Barbadian Runner heads Md. Million pre-entries
Two others will seek to defend titles
Frank Vespe
October 12, 2026
The winners of three of 2025’s eight major Maryland Million stakes are nominated to attempt to defend their titles and are among 245 horses pre-entered to the 12-race program, which also includes four starter allowances.
Maryland Million races are limited to Maryland-sired horses but open up to Maryland-breds who are not Maryland-sired when fewer than eight Maryland-sired horses face the starter. This year’s 41st Maryland Million takes place Oct. 24 at Laurel Park.
This article contains affiliate links. If you click and buy, we may earn a commission at no extra charge to you.
Pick up reliable and rewarding tickets for major events!
Last year’s Maryland Million Classic opened up to Maryland-breds with a paucity of entries, which seemed to set up a coronation of the retiring multiple graded stakes star Post Time. But the then-three-year-old Barbados gelding, Barbadian Runner, registered the upset, taking down the 1-9 favorite by three parts of a length.
Barbadian Runner won the Battery Park Stakes at Delaware Park Oct. 3, a victory that put him over $1 million in career earnings. Henry Walters, who trains Barbadian Runner for AJ Will Win Stables, said at the time he hoped to return to defend the Maryland Million title.
“We’ll aim for that. If it doesn’t happen, it doesn’t happen,” he said following the Battery Park. “But you know, he recovers pretty quickly. I’m confident he can do it. But if he shows signs he can’t, we won’t do it.”
Onyx Ten scored a 6-1 upset in the seven-furlong Maryland Million Distaff last year and is pre-entered to defend her title once again. Trainer by Gary Capuano for owner-breeder Frank Sample, Onyx Ten is a daughter of Street Magician who has won six of 20 lifetime starts with nearly $400,000 banked.
If Onyx Ten does face the starter, she may have to contend with another ’25 Maryland Million champ in Slewperstitus. A narrow winner of last year’s Maryland Million Lassie for two-year-olds, the three-year-old Great Notion filly delivered arguably her best performance since last time out with a dominant win in Laurel’s Weathervane Stakes.
A homebred for Nancy and Eric Rizer, she is trained by Robbie Bailes and has never been worse than third in 12 lifetime starts.
Gracie Mae Stables & Great Lake Stable’s Had to Have Him finished third in the 2024 Maryland Million Turf Sprint, but it was his time to shine last year, when he defeated the favored Whenigettoheaven by three-quarters of a length. Both Had to Have Him, trained by John Salzman Jr., and Whenigettoheaven were pre-entered in this year’s $100,000 1/ST Bet Maryland Million Turf Sprint for 3-year-olds and up at 5 ½ furlongs. The race drew 28 pre-entries.
Entries for the big day will be drawn Oct. 17.
Pick up reliable and rewarding tickets for major events!
LATEST NEWS
