Laurel Park 2025 Stakes Plays
Saturday’s (2-15-25) stakes picks from Laurel Park (Races 4, 6, 7, 8).
LRL 4 (Nellie Morse, 8.5f)
Primary – #2 HEADLINE NUMBERS, #1 Sea Dancer
Secondary – #4 Peppermint Class
Wagers: Exacta 1-2/4, Trifecta key 2/1-4
Comments: #2 Headline Numbers (6-5) ran away from her rivals as the favorite in her flat mile bow at AQU last summer. She stretched out to 1 1/8 miles at SAR second time out and pressed, led, and missed by a half-length (placed first through disqualification). She ran last of 5 in the G2 Mother Goose, and returned from a layoff and pressed and weakened to 5th of 7 at seven panels as the beaten favorite Jan. 5. The Gun Runner filly stretches back out and Chad Brown is a profitable 28% with his second after a layoff starters. #1 Sea Dancer (7-5) was a turf horse in SoCal for much of her career. She moved to the Brittany Russell barn and switched to dirt in the local Carousel at 9f Dec. 21, and she rallied from a dozen lengths back to win by 2 lengths under Sheldon Russell. She will try to get involved late. #4 Peppermint Class (12-1) raced wide and ran out of ground in a local extended sprint Jan. 24. She won back-to-back local races at one mile and 1 1/16 miles on Nov. 29 and Dec. 27, and Morici shows a +ROI sprint/route.
LRL 6 (Barbara Fritchie, 7f)
Primary – #6 ROYAL SPA, #3 St. Benedicts Prep
Secondary – #5 Irish Maxima
Wagers: #6 to win, Exacta 6/3-5, Exacta 3-5/6
Comments: #6 Royal Spa (4-1) has been settling for minor awards since winning an optional-claiming race at KEE April 2024. She will break from the comfortable outside post and might work out the right trip behind the speed. #3 St. Benedicts Prep (5-2) was part of the exacta in her last four starts and she is an extended sprint specialist (10 4-3-0). She missed by a nose in the local What a Summer at 6f Jan. 18, and set the pace and finished a clear 2nd a week later in the Interborough at this trip. She reconnects with her What a Summer pilot Rodriguez and should make her presence felt from the outset. #5 Irish Maxima (1-1) cruised to sharp front running wins in both starts at this distance. The sharp Parx shipper won the Weather Vane in her lone local attempt last September.
LRL 7 (John B. Campbell, 9f)
Primary – #3 SPEEDYNESS, #7 Offaly Cool
Secondary – #1 Brilliant Speed, #2 Hittheroadjak
Wagers: #3 to win, Exacta box 3-7, Trifecta 3-7/1-2-3-7/1-2-3-7
Comments: #3 Speedyness (5-2) was forced to go too fast on the lead and weakened to 4th of 9 (beaten 8 lengths) as the beaten favorite in the Jennings Jan. 18. He ran well in his last four starts around two turns and the 6-time local winner might go all the way if he can relax on the lead. #7 Offaly Cool (8-5) fired trifecta shots in 9 of his last 10 starts. He is 6-for-14 overall and figures to stalk the pace from the outside post. #1 Brilliant Ice (15-1) rallied to a big win in the Maryland Million Classic in his lone try at this distance Oct. 12. He was flat in his last three starts and is back around two turns and should save ground before launching his rally. #2 Hittheroadjak (7-2) finished 2 lengths behind Speedyness in a local stakes race at 1 1/16 miles Dec. 21, and stalked the pace and landed the place behind romping winner Quint’s Brew in the Jennings Jan. 18. He was part of the trifecta in 7 of 9 starts.
LRL 8 (General George, 7f)
Primary – #5 PRINCE OF JERICHO, #2 Quint’s Brew
Secondary – #3 Celtic Contender
Wagers: Exacta 2-5/3, Trifecta key 5/2-3
Comments: #5 Prince of Jericho (6-5) was part of the exacta in his last four local starts. He dueled through above par splits and edged away to win by 2 3/4 lengths in the Fire Plug at 6.5f Jan. 25. He is 7-for-15 with five runner-up finishes at LRL, and he fired exacta shots in 4 of 5 extended sprints (2 wins). His winning rider Sheldon Russell (5 for last 8 w/Brittany Russell) knows him now and I like his running style versatility. #2 Quint’s Brew (3-2) is 3-for-4 with a runner-up finish. He earned big numbers in his two flat mile wins and he aired at 9-1 odds in the Jennings Jan. 18. That was his first start in more than half a year and he is a logical early-pressing contender if he avoids a bounce. #3 Celtic Contender (7-2) finished in the top three in his last seven local dirt sprints.
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