Laurel Park 2025 Stakes Plays
Saturday’s (11-22-25) stakes picks from Laurel Park (Races 6, 7, 8).
Scratches:
Race 6: #1, 2, 6, 7, 10, 11, 12
Race 7: #1, 6, 7
Updated Tickets After Scratches:
LRL 6 (Willa On the Move, 6.5f)
Primary – #3 GRAMMY GIRL, #4 Takethemoneyhoney
Secondary – #8 St. Benedicts Prep
Wagers: #3 to win, Exacta 3-4/8, Trifecta key 3/4-8
Comments: #3 Grammy Girl (5-1) finished first or second in her last three sprints at AQU. She finished a head behind highly regarded Chad Brown trainee Senza Parole on Nov. 13. She projects a stalking trip under her new rider Mychel Sanchez. #4 Takethemoneyhoney (3-1) is a nose away from a perfect 5-for-5 record. She is 2-for-2 at LRL and she drilled a 5f gate bullet for this at PRX on Nov. 15. This is her first start in more than half a year and she should impact the pace. #8 St. Benedicts Prep (8-1) landed the place in this event last year and was part of the trifecta in 6 of 10 starts since. She won the local Alma North earlier this year.
LRL 7 (Dave’s Friend, 6f)
Primary – #1 SUBROGATE, #8 Prince of Jericho
Secondary – #2 Petingas Twin
Wagers: #1 to win, Exacta box 1-8, Trifecta 1-8/1-2-8/1-2-8
Comments: #1 Subrogate (5-1) returned from a long layoff and stalked the pace from the inside post and landed the place in the Mr. Prospector at Monmouth on May 26, and he won the Frank J. De Francis Dash as the favorite at 6f on June 28. He split an 8-horse field in the G3 Forty Niner at AQU Nov. 2 and that was his first start in 4+ months. #8 Prince of Jericho (5-2) was part of the trifecta in his last five 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, and he finished third in the General George in February and has not been seen since. He is 7-for-16 with five runner-up finishes and two show finishes at LRL, and I like his running style versatility. #2 Petingas Twin (6-1) exits a sharp local optional-claiming win on Oct. 19. He tried to parlay decent efforts vs. lesser into stakes success before and fell flat in the G3 Chick Lang, Robert Hilton Memorial, and City of Laurel. I want to see him run well in a stakes race before backing him on the win end. #6 Maximus Meridius (4-1) won the Gravesend at AQU last year and the Toboggan at that same venue in February. He was part of the exacta in three of his last five starts and his three good efforts were at PRX.
LRL 8 (Richard W. Small, 9f)
Primary – #6 SECRET ZIPPER, #5 Barbadian Runner
Secondary – #1 Hittheroadjak
Wagers: #6 to win, Exacta 5-6/1-5-6
Comments: #6 Secret Zipper (9-2) might get out there and control the pace from the outside post. He wired the field in back-to-back races to end his 2024 campaign, and he started 2024 with two straight local wins in January and February. He was off his game in his last three starts and tries to rebound for the productive Hazlewood/Capuano team. #5 Barbadian Runner (6-5) fired trifecta shots in 9 of 10 starts this year (5 wins). He won the Jersey Derby in the slop in May (off the turf), and he landed the place in his next there stakes starts. He picked up another stakes win at CT at 9-1 Aug. 24 and the show finisher was a next-out winner. He was 6-1 at this course/distance in the Maryland Million Classic on Oct. 11 and he upset Post Time by 3/4ths of a length (show finisher next-out winner). The sharp, consistent sophomore gelding can stalk or close and is the deserving favorite. #1 Hittheroadjak (6-1) misfired in his last two turf outings. Dirt is his preferred footing and he might bounce back on the surface switch.
Laurel Park 2025 Free Pick Stakes Winners
Feb. 15 – Race 6 – Irish Maxima/Royal Spa Exacta ($4.80)
Feb. 15 – Race 7 – SPEEDYNESS ($7.00), Exacta ($29.40), Trifecta ($83.20)
Feb. 15 – Race 8 – Quint’s Brew/Celtic Contender Exacta ($13.00)
Feb. 22 – Race 8 – Barbadian Runner/Pay Billy/Sacred Thunder Trifecta ($62.20)
March 8 – Race 8 – CIRCLE P ($12.40)
March 22 – Race 8 – PAY BILLY ($5.40)
April 12 – Race 6 – ROYAL SPA ($4.80)
April 12 – Race 8 – WORCESTER ($6.20)
April 19 – Race 11 – PAY BILLY ($6.60)
June 21 – Race 6 – Whenigettoheaven/Determined Kingdom Exacta ($27), Trifecta ($160.20)
June 28 – Race 11 – Subrogate/Celtic Contender/Caramel Chip Trifecta ($35.80)
Sept. 6 – Race 8 – FOXY JUNIOR ($7.00)
Sept. 13 – Race 6 – TOUPIE ($5.40), Exacta ($18.20), Trifecta ($59.40)
Sept. 13 – Race 7 – NO SHOW SAMMY JO ($2.80)
Sept. 20 – Race 8 – Maida/G W’s Girl Exacta ($11.60)
Sept. 27 – Race 9 – Proton/Jutland Exacta ($9.80)
Nov. 8 – Race 9 – Balboa/Hollywood Import Exacta ($20.60), Trifecta ($87.40)
