Barbadian Runner upsets Post Time in Maryland Million Classic

Barbadian Runner upset reigning Maryland-bred horse of the year Post Time on Saturday at Laurel Park in the $150,000 Maryland Million Classic, the featured event on Saturday’s 12-race Jim McKay program for horses sired and bred in the state.

The race for six 3-year-olds and up going 1 1/8 miles was supposed to be a happy homecoming for Post Time, who went off the 1-10 favorite in search of his 11th victory at Laurel Park without a defeat.

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Purchased for $5,000 as a yearling, 3-year-old gelding Barbadian Runner saved ground in a loose pocket as Blue Kingdom shook clear on an uncontested lead. The pace was slow with Blue Kingdom controlling splits of 24.98, 50.31 and 1:15.14.

Post Time settled in his customary spot near the back of the pack, seemingly biding his time under Sheldon Russell and waiting to strike.

Sitting aboard Barbadian Runner, jockey Forest Boyce decided the time to attack Blue Kingdom was on the second turn. She eased her mount outside the pacesetter and confronted Post Time in the upper stretch.

Moving off the rail allowed Russell to save valuable ground with Post Time, and the big favorite charged down the inside of the track.

Barbadian Runner poked his head in front inside the eighth pole, but Post Time seemingly had a ton of momentum. They locked horns at the sixteenth pole, where Barbadian Runner found another gear. He turned away Post Time to prevail by three-quarters of a length with a final time of 1:51.09 over the fast main track.

Blue Kingdom finished another 1 3/4 lengths behind in third. Hittheroadjak, All the Hardways and Mugatu were next. Secret Zipper, Sacred Thunder and Feeling Woozy were scratched.

Barbadian Runner returned $14.60 to win as the distant second choice in the betting.

After the race Boyce interrupted an interview to hug winning trainer Henry Walters.

“I really appreciate it,” Boyce said softly after her 10th win in a Maryland Million race. “That was awesome.”

“He’s tough,” Walters said about Barbadian Runner. “He just loves to run with horses. You give him a target, and he’ll chase him down, or he’ll dig in. He runs comfortably that way.”

Despite Post Time’s daunting reputation, Walters felt confident in the stretch.

"At the eighth pole I knew he wasn’t going to let anybody pass him,” he said.

This was Barbadian Runner’s first race at nine furlongs. Last out he won the seven-furlong Robert Hilton Memorial Stakes at Charles Town.

“If you had asked me three or four months ago, I’d have said (1 1/8 miles) was not in his limits,” said Walters, who added Barbadian Runner is “by far” the best horse he ever has trained. “The race at Charles Town was seven-eighths for 3-year-olds. He beat some pretty good horses, and he couldn’t blow a match out after the race, so you knew there was more in the tank. He was just getting better and better.”

Barbadian Runner is by Barbados out of Quiet Run, an unraced daughter of Northern Afleet.

"He surprised me from day 1,” Walters said. “When we purchased him, we never thought he’d turn out to be this good. He’s gotten better each time. He’s got way more talent than his breeding suggests. He’s a throwback from yesteryear.”

Since his debut, a fourth-place finish on June 30, 2024, Barbadian Runner has raced 16 times. Twice stakes-placed at seven furlongs last year, he started 2025 on the right hoof by taking the Spectacular Bid Stakes at Laurel on Jan. 25. The following month he snatched the Miracle Wood Stakes around a one-turn mile over the same course.

On May 31, Barbadian Runner won the off-the-turf Jersey Derby by 7 1/4 lengths at Monmouth Park. He then finished second in three consecutive stakes before winning the Robert Hilton Memorial.

“He’s matured immensely from a year ago,” Walters said. “He’s a great horse to train.”

Barbadian Runner is owned by AJ Will Win Stables. He cost $5,000 at the fall 2023 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic eastern yearling sale. He has earned $730,630.

All-sources handle for Maryland Million day was $5,707,201, a 23% increase over the 2024 program. Average wagering per race was $475,600 compared with $388,333 a year ago.