The Maryland Thoroughbred industry will have its moment in the sun on Saturday, Oct. 12, when Laurel Park plays host to the 39^th edition of the Jim McKay Maryland Million. The event, launched in 1986 by the legendary sportscaster and devoted supporter of horse racing Jim McKay, spotlights horses by stallions standing in Maryland at the time of their conception. It’s annually a fantastic betting day, and this year is no exception. Of the 12 races on the program, nine of them have at least 10 horses in the main body of the field.

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The showcase event, the $150,000, 1 ⅛ mile Maryland Million Classic Stakes, drew an 11-horse field plus two also-eligibles. The horses on the also-eligible list are Maryland-bred, but not Maryland-sired, and are permitted to draw into the race if the field scratches down to fewer than eight Maryland-sired runners. It’s scheduled as the 11^th race on Laurel’s card, with a scheduled post time of 5:36 p.m. ET. The Maryland Million Classic and other races from the card will be televised on FanDuel TV.

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Let’s meet the field for this year’s Maryland Million Classic:

1. Little Lance (30-1 morning-line odds)

Trainer and Owner: William Campbell

Jockey: J. D. Acosta

Career record: 16 starts – 5 wins – 3 seconds – 2 thirds

Career earnings: $133,045

Earnings per start: $8,315

Top Equibase Speed Figure: 95

Pedigree: Imagining – Babe’s Ruler, by Roman Ruler

Age: 3

Color: Dark bay or brown

Running style: Press the pace

Notable achievements and interesting facts: Little Lance is one of three 3-year-olds in this year’s Classic, and he looks like he’ll go off as the longest price of the three, or of anyone in the race. He won twice in a row at the Laurel Park summer meet, including a victory against first-level allowance rivals on Aug. 18, but has been well-beaten in his last two starts. His best effort does not match up with the top contenders in this field if they run to their prior form. If nothing else, this gelding should get a nice trip rating off the pace on the inside. Little Lance was bred by top Mid-Atlantic trainer Jamie Ness under the name Jagger Inc., and claimed by his current owner/trainer for $20,000 on May 5.

Bet Little Lance in the Maryland Million Classic.

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2. Crossland (12-1)

Trainer: Kerry Hohlbein

Owner: 3 Reasons Racing

Jockey: Angel Cruz

Career record: 29 starts – 4 wins – 8 seconds – 5 thirds

Career earnings: $237,287

Earnings per start: $8,182

Top Equibase Speed Figure: 95

Pedigree: Holy Boss – Maryland Mystique, by Suave

Age: 5

Color: Chestnut

Running style: Press the pace

Notable achievements and interesting facts: Crossland was awarded the victory in his last start on Aug. 18, when he was disqualified after being herded in the stretch. It was his first victory in 10 starts this year, many of which have some against slightly lesser rivals than those he’ll see in Saturday’s Maryland Million Classic. He often is able to manage a nice trip just off the leaders, but can’t capitalize in the stretch and only hangs around for a slice of the purse. This gelding might be a decent bet to round out the exotics, but he’ll have to step it up to win this race.

Bet Crossland in the Maryland Million Classic.

3. Market Maven (6-1)

Trainer: Jacinto Solis

Owner: Gregory Gordon

Jockey: Mychel Sanchez

Career record: 23 starts – 5 wins – 2 seconds – 5 thirds

Career earnings: $284,660

Earnings per start: $12,377

Top Equibase Speed Figure: 106

Pedigree: Super Ninety Nine – My Sonata, by Noble Causeway

Age: 6

Color: Chestnut

Running style: Stalker

Notable achievements and interesting facts: Market Maven crossed the wire first in last year’s Maryland Million Classic, but was disqualified for bumping rival Ain’t Da Beer Cold in the stretch. He hasn’t recovered his best form since then, finishing no better than third in seven subsequent starts. However, he’s shown some improvement in his last few dirt starts, closing off moderate paces to get third in a pair of races at Parx Racing. With the right early setup, he could be a serious late factor in Saturday’s renewal. Market Maven is one of two horses in the race not bred in Maryland, being a Pennsylvania-bred homebred for Gregory Gordon.

Bet Market Maven in the Maryland Million Classic.

