huge race on the lead in the New Castle at Delaware last out. He battled with the classy Spikezone and dispatched of him late, but got nailed on the wire by Howgreatisnate. Slam Notion could play Howgreatisnate’s role here, but this one nonetheless profiles as the main speed, and has been very successful on the track. #9 Twisted Ride (3-1) is an especially classy veteran, with career earnings closing in on $700,000. He hasn’t won in a while, but he set the pace and finished a game second against a salty field last out.