Private Terms

Marciano delivered a knockout blow to five 3-year-old rivals to win the $50,000 Herat Stakes yesterday at Laurel Park. Marciano, a gray-roan son of Two Punch, and jockey Mark Johnston cruised up outside the pacesetters approaching the far turn, then powered by to score a 9 1/4 -length victory over Unaccountedlea (second) and Dissident Shah (third). The winner, who was the post-time favorite, paid $3.60. His winning time was 1 minute, 46 2/5 seconds for the 1-1/16 mile distance over a wet, fast strip.

Laurel Park Bandbox wins $75K Private Terms Stakes by 11/2 lengths Under confident handling, Hillwood Stable LLC's Bandbox cruised to victory in Saturday afternoon's feature at Laurel Park, the $75,000 Private Terms Stakes for 3-year-olds. Sent to post as the overwhelming favorite under Travis Dunkelberger , Bandbox tracked speedster Rush Now to the top of the lane before edging to the front and pulling away to win by 11/2 lengths in 1 minute, 37.25 seconds for the one-mile distance.

LAUREL -- There's an unspoken rule that applies to Maryland's 3-year-olds: Go elsewhere and win, or don't be considered a legitimate Triple Crown candidate."

LAUREL -- John Casey will start his day by shoeing a couple of horses at Charles Town Race Course.Then he'll hook up his trailer, load his 3-year-old gelding, Coin Collector, and head down the highway from the West Virginia track to Laurel, where the 30-year-old blacksmith is running the likely favorite in today's $50,000-added Private Terms Stakes.Just like multimillionaire owners Bayard Sharp, Alfred Vanderbilt and Israel Cohen, who all have horses entered in the race -- although the horses might not all run -- Casey is trying to get a line on his horse.

/TC LAUREL -- Haymaker further distanced himself from his local rivals with a convincing victory in the $54,950 Private Terms Stakes over a muddy track at Laurel Race Course yesterday.The colt led at every point in the 1 1/16-mile race, finishing nearly two lengths ahead of Colonel Hill and giving winning trainer Carlos Garcia a chance to get in a jab at the losers."Sergeant Hill, he ran good, huh?" said Garcia, giving Colonel Hill an intentional demotion in rank. "I said [Saturday] if he couldn't beat me in this race, when I'm giving him 10 pounds, when's he going to beat me?

Stuart Janney III slipped into Churchill Downs virtually unnoticed Saturday afternoon, a few hours after landing in Lexington and driving to the track with his wife, two children and son-in-law. The northern Baltimore County resident, who had avoided the Kentucky Derby fanfare all week, soon found himself as the center of attention. Orb, owned by Janney and his cousin Ogden Mills “Dinny” Phipps, captured the 139th Kentucky Derby Saturday through the mud in 2:02.89 to win by 261/27 lengths.

It has been a good run in 1993 for Ritchie Trail.The dark-brown mare upset Stem The Tide in the Maryland Turf Writers' Handicap on Jan. 23 and finished second to Moon Mist in the Barbara Fritchie Handicap last month.Today, the Charlie Hadry-trained 5-year-old will attempt to add the $60,000 Conniver Handicap to her list of accomplishments that have produced $300,000 in earnings.Ritchie Trail, with Edgar Prado on board, is listed as the early 3-1 favorite in the Conniver, a 7-furlong sprint for Maryland-bred fillies and mares of 3-year-olds and up.Ritchie Trail is owned by Mrs. Orme Wilson.

Today: Spartan Cat and Just Call Me Carl are co-favorites in the Private Terms Stakes, a 1 1/8 -mile event for 3-year-olds with a $50,000-added purse.Spartan Cat, owned by Marathon Farm, crashed the stakes ranks in his fourth try after finishing second in the Ambernash, Miracle Wood and Horatius.After winning the Dancing Count Stakes, Just Call Me Carl finished third as the beaten favorite to Spartan Cat in the Herat.Tomorrow: Eight 3-year-old fillies have been entered for the Wide Country Stakes, a $50,000-added event to be run at 1 1/8 miles.