Laurel Reschedules Two Stakes for Thursday

Two $100,000 stakes which could have been lost from this year’s schedule when racing was cancelled last Saturday will be brought back on Thursday’s program at Laurel Park.

The ten race card will be highlighted by the Marshua and Frank Whiteley, Jr. Stakes, which will go as races eight and nine on the program. Both are for 3-year olds.

Eloquent Tribute is the 8-5 morning line choice in the Marshua, which features eight fillies. The daughter of Tapit broke her maiden earlier this month with an impressive 86 Beyer Speed figure after trainer Rudy Rodriguez added blinkers. Pimentel will be aboard for the first time.

Lake Sebago (5-2) is looking for her third consecutive stakes score after winning the Smart Halo (Nov. 15) and Gin Talking Stakes (Dec. 6) at the end of last year. Sheldon Russell will ride the daughter of Munnings for the first time with regular rider Trevor McCarthy injured.

Blue Mountain Juvenile Filly Stakes winner Rockin Jojo (5-1) was third in the Maryland Million Lassie in her only try at Laurel. She ships from Penn National for trainer Bernie Houghton. Matthew Rispoli will ride.

Seven colts and two geldings will start in the Whiteley, which is headed by even money favorite Majestic Affair. The Chad Brown trainee finished second in Laurel’s James F. Lewis Stakes last year, then started 2015 with a victory in the Fred Caposela Stakes at Aqueduct. Kendrick Carmouche has the mount.

Golden Years is second choice in the Whiteley at 2-1. The Rodney Jenkins trainee went three-for-four during the Laurel Park fall meeting including wins in the Maryland Million Nursery (Oct. 18) and the Marylander Stakes (Dec. 6). Victor Carrasco will be aboard the son of Not For Love for the fifth consecutive time.

Governmentshutdown (8-1) won the Rollicking Stakes at Pimlico on Preakness weekend and was last seen on June 28 in the Bashford Manor Stakes (G3) at Churchill Downs. Julian Pimentel gets his first try on the Jerry Robb trainee. Robb has also entered Notional Debt (15-1), who broke his maiden in his last start.

Source: Maryland Jockey Club