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Pick Pony | Sept. 16, 2024, 12:38 p.m.
Stakes winners Siesta Key, Studlydoright, and War Humor, as well as the undefeated Reggie Runs Rogue, are among 36 two-year-olds nominated for the $150,000 Laurel Futurity, which will take place on Saturday, September 28 at Laurel Park. The 98th running of the Futurity and the 95th renewal of the $150,000 Selima for two-year-old fillies, each going 1 1/16 miles, will co-headline a program with three scheduled grass stakes, including the $100,000 Japan Turf Cup for three-year-olds and up, which spans 1 ½ miles. Godolphin homebred Siesta Key, a son of Into Mischief trained by Brad Cox, graduated in his debut on August 1 in an off-the-turf maiden special weight at Indiana Downs before rallying for a nose triumph in the 1 1/16-mile Kitten’s Joy race on September 7 on the grass at Colonial Downs. Mens Grille Racing's Studlydoright, based at Laurel with trainer Jerry Robb, has raced exclusively on dirt through four starts, scoring on debut in a 4 ½-furlong maiden special weight sprint on May 5 at Laurel. The Nyquist colt upset the 5 ½-furlong Tremont race on June 6 and then ran second as the favorite in the six-furlong Sanford (G3) on July 24, both at Saratoga, where he was a troubled seventh in the seven-furlong Hopeful (G1) in his last outing on September 2.
Eric Rizer's homebred War Humor won his first race by a head on August 31 at Colonial Downs turf. Reggie Runs Rogue, owned, trained, and co-bred by Justin Nixon, has won both of his two starts 28 days apart on the dirt at Colonial, with the latter win on August 30. Other notable nominees for the upcoming race include Godolphin homebred Cavallo Bay, Kerness K, and last-out winners Colonel Bob, Gotta Have a Guy, Jus Too Fly, Just a Fair Shake, Lazlo, Lordly, Mission Artemis, Pascaline, Saxton, Soleil Volant, and Surfside Moon.
The Futurity, with a history dating back to 1921, has been won by greats like Morvich, Affirmed, Citation, and Secretariat, as well as Barbaro, In Reality, Honest Pleasure, Quadrangle, Riva Ridge, Spectacular Bid, and Tapit. Trainer Graham Motion used a victory in the 2019 Selima as a prep for Sharing’s win in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1). Sharing continued to race in 2020, winning the Edgewood (G2) and placing in two stakes, including third in the American Oaks (G1).
Motion is represented by a trio of nominees this year including a pair of debut winners – Calumet Farm homebred Correto, who graduated Sept. 1 at Kentucky Downs, and Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners’ Warming, a six-furlong winner June 21 at Aqueduct. He is also represented by High Breeze, fourth in a 5 ½-furlong maiden special weight Sept. 13 at Laurel.
Joseph Imbesi homebred Social Fortress has won each of her two starts, both in front-running fashion on dirt, for Maryland’s leading trainer, Jamie Ness. The Social Inclusion filly won first time out by 11 lengths July 13 at Delaware Park before following up with a seven-length score in the one-mile Sorority Aug. 24 at Monmouth Park.
Twenty of the 37 Seliima nominees are coming off wins, as well as Sail Theseven Seas, second in the Aug. 3 Keswick on dirt and Aug. 31 Jamestown on turf, both sprinting 5 ½ furlongs at Colonial Downs; and Keswick third-place finisher Safe Trust.
First run in 1926, the Selima is named for the great English race mare who was imported to the U.S. in the 1750s by Benjamin Tasker Jr., manager of the famed Belair Farm in Prince George’s County. The daughter of the Godolphin Arabian, considered ‘Queen of the Turf,’ also gained fame as a broodmare.
Most popular among horsemen with 38 nominations was the Japan Turf Cup led by defending champion Yamato and Armando R, winner of an off-the-turf edition in 2022. Paradise Farms Corp. and David Staudacher’s 7-year-old Yamato has not raced since his victory last fall, which came five starts after being claimed for $50,000 by trainer Mike Maker. Ronald Cuneo’s Armando R has won back-to-back 1 1/16-mile optional claiming allowances on the dirt at Laurel.
Nominees include Grade 1 winner Highland Chief; dual graded-stakes winner Offlee Naughty; Grade 3 winners Bold Act, Dynadrive, Highestdistinction, Magic Michael, Sugoi and Tide of the Sea; and multiple stakes winners Cathkin Peak and Dataman, the latter a perfect 2-0 at Laurel with both wins coming in turf stakes – the 2023 Bald Eagle Derby and April 20 Henry S. Clark.
Entries will be taken and post positions drawn Sunday, Sept. 22 for both stakes.