The Lead:
The stakes season may be winding down, but Laurel Park's trio of featured races Saturday provide a welcome mat for some of the circuit's biggest stars. The Willa on the Move Stakes, Richard W. Small Stakes and the Dave's Friend Stakes are grouped together on the 9-race card that begins at noon. The 6-furlong Dave's Friend will be my focus in Race 7 (post time 2:52 pm ET).

​Field Depth:
Grade 1-placed performers TWISTED RIDE and DEAN DELIVERS have dabbled at the top sprint levels, while Grade 2-placed SUNNY BREEZE and Grade 3-placed PRINCE OF JERICHO have earned black type. Six of the 9 entrants are listed stakes winners. The lineup is very evenly matched on class.
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Pace:
Seven different runners have some designs on or pressing the lead, which should lead to a hotly contested pace. It's cloudy which will fire fastest and who will be left in chase mode, but SUBROGATE and TETINGAS TWIN figure to be the beneficiaries from off the pace.

Our Eyes:
Here are my horse-by-horse notes.

#1-SUBROGATE: DeFrancis Dash winner over this track and distance in June returns with a great pace set-up. The Jorge Duarte trainee also hits a key, second-off-the-layoff spot of his form cycle. Note he won his second lifetime start, a 2OL allowance in June 2024 and a 2OL spot for the DeFrancis Dash. Major threat.

#2-PETINGAS TWIN: Off the board in all 3 career stakes bids, this allowance sort exits a career-best race over the track and is 9-for-12 in the exacta on the Laurel main. Should get a good pace set-up for the high-percentage Anthony Farrior barn. Consider at a price.

#3-TWISTED RIDE: Parx-based 6-year-old is 18-36 in the exacta lifetime with a commendable 10 wins. Runner-up in the Maryland Million Sprint here Oct. 11 and has been second in all 3 Laurel efforts lifetime. Third last summer in the Grade 1 Vanderbilt at Saratoga, but an 11-race losing streak lasted all the way until his Oct. 29 Parx allowance victory. Consider underneath.

#4-UNCLE CAT: Allowance sort has managed only 1 win from 10 starts at Laurel on the main track, albeit with 4 seconds. Against this crew looks to be in a no-lead, no-pass situation and others offer far more appeal.

#5-SHOWSTOPPER COPPER: Able to punch out lesser competition, but when faced with rivals of this ilk he's been flat late and unable to finish the job. Penn National-based gelding should be part of the contended pace, but prefer others when it counts late.

#6-MAXIMUS MERIDIUS: Parx trainer Butch Reid brings a rested and ready sprinter to town, off since September's runner-up in the Parx Sprint. While not a need-the-lead type, this fast breaker might be on the engine while fresh.

#7-SUNNY BREEZE: First of 2 for veteran trainer Ned Allard, who also sends out Dean Delivers. Won the Concern Stakes over this track last year, but has dropped 7 straight since (0-4 in 2025). Has lost margin in the final call in each of those defeats and appears to be in a no-lead, no-pass situation Saturday.

#8-PRINCE OF JERICHO: Morning line favorite returns from a February layoff as red-hot trainer Brittany Russell picks a steep spot for the comeback. While his record is strong at 6 furlongs (9: 3-4-1), at top levels he's been dynamite at 7 furlongs and potentially that's his best trip. Only 1 career start off a long vacation and that netted a solid, but unspectacular, allowance win. I'll try to beat him, but respect the ledger.

#9-DEAN DELIVERS: The 2024 DeFrancis Dash winner at Laurel was in peak form a year ago, but this 6-year-old season has seen a noticable decline. Poor allowance effort over this track and distance in his local prep doesn't inspire any confidence the Ned Allard trainee is about to turn it around.

Most Likely Exotics Contender:
SUBROGATE is proven locally at this trip and class level and should be ready to fire at this point of his form cycle behind a hot pace to tackle.

Best Longshot Contender:
PETINGAS TWIN should get a great trip, and while only 6-1 in the morning line, is the best 'price' to dabble.

Sending it in ($100 bankroll):
$100 win SUBROGATE.