Maryland Million

LAUREL -- Pre-entries for the sixth Maryland Million closed yesterday, with 118 horses, including several cross-entries, listed for the nine races that constitute the main program.Two races -- a $50,000 steeplechase event and a $15,000 sprint for amateur riders -- have been added in the years since the Maryland Million began at Laurel Race Course in 1986, technically making it an 11-race, $1,065,000 program.The Million will be run at Pimlico Race Course on Sept. 8. After alternating between Laurel and Pimlico its first four years, the program will be run at Pimlico for the third straight year.

THE WINNER Long shot Evil Storm rallied to win the $300,000 Classic, the feature race on Maryland Million Day at Laurel Park yesterday. Jockey Jeremy Rose guided Evil Storm to victory in 1:58.19 over 1 3/16 miles. Favorite Five Steps was three lengths back, Diamond David finished third and defending champion Due fourth. The 12-race card drew a record crowd of 26,788. THE PAYOUTS Horse Win Place Show Evil Storm $25.20 $9.00 $6.20 Five Steps $3.40 $2.60 Diamond David $10.40 MORE COVERAGE Notebook, results.

Heavy rain and the threat of severe flooding led officials to cancel today's 20th running of the Maryland Million at Laurel Park. The twelve race program for the offspring of Maryland sires has been rescheduled for next Saturday, October 15. Horses that were pre-entered will be eligible to compete. The post position draw will be held on Wednesday, October 12. Post time for the card will be 12:15 p.m. "We are extremely disappointed with the action we had to take as a result of the torrential rain we received," said Lou Raffetto, Chief Operating Officer for the Maryland Jockey Club.

Before Algar successfully defended his title in the Maryland Million Classic yesterday, Winsox captured the Turf for the second straight year.Winsox bolted into the lead under jockey Edgar Prado and never looked back, winning the 1 1/8 -mile race by 1 3/4 lengths. Winsox's victory at even money gave his trainer, Bill Boniface, his seventh Maryland Million winner. No trainer has more.And Winsox also pushed his sire, Bonita Farm's Deputed Testamony, into the lead for sires of Maryland Million winners -- into the lead for two races, that is. When Algar won the Classic, he kept his sire, Horatius, apace Deputed Testamony.

The 11th running of Maryland Million Day yesterday at Laurel Park came up aces on all counts: a gorgeous autumn day, splendid racing and a down-home feel akin to a community cookout."

So here we have a day to celebrate a slice of Maryland history dating to Colonial times: Neighbor racing a horse against neighbor.When every horse entered in every race was conceived on a Maryland farm, that's exactly what you have -- the old-fashioned fighting notion of "My stallion's better than your stallion; my horse is faster than your horse."More than 20,000 fans are expected at Laurel Park today for the 11th annual showdown of Maryland-sired horses known as Maryland Million Day. Purses won't quite total $1 million as usual, because the $25,000 Steeplechase Handicap was canceled yesterday because of soggy turf.

The $100,000 Maryland Million Sprint figured as the most competitive race of the state's showcase card yesterday at Laurel. It didn't disappoint.But the bettors pulled a rarity. They overlooked Kent Desormeaux's mount.Sent off at 11-to-1 odds on Military Look, Desormeaux rallied from 10th in the 11-horse field to beat Jest Punching by a neck, with Who Wouldn't third another nose behind in a three-horse drive.It was the only win of the day for Desormeaux and his seventh on Million day, second to the eight by Julie Krone, who is idled by a fractured leg."

After 9-year-old Frugal Doc won last year's Maryland Million Classic, becoming the oldest horse to win a Maryland Million race, Scott Posey, his trainer, dreamed of his winning again this year at 10.But when Frugal Doc didn't recover fully from a ligament injury this summer, and when his left front pastern joint showed an unusual bend, Posey retired the old boy."No question we wanted to be back here," Posey said. "But there was no way in hell we were going to take a chance with this horse.

Ameri Allen scored a $26 upset yesterday in the $100,000 USF&G Maryland Lassie, an early event on Maryland Million Day, but it would not have happened if Eric Fried had not spoken up on Friday.When post positions were drawn for the Lassie, it was oversubscribed. Owners of 14 2-year-old fillies wanted to start, but the minimum permitted in six-furlong races is 12.So two filles -- Ameri Allen and Marleneatthemall -- faced exclusion based on earnings as reported by The Daily Racing Form in a set of advance past performances.

A total of 162 offspring of Maryland stallions have been pre-entered in the 10 Maryland Million races to be contested Sept. 21 at Pimlico Race Course. Final entries for the 17th renewal of the Maryland Million will be taken and post positions drawn on Wednesday, beginning at 11:30 a.m. in the Triple Crown Room at Pimlico. The Maryland Million, the state's second-biggest day of thoroughbred racing, features horses sired by Maryland stallions. Four of the pre-entrants are defending champions: Sumerset in the $200,000 Classic, Elberton in the $100,000 Turf, Case of the Blues in the $100,000 Distaff Handicap and Blazing Colors in the $50,000 Starter Handicap.