Stage Set for Juvenile Action at Laurel Park

No horse has come closer to beating Jaxon Traveler this year than Singlino, and the Uncle Lino  gelding won't have his undefeated rival around when he returns to cap the 2020 season in the Heft Stakes Dec. 26 at Laurel Park.

The Heft is one of four $100,000 stakes for 2-year-olds on the Saturday card and is run at seven furlongs, along with the $100,000 Gin Talking Stakes for fillies. Juveniles will also run at 1 1/16 miles in the Howard County and Anne Arundel County stakes, the latter restricted to fillies.

Owned and trained by 76-year-old John Worsley, Singlino enters the Heft having pressed Jaxon Traveler from the start of the Maryland Juvenile Futurity Dec. 5 at Laurel, but was unable to get by and finished three-quarters of a length short in second.

"I think we should have beat him," Worsley said. "They put the pressure on him a little bit early, you see, and it helps sometimes to take some of the heart out of horses. He won't quit, this horse. He keeps digging in. That day they put sand on the racetrack and I think that slowed it down a little and probably helped me because the winner couldn't get away.

"I thought there was no speed in that race to go with him and soften him up, and (jockey) Trevor (McCarthy) felt we couldn't let him get away with murder so he went after him. He's pretty good, this horse. He's fast. He's no world-beater, I don't think, but he can run a bit."

Singlino won the First State Dash over his home track of Delaware Park Sept. 26, beating Heft rival Kenny Had a Notion, who would come back and win the Jamestown Stakes on turf and the Maryland Million Nursery. Prior to the Futurity, Singlino encountered trouble in back-to-back losses to Heft contender No Cents, including the James F. Lewis III Stakes Nov. 14.

The Wolfman, Tiz Mandate, and Boss Notion complete the field.

Street Lute Goes After Fourth Stakes

Lucky 7 Stables' Street Lute, a neck shy of being undefeated through five starts, will go after her fifth win, fourth in a stakes, and third in a row in the Gin Talking.

Trained by Jerry Robb, Street Lute won each of her first two starts including the Small Wonder Stakes Sept. 26 at Delaware. She got caught near the wire of the Maryland Million Lassie after taking the lead late, but has responded with wins in the Smart Halo Stakes Nov. 14 and Maryland Juvenile Filly Championship Dec. 5.

Street Lute has won her races by 10 1/2 combined lengths. Xavier Perez has been aboard for her last two starts and has the call again.

Perez likened Street Lute to another Robb-trained star, the 6-year-old mare Anna's Bandit, an 11-time stakes winner for whom he has been the regular rider. Perez took over on Street Lute after Brian Pedroza went down with an injury.

"She's an easy-going filly to ride. It's pretty similar to Anna's Bandit, that's why I think I got to bond with her so quick because she's a straightforward filly and she'll do whatever I ask her to do. She can go to the lead, she can settle and stalk, and she's not afraid of anything," Perez said. "Like she showed the first time I rode her, she went through the rail, and the second time I rode her she spilt horses and showed bravery all the time. I'm really excited. I can't wait to come back and I think it's going to be a beautiful Christmas present for me."

Out of Sorts, Fraudulent Charge, Aug Lutes, Whiskey and Rye, Beautiful Grace, and Blissful Behavior complete the field.

Reassured Tries Two Turns Again

Hillwood Stables' homebred Reassured will make his third consecutive start around two turns and second in two weeks as he steps up to open stakes company in the Howard County.

Trained by Brittany Russell, who has connected with 38% of her 2-year-old starters this year (15-for-39) according to Equibase statistics, Reassured was a maiden when he ran third to Kenny Had a Notion in the Maryland Million Nursery Oct. 24 in just his second start.

The son of Bandbox  came back to be second by a nose in a 1 1/16-mile maiden claimer Nov. 19, his two-turn debut. Last time out, Reassured raced under snug hold early before being let loose to cruise by 8 3/4 lengths in a similar spot Dec. 10.

"That first run (going two turns), I think it was just a little bit of bad luck that day that he didn't win, but looking back it was probably great because he now has two races under his belt going two turns. It's all good experience," Russell said.

"He ran huge last time," she added. "We're running him back in 16 days. I wish he had a little bit more time but he's a big, good-training horse. He doesn't miss a beat in the morning. I feel good about running him back, but we'll see. Sometimes it catches up with them and they surprise you, but I think he'll run well. He bounced out of that win like a good horse."

Erawan, Ain't Da Beer Cold, Market Cap, Shackqueenking, Gun Law, Twitty City, and Brett's World are also entered.

Miss Leslie Gets Class Test

BB Horses' Miss Leslie, a winner first off the claim last time out for meet leading trainer Claudio Gonzalez, will get tested for class and distance when she steps up and stretches out in the Anne Arundel County.

The Paynter  daughter broke her maiden at third asking with a 1 1/2-length score Nov. 13 at Laurel. Gonzalez haltered her for $25,000 that day and brought her back in an entry-level optional claimer going six furlongs Dec. 10, and she romped by 6 3/4 lengths.

"She ran an impressive race last time. She was doing good after I claimed her, training good, and she improved little by little. We took a chance that day and she ran big," Gonzalez said. "The rider even lost the whip and she still won easy. She came back good, so that's why we decided to run."

Miss Leslie has yet to race beyond six furlongs but Gonzalez is confident she will be able to get the distance, sharing a sire with her stablemate, Pimlico Special (G3) winner Harpers First Ride.

"We're going to try her for the first time long, and I think she can handle it because she has the same father as 'Harpers.' That's why we're going to take a chance," Gonzalez said. "If you see the times she ran before we claim her, she always tries. She was always right there. She's a good-sized filly and she was doing good, so we decided to claim her."

Also coming off wins for the Anne Arundel County are Guns Blazing, Malibu Beauty, and Champagne Toast. Completing the field are The Grass Is Blue, Zeyaraat, Targe, and Buckey's Charm.

Video: Heft S. (BT)

Video: Gin Talking S. (BT)

Video: Anne Arundel County S. (BT)

Video: Howard County S. (BT)