Something a little different this week… here are four horses to follow on today’s card at Laurel Park. Good luck!
Make sure to check out the fantastic daily handicapping guide put together by the MJC Team via THIS LINK.
R2: WHO SAYS SO (9/5 ML)
Trainer Phil Capuano has been exceptionally strong first off the claim in 2025, boasting a 36% strike rate with five wins from 14 starters. Naturally, that makes his barn debutant, WHO SAYS SO, of major interest in today’s second.
Having been beaten a combined 85 1/2-lengths in his first four starts of 2025, this 3-year-old son of HOPPERTUNITY suddenly found a rich vein of form this summer, rallying from off the pace to be beaten just half a length in back-to-back $12k claimers at Colonial before another bold showing here at Laurel 33-days ago. In that most recent start, he showed far more early speed than he’d ever done in the past and pressed the hot pace from just one length back to the turn before taking over at the top of the lane and giving the 2/5 favorite, CANDYCRUMBS, everything he could handle in the stretch. He ultimately ended up settling for a length defeat in second late on, but he lost nothing in defeat behind the chalk and if anything, ran even better than the bare result and speed figure would suggest, having been part of a hot early pace that favored mid-pack closers.
He now returns off that strong effort to make his debut for Capuano in a similar quality affair that, unlike last time, has absolutely no speed signed on. That should allow him to garner a significant pace advantage over his main rivals if showing similar early speed to last time, which, with hot apprentice Hazlewood – who rode him to a half-length defeat at odds of 47/1 in the summer – getting back aboard this afternoon and taking a hugely valuable 5lbs off, could make him tough to run down late.
R6: B WEST (6/1 ML)
It’s a surprise to me that Timeform US’ pace projector doesn’t have the red ‘fast’ pace flag for today’s sixth, a 6-furlong starter on the dirt, because all five inside drawn runners – COLONEL VARGO, BORRACHO, BACKNTHEWOODS, FREEZE THE FIRE and BROTHER CONWAY – are going to be sending out the gate and on paper, it looks as if they’re going to be rolling early on. I therefore look towards B WEST in this spot, a horse who should sit the perfect stalk-and-pounce trip from gate seven and who looks as if he could be rounding back into his best form having overcome a wide trip to run a 100 TUS figure last time – his fastest since June 2024 and the best last out figure on offer.
He now makes his third start off the bench – often when a horse peaks – and his first for Kieron Magee after being re-claimed out of his last race off Jose Corrales. When previously in the hands of Magee, who over the last two years has struck at 27% (17-for-62; $2.17 ROI) with dirt sprinters first off the claim at Laurel, B WEST was better than ever, winning three of his nine starts for the barn with multiple mid-70 Beyers, and with the right setup today, plus Jose Vargas’ 7lbs weight break in his favor, he looks to have a strong chance of adding further to his impressive 6-furlong record of 4-2-3 from 10 starts.
R7: ENDLESS HORIZONS (9/2 ML)
Jorge Duarte Jr. isn’t renowned for having his horses cranked to win on debut. In fact, over the last two years, he’s struck at just 8% with firsters (3-for-37). With second-time starters, however, he’s produced a much healthier 23% strike rate (7-for-31), good for a positive $3.26 ROI. Therefore, ENDLESS HORIZONS has to be respected when she lines up in today’s seventh, a 5½-furlong MSW on the turf.
This Colts Neck Stables LLC homebred daughter of LIAM’S MAP, who’s out of the multiple stakes-winning turf sprinter INTRODUCED, took money on debut at BAQ following a series of swift morning drills. Unfortunately, however, she couldn’t reward her supporters after suffering a torrid trip. She raced greenly in rear down the backstretch chasing the hot pace, then began trying to make progress along the rail rounding the bend but was shut off and forced to check sharply at the 3/8 pole. From there, she was shuffled further back racing to the top of the lane, and then she stumbled on what must have been some loose ground at the 1/4 pole, losing even more momentum. After all that, she turned for home a full 12½ lengths off the lead in last and would have been forgiven if she’d remained in that position to the wire. But, somehow, she managed to pick back up and rattle home into fifth, posting an 11.32 final furlong to be beaten just 5¼ lengths, which, under the circumstances, was impressive.
Now making her second start here at Laurel today, she can be expected to improve two-fold upon her troubled debut effort with both natural improvement and her trainer’s strong record with second-time starters coming into play, plus a cleaner trip. Given the 54 Beyer she earned on debut is already one of the fastest on offer, it’ll therefore be hard to leave her off any late-sequence tickets, and the rail-drawn CHRISTMAS JONES should ensure she has a solid pace to run at too.
R9: MACLEAN’S ROOK (2/1 ML)
Four weeks ago, I fleshed out a case for MACLEAN’S ROOK when he took on winners for the first time following his better-than-looks maiden breaking success at Colonial in September. As a reminder, the son of MACLEAN’S MUSIC had overcome a lot to make his first start at two-turns a winning one. He was pinched back leaving the gate, which not only resulted in his rider losing his irons heading into the first turn, but it also put him at a disadvantage as he was left racing in last behind the very slow early pace. Then, he was caught five-wide when making his move on the far turn. Despite these obstacles, and the fact that he was green in the lane, remaining on his left lead, he was utterly dominant in victory, swooping the field with a striking turn of foot and motoring away late to score by 3 1/4-lengths.
The combination of both clear talent and trouble in running suggested that, granted a smoother trip, he’d be capable of improving enough on his 70 Beyer to make his first start against winners a successful one when last seen. Well, he achieved one of those two things, jumping his Beyer up from a 70 to 73, but ultimately that proved to be insufficient, as he could only finish fourth beaten 3 1/2-lengths.
Today, however, he really does look to have an excellent chance of registering his second career win. Despite running well in defeat last time, he still didn’t look the finished article, remaining late with his lead change and taking time to find his best stride. What’s more, he wasn’t exactly helped by the way the race was run either, with just an even early tempo resulting in horses struggling to make up any ground at all in the lane. It seems he’s capable of more than that and he’s entitled to improve further as he makes just his fourth career start this afternoon under Karamanos, which you can’t say about any of his rivals. His recent 73 Beyer already the joint-fastest last out fig on offer in this race and with the right setup forecast, even a small step forward will make him tough to beat.
‘HTF’ Results:
September 2025
Starters: 32
Wins: 10 (31%)
ITM: 22 (69%)
Average Odds: 5.60
ROI: $2.46
June 2025
Starters: 35
Wins: 11 (31%)
ITM: 23 (66%)
Average Odds: 5.40
ROI: $3.42
May 2025
Starters: 36
Wins: 12 (33%)
ITM: 20 (55%)
Average Odds: 4.40
ROI: $3.60
