Special Envoy, who dominated Virginia-bred company last year, is favored in Saturday’s Edward Evans Stakes at Laurel Park.
The Arnaud Delacour trainee Special Envoy swept three Va-bred route stakes last year and is training towards a try at a repeat in 2018.
A series of 50-50 calls that worked out led Sweet Sandy to the winner’s circle — and trainer Danielle Hodsdon to her first stakes win — Saturday.
Special Envoy and Queen Caroline proved best in a pair of Virginia-bred stakes at Laurel Park in June and will try to reprise those efforts on Saturday.
Queen Caroline, a two-time stakes winner at Laurel, is among 95 nominated to four Virginia-bred stakes slated for Laurel August 5.
Maryland-bred turf champion Phlash Phelps returns to action Saturday in the Henry S. Clark Stakes at Laurel Park.