Maryland Million Classic 2022: Odds and analysis
The $150,000 Maryland Million Classic on Saturday at Laurel Park is part of the Maryland Million which is a one-day stakes program offering purses totaling $1 million with stakes restricted to the progeny of nominated stallions standing in the state.
The Maryland Million series was created in 1986 by Jim McKay, the renowned host of ABC-TV’s Wide World of Sports, to celebrate thoroughbred racing and the stallions that stand in Maryland. The 1 1/8 mile Classic, which is the anchor of the $1 million day, will be run for the 37th time in 2022.
The Maryland Million Classic drew a field of 13 including two also eligibles with 11 Maryland-breds, one Virginia-bred, and one New Jersey-bred. The Classic will go as race 11 out of 12 with post time set for 4:41 p.m. ET. The morning line was prepared by the Maryland Jockey Club.
1. Virginia Fulla (8-1 – Madefromlucky – Daniel McKenzie / Walter Rodriguez – 12: 4-0-3 - $73,962) This Virginia-bred was claimed for $5,000 from a N2L condition at Timonium and then won his next three starts. Moving up the claiming ladder, he won a pair at Pimlico and then two weeks ago was moved up to first by disqualification. Virginia Fulla has never run in an allowance let alone a stakes race. Toss.
2. Tappin Cat (8-1 – Tritap – Gary Capuano / Angel Suarez – 35: 9-10-4 - $479,399) Tappin Cat was second in the Classic last year beaten by only a neck as he rallied from third with a game effort as the .60-1 favorite. The 6-year-old was also third in the Classic in 2019 and the winner of the one-mile Sussex Stakes at Delaware Park in July. The 6-year-old has 23 top three finishes in his career. Use underneath.
3. Double Crown (9-2 – Bourbon Courage – Norman Cash / Horacio Karamanos – 22: 5-8-1 - $375,765) Double Crown was second in his most recent start in the Polynesian Stakes at Pimlico. During the summer, he was claimed for $40,000 at Churchill and also has an August allowance victory. In last year’s Maryland Million Sprint, he was a late running second. Double Crown also has a third-place finish in a graded stakes race while sprinting. He has never run the nine-furlong distance although since the claim he has been running mostly at a mile and 1 1/16 miles. He has eight placed finishes in his career. Trifecta finish possible.
4. Torch of Truth (10-1 – Not For Love – Michael Trombetta / Victor Carrasco – 29: 5-8-5 - $279,780) Torch of Truth was an allowance winner at Laurel in January. This 7-year-old finished fourth in last year’s Classic in 2019 using a stalking style. His last three starts were in stakes at Laurel with nothing better than a fifth-place finish. Toss.
5. Ain’t Da Beer Cold (6-1 – Freedom Child – Kenneth Cox / Sheldon Russell – 20: 5-4-2 - $250,594) This 4-year-old is a regular on the Maryland circuit with victories in his last two starts. In July he won at Laurel and then last month at Timonium, both times after stalking trips. As a 2-year-old, he finished second in a stakes race at Laurel. Last year in the Maryland Million Classic he was last in a field of eight. Use underneath.
6. The Poser (8-1 – Bandbox – Hamilton Smith / Jevian Toledo – 30: 4-6-6 - $258,463) The Poser was the third-place finisher in last year’s Classic when he rallied from sixth to get to within a length of the winner at odds of 7-1. In July he won an allowance at Colonial Downs and then was second by a neck at Timonium behind Ain’t Da Beer Cold. As a 2-year-old he was fifth in the Maryland Million Nursery. Use underneath.
7. Vance Scholars (9-2 – Holy Boss – Dale Capuano / Jorge Ruis – 9: 3-2-1 - $479,399) Vance Scholars is least experienced horse in the field as a 3-year-old with only nine starts. His last four starts were in stakes around the Mid-Atlantic region where three times races came off the turf. He won the Bald Eagle Derby at Laurel in August and most recently has a third and a second in long distance races. Top choice.
8. Crouchelli (20-1 – Outflanker – Robert Vukelic / Forest Boyce – 53: 4-7-6 - $294,383) Crouchelli is winless in nine starts in 2022 while competing mostly in allowance races at Laurel. The 7-year-old leads this field with 53 starts in his career. He was sixth in last year’s Classic and eighth in 2018 Toss.
9. Ournationonparade (5-2 – Cal Nation – Jamie Ness / Jamie Rodriguez – 24: 7-1-6 - $291,521) Ournationonparade ships up from Kentucky after being claimed twice in his last three starts. He was taken from his last race at Churchill Downs for $50,000 after a stalking trip produced a more than two length victory as the favorite going seven furlongs and currently the winner of his last three starts. This 5-year-old was a stakes winner as a 2-year-old in the Maryland Million Nursery. In fine form.
10. Prendimi (20-1 – Dance With Ravens – Luis Carvajal Jr. / Paco Lopez – 33: 6-9-5 - $480,205) This 7-year-old New Jersey-bred won the Maryland Million Classic last year with a front-running effort at odds of 12-1. Prendimi will be making his fourth start in the Classic with a seventh in 2020 and a second in 2019 to go with his victory. In his stakes career, he has four wins and six other top three finishes. He spends his summer racing at Monmouth Park. Defending Classic winner, live long shot.
11. Monday Morning Qb (15-1 – Imagining – Norman Cash / Walter Rodriguez – 12: 3-3-2 - $256,225) Monday Morning Qb was the winner of this race back in 2020 as a 3-year-old with a pace pressing effort that produced a three-length margin of victory. After running second in the Discovery (G3) at Aqueduct after his Classic win, he was away from the races for 19 months. As a 5-year-old, Monday Morning Qb was claimed for $62,500 at Delaware Park in August after fading down the stretch and finishing third. Three weeks ago, he stopped badly in a restricted stakes race at Delaware on a muddy track. Toss.
Also eligible-12. Cordmaker (7-5 – Curlin – Rodney Jenkins / Victor Carrasco – 36: 14-4-7 - $989,640)
Also eligible-13. Benandjoe (12-1 – El Padrino – Hugh McMahon / Jean Alvelo – 38: 7-9-5 - $330,286)
Summary: The interesting twist in the 2022 Maryland Millions Classic is that the 7-5 morning line favorite Cordmaker did not draw into the main body of the race and sits in post-position 12 as the first also eligible. Cordmaker ended up as an AE because preference goes to horses sired by nominated stallions standing in Maryland and he is by Curlin. Cordmaker, who has not run since February, is the winner of his last four starts in stakes races at Laurel including the General George (G3).
Lasix is permitted in the Maryland Million and all 13 horses will use the medication.
With a full field, the Classic is certainly a wide-open affair. Last year’s winner Prendimi is listed at 20-1 in the morning line. It is certainly a race where the exacta and trifecta could produce big payoffs, especially if Cordmaker does not draw into the field.
The 3-year-old Vance Scholars will be the top choice. He has run well at long distances and will be full of run at the end of the nine furlongs.