Jim McCue/Maryland Jockey Club

4. Mosler Time (5-1)

Trainer: Cathal Lynch

Owners: Durr Racing Stable and Shawn Newsome

Jockey: Jaime Rodriguez

Career record: 9 starts – 4 wins – 0 seconds – 0 thirds

Career earnings: $107,110

Earnings per start: $11,901

Top Equibase Speed Figure: 100

Pedigree: Mosler – Curlins Queen, by Curlin

Age: 4

Color: Bay

Running style: Pacesetter/press the pace

Notable achievements and interesting facts: This Mosler gelding turned in an impressive performance last out, rating off the pace and drawing away to win by 6 ¾ lengths at Laurel on Sept. 7. A variety of circumstances, ranging from disliked surfaces to rough starts, have prevented him from consistently showing his best stuff. However, he’s lightly-raced with lots of upside, and may be sitting on a career-best race. Mosler Time will be ridden by Jaime Rodriguez, who won the riding title at the Laurel Park summer meet and is perennially one of the leading riders in the Mid-Atlantic.

Bet Mosler Time in the Maryland Million Classic.

5. Dolice Vita (8-1)

Trainer: Philip Capuano

Owners: Taking Risks Stable and Louis J. Ulman

Jockey: Forest Boyce

Career record: 29 starts – 6 wins – 5 seconds – 4 thirds

Career earnings: $191,266

Earnings per start: $6,595

Top Equibase Speed Figure: 100

Pedigree: Dortmund – Ronnet, by Demaloot Demashoot

Age: 5

Color: Chestnut

Running style: Pacesetter/press the pace

Notable achievements and interesting facts: Dolce Vita finished a well-beaten fourth in last year’s Maryland Million Classic, and hasn’t won in six trips to the post since then. He started his season with four in-the-money finishes, then went to the sidelines in the spring. The gelding then returned to the races against Maryland-restricted allowance rivals on Sept. 21, and faded after racing wide. He probably needed that race, and should improve on that effort – but even at his best, he might not have enough of a late punch to defeat this field. He’s one of two horses in this race trained by Phil Capuano, who took over the string of his uncle, longtime Mid-Atlantic trainer Dale Capuano, in 2023. Forest Boyce has won eight Maryland Million races in her career, including the Classic with Eighttofasttocatch in 2013 and 2014.

Bet Dolice Vita in the Maryland Million Classic.

Jeffrey Snyder/Maryland Jockey Club

6. Hittheroadjak (15-1)

Trainer: Rodolfo Sanchez-Salomon

Owner: J R Sanchez Racing Stable

Jockey: Tais Lyapustina

Career record: 5 starts – 3 wins – 0 seconds – 1 third

Career earnings: $68,805

Earnings per start: $13,761

Top Equibase Speed Figure: 98

Pedigree: Kobe’s Back – Our Jaks, by Not For Love

Age: 3

Color: Chestnut

Running style: Pacesetter/press the pace

Notable achievements and interesting facts: Hittheroadjak is the lightest-raced horse in the field, having made just five starts, none of them beyond a mile. He made his first start off a three-month layoff, and just his second start of his 3-year-old season, in a Maryland-restricted allowance race on Aug. 31 at Timonium. Hittheroadjak overcame early pace pressure and won by 9 ¼ lengths, running a career-top Equibase figure by 24 points. Saturday’s Classic is a stiff class test for him, but he has enough raw potential that he could make an impact.

Bet Hittheroadjak in the Maryland Million Classic.

