Million Day

Maryland Million Day celebrates the state's thoroughbred industry. From the grooms at the barns to the horse owners in their boxes, everyone involved holds their heads a little higher because of the role they play in one of the state's most important industries.But five years ago, as the revelry of the day approached a crescendo, the celebration died.The ever-popular Root Boy, running near the lead in the Maryland Million Classic, broke down. He lay in the dirt on the Laurel Park backstretch, his right front ankle shattered, his life imperiled.

There was no surprise and little wonder for trainer King Leatherbury, when his nearly machine-like 6-year-old gelding Ben's Cat won yet again Saturday on Maryland Million Day at Laurel Park. Victory has become expected. At age 79, with 6,349 career victories - third all-time in racing history - Leatherbury has pretty much seen it all in 53 years of training. Yet, of the thousands of horses that have passed through his barn over the years, none has been able to get it done like Ben's Cat. Bred by Leatherbury, Ben's Cat didn't even race as a 2-year-old because of a broken pelvis, but he has produced almost nothing but trips to the winner's circle since his career began three years ago. Under jockey Julien Pimentel, the dark brown speedster, sired by an obscure stallion named Parker's Storm Cat, raced in third place off dueling long shots Boltin' Out and Steady Warrior in the $100,000 Maryland Million Turf Sprint, took control at the top of the stretch and held off a late challenge from Heros Reward to win by three-quarters of a length.

The day was nearly done, nothing left to do except stand outside the paddock in front of a TV and watch the replay.Mary JoAnne Hughes, trainer of Mary's Buckaroo, the favorite in the $200,000 Maryland Million Classic yesterday at Laurel Park, stood in silence, her eyes fixed on the TV.Her gray gelding, whom she helped deliver six years ago, was pushed wide around the first turn, ran wide down the backstretch, rallied gamely between horses around the far...

The Boniface family of Bonita Farm in Darlington has been through a lot this year. Benjamin Boniface, 20, died when he lost control of his pickup truck on the private farm lane early one morning in June after "he failed to negotiate a curve," according to the Harford County Sheriff's Office. And Deputed Testamony, their home-bred who was the oldest living Triple Crown race winner and the last Maryland-bred horse to win the Preakness, passed away at age 32 in September. But the Boniface family, like their horses, is made of hardy stock.

They've done their running at Timonium, Colonial Downs, Delaware Park and tracks up and down the Eastern Seaboard. Today, after a 6 1/2 -week hiatus, thoroughbreds return to Laurel Park.Even before they run the first of 10 races at 1 p.m., track officials will draw post positions for Saturday's Maryland Million races. A brunch for that commences at 11 a.m. in the Ruffian Room.For the second straight year, the state's thoroughbred tracks ceased live racing while the bulk of Maryland horses competed at Colonial Downs in New Kent County, Va. The break was designed in part to reinvigorate fans, track employees and Maryland racing in general.

The Maryland Million will be run on Saturday, Sept. 26, at Pimlico Race Course, officials of the thoroughbred horse breeders' incentive program, announced yesterday.Five of the previous six renewals of the 11-race card had been run on a Sunday, but the date was switched this year to avoid competition with pro football. It also will be a more attractive day to accommodate corporate sponsors and their guests."The Maryland Million welcomes the return to a Saturday," said Richard Wilcke, the program's executive director.

The Maryland Million will be run on Saturday, Sept. 26, at Pimlico Race Course, officials of the thoroughbred horse breeders' incentive program, announced yesterday.Five of the previous six renewals of the 11-race card had been run on a Sunday, but the date was switched this year to avoid competition with pro football. It also will be a more attractive day to accommodate corporate sponsors and their guests."The Maryland Million welcomes the return to a Saturday," said Richard Wilcke, the program's executive director.

On a sparkling, sun-drenched day that belonged to Maryland racing and Edgar Prado, a record crowd bet a record amount of money yesterday on Maryland Million Day at Laurel Park.Prado became the first jockey to win five Maryland Million Day races. His biggest score was the Maryland Million Classic with Algar, the defending champion who hadn't won in 11 months.But although the spotlight shined upon Prado, who padded his lead as the nation's winningest jockey, the luster of the day spread into the VIP tents, the grandstand and every corner of the track.

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."

J. William "Bill" Boniface, whose horses won one Preakness Stakes and nearly won another, says his Oliver's Twist is primed for tomorrow's $200,000 Maryland Million Classic.Bobby Barbara, a New York trainer whose Brilliant Patriot is Boniface's main threat, says no problem. Brilliant Patriot has beaten Oliver's Twist twice, and Barbara expects him to do it again.The two last met Sept. 20 in a $30,000 allowance race at Pimlico Race Course. Oliver's Twist followed Brilliant Patriot around the track.

