Preakness Berth On Line in Laurel's Federico Tesio

Stablemates Prince of Jericho  and Circling the Drain  and multiple stakes winners Coffeewithchris  and Ninetyprcentmaddie  will each vie for a Triple Crown berth in what's expected to be a competitive edition of the $125,000 Federico Tesio Stakes April 15 at Laurel Park.

The 42nd running of the 1 1/8-mile Federico Tesio headlines an 11-race program featuring four stakes worth a total of $450,000 in purses. The Tesio will serve as a 'Win and In' qualifier for Triple Crown-nominated 3-year-olds to the Preakness Stakes (G1) May 20 at Pimlico Race Course.

Both Prince of Jericho and Circling the Drain are nominated to the Triple Crown for Laurel-based trainer Brittany Russell.

Michael Dubb and Morris Bailey's Prince of Jericho sandwiched a win in the Jan. 21 Spectacular Bid Stakes at Laurel between seconds to Coffeewithchris in the Dec. 30 Heft Stakes and Feb. 18 Miracle Wood Stakes. The Tesio will mark Prince of Jericho's two-turn debut.

"He's trained really well. The time between I think has been really good for him," Russell said. "I think this is a horse where the mile and an eighth is a question mark, but mentally he's really good."

The one-mile Miracle Wood is the longest race to date for Prince of Jericho, whose three wins from six starts have come at either six or seven furlongs. The son of Munnings   will break from outermost post 9 under Russell's husband, champion rider Sheldon Russell.

Circling the Drain, bred and owned by Sycamore Hall Thoroughbreds, alternated running first and second through his first four starts before making his stakes debut in the 1 1/16-mile Private Terms Stakes March 18, where he ran third behind Hayes Strike  and Coffeewithchris. Unlike his stablemate, both of the West Coast   gelding's wins have come around two turns at Laurel.

"I think this horse improves each time. I think it's just a slow progression," Russell said. "He's doing what he needs to do each race. He's a horse that I think will love more ground. He might (eventually) be a turf horse, but at this stage of the game you're sitting here looking at the options in front of you and the Tesio is just sort of looking at us right now."

Jevian Toledo has the mount from post 4.

Co-owned by trainer John Salzman Jr., Fred Wasserloos, and Anthony Geruso, Coffeewithchris has the most experience of any Tesio horse, with a 3-3-2 record from 11 starts. Never far from the lead in the Private Terms despite racing wide on both turns, the Ride On Curlin  gelding, a late Triple Crown nominee, was unable to hold off Hayes Strike, finishing second by 1 3/4 lengths.

Jaime Rodriguez gets the return call from the rail.

LC Racing's Ninetyprcentmaddie is entered to make his Laurel debut in the Tesio. The bay son of Weigelia   exits a front-running 9 3/4-length triumph in the City of Brotherly Love Stakes. Another late nominee to the Triple Crown, he will have Paco Lopez aboard from post 5.

James Chandley's Triple Crown-nominated homebred Fletcher  is set to make his stakes debut in the Tesio for Chuck Lawrence. The Blofeld   colt has won once in four starts, graduating in an off-the-turf maiden special weight last fall at Laurel. 

Also facing stakes competition for the first time are a pair of shippers exiting maiden victories in Florida. Waterford Stable's homebred Summer Cause , trained by Christophe Clement, broke through in his fourth try going 1 1/8 miles Feb. 26 at Gulfstream Park.

Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey entered Perform , who graduated by 2 3/4 lengths going a mile and 40 yards March 11 at Tampa Bay Downs in his sixth start.

Completing the field are stablemates Eldest Son  and Time to Cruise , both trained by Jamie Ness.

Entries: Federico Tesio S.

Laurel Park, Saturday, April 15, 2023, Race 10

• STK
• 1 1/8m
• Dirt
• $125,000
• 3 yo
• 5:01 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Coffeewithchris (MD)	Jaime Rodriguez	124	John E. Salzman, Jr.	5/2
2	2Time to Cruise (PA)	Frankie Pennington	118	Jamie Ness	15/1
3	3Fletcher (PA)	Jeiron Barbosa	118	James L. Lawrence, II	30/1
4	4Circling the Drain (MD)	Jevian Toledo	118	Brittany T. Russell	8/1
5	5Ninetyprcentmaddie (PA)	Paco Lopez	124	Robert E. Reid, Jr.	4/1
6	6Summer Cause (KY)	Victor R. Carrasco	118	Christophe Clement	6/1
7	7Perform (KY)	Feargal Lynch	118	Claude R. McGaughey III	8/1
8	8Eldest Son (KY)	Axel Concepcion	118	Jamie Ness	12/1
9	9Prince of Jericho (KY)	Sheldon Russell	118	Brittany T. Russell	3/1