Jerry Dzierwinski/Maryland Jockey Club

7. Ain’t Da Beer Cold (12-1)

Trainer: Kenneth Cox

Owners: Matt Spencer, Kelly Jo Cox, and Bonuccelli Racing

Jockey: Jevian Toledo

Career record: 41 starts – 7 wins – 5 seconds – 5 thirds

Career earnings: $465,224

Earnings per start: 11,347

Top Equibase Speed Figure: 106

Pedigree: Freedom Child – Distinct Affair, by With Distinction

Age: 6

Color: Chestnut

Running style: Pacesetter

Notable achievements and interesting facts: Named for a catchphrase of Baltimore sportscaster Chuck Thompson, Ain’t Da Beer Cold was elevated to a 36.50-1 upset victory via disqualification in last year’s Maryland Million Classic. Since then, he’s won only once in nine starts, when he got away with slow early fractions and pulled off a 12.40-1 upset in the April 13 Native Dancer Stakes. When Ain’t Da Beer Cold is left alone on the lead, he’s tough to catch, but if he can’t make the front, he’s in big trouble. That was demonstrated in his last three starts, which he’s lost by a combined 83 ¼ lengths. With speed drawn to his inside, he might have a hard time getting a cozy lead Saturday, but Jevian Toledo, currently the leading rider at the Laurel fall meet with 15 wins, will assuredly do everything in his power to get him there. Toledo is tied with Ramon Dominguez for second place on the all-time Maryland Million leaderboard with 17 victories. Only Edgar Prado, with 18, has won more.

Bet Ain’t Da Beer Cold in the Maryland Million Classic.

Jim McCue/Maryland Jockey Club

8. Feeling Woozy (9-2)

Trainer and Owner: Hamilton Smith

Jockey: Victor Carrasco

Career record: 22 starts – 3 wins – 4 seconds – 5 thirds

Career earnings: $222,360

Earnings per start: $10,107

Top Equibase Speed Figure: 107

Pedigree: Irish War Cry – Stormy Love Affair, by Stormy Atlantic

Age: 4

Color: Dark bay or brown

Running style: Stalker/closer

Notable achievements and interesting facts: Hamilton “Hammy” Smith has done a lot in his nearly-50-year training career. However, a victory in the Maryland Million Classic still eludes him. He’ll try to change that with Feeling Woozy. The 4-year-old gelding is coming off a third-place effort in a tough third-level allowance optional claiming race held at six furlongs at Laurel on Sept. 7, where he just barely got up to collect the “show dough” after a wide trip. Feeling Woozy’s only win in the past 12 months came when he got loose on a speed-favoring track and won by 11 ¼ lengths. That said, his speed and pace figures are competitive with the rest of the field, and he has faced better rivals for most of the year. He has a chance to win the Maryland Million Classic, but be wary of taking too low a price.

Bet Feeling Woozy in the Maryland Million Classic.

Jim McCue/Maryland Jockey Club

9. Mugatu (6-1)

Trainer: Jeff Engler

Owners: Average Joe Racing Stables and Dan Wells

Jockey: Sheldon Russell

Career record: 17 starts – 1 win – 2 seconds – 3 thirds

Career earnings: $132,400

Earnings per start: $7,788

Top Equibase Speed Figure: 96

Pedigree: Blofeld – Union Way, by Union Rags

Age: 3

Color: Chestnut

Running style: Closer

Notable achievements and interesting facts: If the name Mugatu rings a bell, it’s because this colt made a cameo appearance in the Preakness Stakes back on May 18. He raced wide throughout in the 1 3/16-mile second jewel of horse racing’s Triple Crown and ended up well-beaten. Mugatu been keeping tough company for most of the year, and is winless in 10 starts. Perhaps his best start of the year came on this track, when he was a game second in the Aug. 4 Bald Eagle Derby. It’s possible his classy company lines, which include starts in races such as the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes, the Iowa Derby, and the Bourbon Flight Stakes, will drive down his price come post time Saturday. However, if Mugatu goes off at a fair number – somewhere above his morning-line odds – he might be worth a look. Mugatu is a Kentucky-bred by Blofeld, who is already the sire of three Maryland Million winners through only four crops of racing age. Jockey Sheldon Russell has won the Classic three times, with Regal Solo in 2010, Eighttofasttocatch in 2011, and Monday Morning Qb in 2020.

Bet Mugatu in the Maryland Million Classic.

10. Brilliant Ice (6-1)

Trainer: Annette Eubanks

Owner: Crystal Park Stables

Jockey: Jeiron Barbosa

Career record: 25 starts – 4 wins – 5 seconds – 4 thirds

Career earnings: $232,490

Earnings per start: $9,300

Top Equibase Speed Figure: 109

Pedigree: Great Notion – Little Ice Patch, by Housebuster

Age: 5

Color: Dark bay or brown

Running style: Pacesetter/press the pace

Notable achievements and interesting facts: After a bit of a swoon to begin his 2024 season, Brilliant Ice has found his best form as of late. He crushed an open second-level allowance optional claiming field on July 5 at Laurel, and followed it up with a pair of impressive second-place efforts against third-level allowance rivals. He hasn’t raced since Aug. 11, when he fought hard against favored Irish Exit and lost by a nose. While his one-turn form is good enough to win this, the Maryland Million Classic’s 1 1/8-mile distance is a question mark. He’s never ran this far before, and was a well-beaten fifth in his most recent two-turn start. Brilliant Ice is by the sire Great Notion, who has been the leading sire in Maryland for six consecutive years, and is well on pace for a seventh straight title. He’s the third-leading sire in Maryland Million history, with 20 winners to his credit. However, Great Notion has yet to be represented by a Maryland Million Classic winner.

