O Dionysus, Jenda's Agenda Head Laurel Sophomore Stakes

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Photo: Jim McCue, Maryland Jockey Club
After getting bumped at the start, O Dionysus wins the Feb. 18 Miracle Wood, drawing away in the stretch

Sophomores of each gender get to run for $100,000 pots in black-type events at Laurel Park March 18, with males going 1 1/16 miles in the Private Terms Stakes and fillies traveling a one-turn mile in the Caesar’s Wish Stakes.

The Caesar's Wish features an impressive cast of early winners. Drawing outside in the field of eight is Jenda's Agenda, who is perfect in two starts at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots. The front-runner won at one mile and 70 yards last time out with plenty left in the tank for trainer and co-owner Larry Jones and the outside post at one turn allows rider Gabriel Saez to survey the field, with plenty of speed lined up inside him.

Crabcakes won her first three starts, including two at Laurel, before finishing second last time out in the Wide Country Stakes going seven furlongs at Laurel. She has shown an ability to stalk that could stand her in good stead here. Shacklefords Lady is perfect in two races at six furlongs and has led at every call.

Star Super will be making her eighth career start and is coming off a score in the Marshua Stakes at Laurel going six panels. In her fourth start she tried the Frizette Stakes (G1) unsuccessfully but she can be competitive here sitting just off the speed. Aspen Hilltop won at Saratoga Race Course at first asking with a charge from way back in the field. She stumbled over a downed horse in the Davona Dale Stakes (G2) and didn’t finish, but a hot pace would set her up nicely here.

Sine Wave has won both her starts and stretches out and steps up here from the rail. Tickled Pink was a debut winner at a mile over the layout and adds even more quality to this competitive heat.

The Private Terms features three runners exiting the Miracle Wood Stakes Feb. 18. O Dionysus stalked and scored in that affair by three lengths going one mile. He will be giving between four and six pounds to his six foes here, and should be a heavy favorite off his running line late last year in the Marylander Stakes, in which he finished just a nose off eventual graded stakes winner Irish War Cry. High Roller defeated O Dionysus two back in the Frank Whiteley Jr. Stakes by a half length before O Dionysus turned the tables in the Miracle Wood, in which High Roller checked in fourth after making the lead.

No More Talk rallied to gain third in the Miracle Wood following a maiden-breaking effort at a mile. Cash is King's Hashtag Alex, a son of Afleet Alex  , broke his maiden in an optional-claiming allowance going a mile last time out in gate-to-wire fashion. Twisted Tom draws the rail for trainer Chad Brown, who brings the New York-bred south off a state-bred allowance optional claiming victory at a mile. Dharmaster and Greek Prince are stepping up in class here, although the latter has won his last two and has scored at a mile.

Private Terms S.

Laurel Park, Saturday, March 18, 2017, Race 9
  • STK
  • About 1 1/16m
  • Dirt
  • $100,000
  • 3 yo
  • 5:10 PM (local)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L
1 1Twisted Tom (NY) Feargal Lynch 118 Chad C. Brown 3/1
2 2High Roller (FL) Trevor McCarthy 116 Dale Capuano 5/1
3 3No More Talk (MD) Victor R. Carrasco 116 Francis Abbott, III 10/1
4 4Dharmaster (KY) Alex Cintron 116 Michael J. Trombetta 8/1
5 5Hashtag Alex (KY) Jorge A. Vargas, Jr. 118 John C. Servis 4/1
6 6O Dionysus (MD) Jevian Toledo 122 Gary Capuano 9/5
7 7Greek Prince (FL) Steve D. Hamilton 116 Georgia D. Andreadakis 15/1




Caesar's Wish S.

Laurel Park, Saturday, March 18, 2017, Race 10
  • STK
  • 1m
  • Dirt
  • $100,000
  • 3 yo Fillies
  • 5:40 PM (local)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L
1 1Sine Wave (KY) Mychel J. Sanchez 116 Benjamin W. Perkins, Jr. 15/1
2 2Aspen Hilltop (KY) Jevian Toledo 116 Gary C. Contessa 12/1
3 3Tickled Pink (KY) Feargal Lynch 116 H. Graham Motion 8/1
4 4Star Super (KY) Trevor McCarthy 116 Cathal A. Lynch 9/2
5 5Shacklefords Lady (FL) Tyler Conner 116 Michael W. Salvaggio, Jr. 6/1
6 6Crabcakes (MD) Angel R. Rodriguez 116 T. Bernard Houghton 5/1
7 7Forever Liesl (FL) Victor R. Carrasco 116 Michelle Nevin 10/1
8 8Jenda's Agenda (KY) Gabriel Saez 116 J. Larry Jones 7/5