Classic double for Barbadian Runner
Earns dominant Maryland Million win
Frank Vespe
October 24, 2026
“We got lucky,” Scott Groh said late Saturday afternoon at Laurel Park. “We caught lightning in a bottle.”
And once again Groh’s lightning bolt lit up Laurel sky as Barbadian Runner won the $150,000 Maryland Million Classic for the second consecutive year. The $5,000 yearling who became a millionaire last time out in Delaware’s Battery Park Stakes continues to deliver race after race.
“He’s run in some very tough races, and he always shows up,” said winning rider Forest Boyce. “I think he’s the hardest-trying horse I’ve ever sat on.”
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Barbadian Runner improved to 4-for-7 this year and has won 11 of 27 career starts. Today’s win pushed him to the shadow of $1.2 million banked for Groh, who races as A J Will Win Stables, and trainer Henry Walters.
One key difference between this year’s Classic and last, though, is that last year, the multiple graded stakes winner Post Time appeared to be unbeatable, going off at 1-9 in the Classic. This time, Barbadian Runner himself appeared invincible and was 1-5 at post time.
“You worry a little bit in a race like this today because outside of him the field was fairly evenly matched and they could trap us in there,” Boyce said after securing a pocket trip from post number two. “Luckily, we were able to navigate that and it was no big deal.”
Barbadian Runner, best known his for finishing verve, broke alertly to be up close throughout, settling inside just a length or two behind Goodbye Note, who took the early initiative while pressed by stretching-out sprinter Wickeddivine. Those were one-two through a half-mile in 47.76 seconds, and Wickeddivine then took over as Goodbye Note faded from the scene.
Boyce steered Barbadian Runner around the flagging Goodbye Note, and he soon moved to the attack.
“He was pretty sharp today, and he put me in a fantastic place,” Boyce said.
Barbadian Runner moved to follow first-mover Sacred Thunder and then tipped widest of all. Sacred Thunder briefly was in front, but in upper stretch Barbadian Runner put away that rival and drew away to win by 4 ¾ lengths. Sacred Thunder held second, another 4 ¾ lengths ahead of Market Maven, who finished third.
Barbadian Runner paid $2.40 to win, and the exacta returned $6.50 for a one-dollar wager.
“It looked like if he was that close turning for home, all she had to do was get him outside,” winning trainer Henry Walters said.
Running time for 1 1/8 miles on a fast main track was 1:49.84.
It’s fair to say Barbadian Runner is the prototypical Maryland Million horse, and his enchanting story – up from humble beginnings – keeps getting better.
“Early on, everybody wanted to underestimate him, and we always felt positive on him because he’d always give you a little bit more each time,” Boyce said. “He wasn’t a show-off kind of horse, and he never blew your socks off. But he just did enough.”
With the win, the four-year-old son of Barbados became the sixth horse to win the Maryland Million Classic in consecutive years and first since Admirals War Chest in 2015-2016. No horse has won three consecutive Classics, though Eighttofasttocatch won three in four years.
“It’s been a good ride,” Walters said. “And thankfully he is a gelding, and we can do this again and again.”
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