Bet Brilliant Ice in the Maryland Million Classic.

Jim Duley/Maryland Jockey Club

11. Vance Scholars (6-1)

Trainer: Philip Capuano

Owners: Louis J. Ulman and Walter Vieser II

Jockey: Jorge Ruiz

Career record: 25 starts – 4 wins – 7 seconds – 4 thirds

Career earnings: $354,660

Earnings per start: $14,186

Top Equibase Speed Figure: 106

Pedigree: Holy Boss – Passionate Dancer, by Cat Thief

Age: 5

Color: Chestnut

Running style: Closer

Notable achievements and interesting facts: After finishing second in the 2022 Maryland Million Classic, Vance Scholars is out for redemption in this year’s renewal. He’s turned in a series of solid performances against tough local rivals throughout the year, having hit the board six times in eight starts in 2024 without a victory to his credit. That said, he’s consistently one of the fastest horses in the race, and should get a strong pace to close into. Vance Scholars was initially purchased for $22,000 as a yearling in 2020 by Steven Newby, who named him after a scholarship program established by Newby at Archbishop Carroll High School in Washington, D.C. In turn, that program is named for longtime D.C. newscaster Jim Vance, a 19-time Emmy Award winner. Current owners Louis Ulman and Walter Vieser II purchased the gelding for $32,000 at auction in August 2023.

Bet Vance Scholars in the Maryland Million Classic.

12. Goodafternoonoscar (also eligible, 20-1)

Trainer: Carlos Mancilla

Owner: Michael Scheffres

Jockey: Jorge Ruiz

Career record: 27 starts – 3 wins – 5 seconds – 9 thirds

Career earnings: $224,380

Earnings per start: $8,310

Top Equibase Speed Figure: 102

Pedigree: Hoppertunity – Great Hostess, by Great Notion

Age: 4

Color: Bay

Running style: Press the pace

Notable achievements and interesting facts: Goodafternoonoscar is Maryland-bred, but not Maryland-sired (although his sire, Hoppertunity, now stands in Maryland and will have foals eligible for this race next year when they are age 3). As such, he’ll require three defections to make it into the field. After starting his career 1-for-23, Goodafternoonoscar has found his best stride as of late, with two wins in his last four starts. He most recently sat off the pace and defeated second-level allowance optional claiming rivals on a very sloppy track on Sept. 27 at Laurel. His best races have tended to be around one-turn and 1 1/8 miles might be a bit out of his wheelhouse.

Bet Goodafternoonoscar in the Maryland Million Classic.

Jerry Dzierwinski/Maryland Jockey Club

13. Excellorator (also eligible, 6-1)

Trainer: Jamie Ness

Owners: Madison Avenue Racing Stable, Morris E. Kernan Jr. and Jagger Inc.

Jockey: Jaime Rodriguez

Career record: 24 starts – 9 wins – 5 seconds – 3 thirds

Career earnings: $418,430

Earnings per start: $17,435

Top Equibase Speed Figure: 107

Pedigree: Orb – Red Velvet, by City Zip

Age: 6

Color: Bay

Running style: Pacesetter/press the pace

Notable achievements and interesting facts: Excellorator has raced three times since returning from a 16 ½-month layoff in early July, and has improved with each race. He was unable to hold off the late charge of deep closer Armando R on this track on Sept. 13, but held on for second over Vance Scholars. This gelding by Kentucky Derby winner Orb has plenty of back class, and will be a contender if he draws in. Trainer Jamie Ness has won three Maryland Million races, including the 2022 Classic with Ournationonparade, and was the trainer of Market Maven when he was disqualified from first in last year’s renewal.

Bet Excellorator in the Maryland Million Classic.