Trainer King Leatherbury didn't expect much from Ben's Cat. The horse had suffered a broken pelvis as a 2-year-old and spent nearly a year getting better in his stall. He didn't run at all at ages 2 or 3, so when he was finally ready to hit the racetrack as a 4-year-old no one expected much. Leatherbury entered him in a $20,000 claiming race. The horse won. Leatherbury entered him in a $25,000 claiming race and the horse won again. And no one claimed him. "Each time he ran, he got better," Leatherbury said.

Today's Maryland Million Day might wind up being a case of the opening act upstaging the headliner as even horsemen are calling the $150,000 Distaff - the race preceding the feature event, the $300,000 Classic - one of the most intriguing matchups in the Million's 23-year history. The Maryland Million, a 12-race card at Laurel Park (first post, 12:15 p.m.), is restricted to horses sired by Maryland stallions. The restrictions on entries, veteran trainer Dickie Small said, can produce some lopsided races.

Preakness Day might be Maryland horse racing's day in the national spotlight and certainly does the most good for the pocketbook of the state's thoroughbred industry. But Maryland Million Day, being run for the 23rd time Saturday, might do the most good for Maryland's racing pride. The card of 12 races at Laurel Park (12:15 p.m. start) is restricted to horses sired in Maryland, and, as more than one horseman put it, unlike the Preakness, it makes players out of local breeders and trainers rather than relegating them to spectators.

Arecord crowd of 26,788 came out to Laurel Park on Saturday for the 22nd annual Maryland Million Day races. The horses participating in the Maryland Million - a racing day second only to the Preakness - are offspring of Maryland-based stallions. The races were founded in 1986 by ABC Sports' Jim McKay, who is still a driving force in the event.

On a perfect October afternoon a record crowd of 26,788 jammed into Laurel Park for the 22nd annual Maryland Million Day program for the offspring of Maryland-based stallions. The day is the second-biggest day in Maryland racing, and yesterday's attendance contributed to a record handle figure of $5,985,793 that shattered the previous high set in 2005 by more than $900,000. "We hear from some people that racing is a dead sport," said Lou Raffetto, the Maryland Jockey Club president and chief operating officer.

The Maryland Million Day races are said to be for the little guy in Maryland racing. Yesterday, the $300,000 Classic was also for the little-known racehorse. Evil Storm, an 11-to-1 long shot, saved ground along the rail early and then swung four-wide at the top of the stretch to overtake race favorite Five Steps and win by three lengths. "We've been pointing to this race for a long time," owner and trainer Michael Gorham said via cell phone. "He ran the race last year and finished third while having a troubled trip.

Five months ago, the Preakness Stakes presented Marylanders a gift for the ages. That memorable finish, with Silver Charm, Free House and Captain Bodgit a blur at the wire, was one of the greatest in the history of the Triple Crown.Today, the Maryland thoroughbred industry presents Act II.Beginning at 12: 30 p.m., Maryland Million Day commences at Laurel Park with the first of 11 races for horses sired by Maryland stallions. The races are worth a total of $1 million. Each one, from the $25,000, 2 1/8 -mile steeplechase to the $200,000, 1 3/16-mile Classic, holds the promise of thrills.

The appropriate horse won the biggest race on the second-biggest day of racing in Maryland. His name: Perfect to a Tee.The 7-year-old gelding captured the $200,000 Maryland Million Classic yesterday at Laurel Park, holding off the dramatic late charge of Steak Scam, a gelding 2 years younger.Perfect to a Tee's trainer, rising star Linda Albert, said afterward that she worried early in the race that her horse, running snug against the rail, might become stuck inside traffic. But when Perfect to a Tee reached the final turn of the 1 3/16-mile race, his jockey Alcibiades Cortez swung the favorite to the outside and into the clear.

Aptly named Deliver The Roses did just that yesterday as she upset 10 horses and geldings in the $100,000 Turf Sprint for 3-year-olds and up on Maryland Million Day. Deliver The Roses was a first-time winner for sire Same Day Delivery, who stands at Kris-Nic Farm in Baldwin. Same Day Delivery, who paid a very healthy $43 to win, was one of three stallions to make the winning sire honor roll for the first time. Malibu Moon's Spectacular Malibu winning for trainer Mike Trombetta in the Lassie for 2-year-old fillies was a first, as Due winning the Classic was for Rinka Das. Deliver The Roses completed the five-furlong course in 55.91.

It would have been difficult to fit one more person in the winner's circle at Laurel Park yesterday after the 16-to-1 long shot Surf Light upset the field and brought pure joy to the family of Joe Pons, who passed away this week at age 83. "Surf Light is a nice filly," said Mike Pons, president of the Maryland Million and one of Joe's sons. "But she's been kind of unlucky. She hits tigers every time she goes on the racetrack. To see her win like that, it's like a 70-yard Hail Mary pass.