When the Maryland Million was born in 1986, its promise was audacious — a day that would celebrate Maryland’s horses, breeders, and horsemen, with purses rich enough to lure top-tier runners.

In those early years, it worked spectacularly. Horses like Herat and Safely Kept used the Maryland Million as a springboard to the Breeders’ Cup.

Forty years later, the Maryland Million purses don’t move the meter quite the way they once did. But for Maryland horsemen, it’s still their day — maybe more than ever.

The 40th Maryland Million takes place Oct. 11 at Laurel Park. Post time for the 12-race program is 11:30 a.m.

“It’s definitely my favorite day,” said Jessica Lindsey, assistant to veteran trainer Jerry Robb. “I mean, I love the Preakness because it’s big for Maryland, but this is our day — about our horses. This is when we get to shine with our homebreds. This is when we get to show everybody what [the Robbs as breeders] did in the backyard. It’s all our people.”

Robb’s barn — also including his wife, longtime owner-breeder Gina Robb — plans to send out a small army of runners this year. Robb has 12 career Maryland Million wins, second to Dale Capuano, who retired with 15. He’s hoping to chop into that lead Saturday.

“We entered nine,” Lindsey said with a laugh.

Eight of those are in the main bodies of their races. The ninth, All the Hardways, would need a scratch to draw into the Classic.

For Lindsey, the day’s not just about winning but also about belonging.

“When we had our big retirement ceremony on Maryland Million Day for [Anna’s Bandit],” she recalled of one of their past stars, “that was huge. You really get to see the people who’ve followed you that you don’t really know, who love Maryland horses.”

That sense of connection keeps trainers like Justin Nixon circling the date on their calendars. Nixon will send out his homebred Sheilahs Warcloud in the Maryland Million Distaff, a race in which she finished second last year. She hasn’t started since April.

“She just wasn’t 100 percent after [the April race],” Nixon said. “So we gave her some time with the Maryland Million as the target, worked our way back, and here we are.”

The plan, for once, came together.

“It doesn’t happen often — there’s usually a hiccup or two — but this time it’s been smooth,” the trainer said.

Sheilah’s Warcloud has been training steadily with four recorded works in the last month. Her last two, Sept. 28 and Oct. 5, were bullet five-furlong breezes, most recently getting the distance in 59 2/5 seconds. Mychel Sanchez is named to ride.

“He’s been breezing her, likes her, so we’ll give it a shot,” Nixon said. “It’s the one we’ve been pointing to all along.”

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In a way, that’s the Maryland Million in microcosm — local trainers and riders, Maryland-sired horses, and a singular day to shine.

Lindsey points back to 2019. That year Anna’s Bandit, a Robb homebred who ultimately earned over $800,000, won the West Virginia Breeders’ Classics Cavada on October 12 and wheeled back one week later to score in the Maryland Million Distaff.

“She was just amazing. She’s a lot of fun, and she really kind of stemmed my love for the Maryland Million,” Lindsey said. “Anna had a fan club. People came just to see her. You go to the Maryland Million, and there’s Maryland people that want to see Maryland horses.”