Barbadian Runner, Maskedandmummed take weekend stakes
The Biz- November 24, 2025
Barbadian Runner did it again, and so did Maskedandmummed, leading Saturday’s Midlantic stakes action. Laurel Park hosted three stakes, while Charles Town had one.
Three-year-old Barbadian Runner won his sixth stakes of the year, increasing his season earnings to more than $700,000, while two-year-old Maskedandmummed won her second stakes of the year. In doing so she – perhaps – brought some clarity to the local youth section, which had seen five different winners in the first five stakes.
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Barbadian Runner, the 2-5 favorite after beating Grade 2 winner Post Time in the Maryland Million Classic, justified the hype with a decisive 4¼-length victory in the $100,000 Richard W. Small Stakes at Laurel Park. The durable 3-year-old gelding followed the pace before putting in a strong bid under Forest Boyce and performed flawlessly despite carrying the highest weight and overcoming traffic midway through the race. Boyce said: “He may be small but he tries so hard every time,” as the victory marked his seventh victory from 19 starts.
Bought by AJ Will Win Stables for just $5,000 and now the earner of $790,630, Barbadian Runner has become a Maryland fan favorite and a relentless campaigner who has not had more than a 45-day break since his debut in June 2024. Trainer Henry Walters said the modest purchase has exceeded all expectations and hinted that the rock-solid gelding could finally get a winter break. The win was especially meaningful for Boyce, who credited her former mentor Dickie Small, the race’s namesake.
The future of West Virginia
Maskedandmummed posted a front-runner finish in the $75,000, seven-furlong West Virginia Futurity for state-bred two-year-olds on Saturday, while Ron Sigler’s trainees ran a one-two, with B’s Wild Candy finishing in second place. Maskedandmummed is the only state-bred two-year-old to win two stakes this year. Although the race is open to both men and women, fillies occupied the top three spots after top male hopeful Yolo Manolo was scratched.
With Antonio Lopez in the lead, Maskedandmummed led half a mile in 47.44 seconds while being chased by Truth and Justice, sprinting clear up the track and holding off the late-running B’s Wild Candy to win by 1 ¾ lengths in 1:26.60 on a good main circuit. Maskedandmummed, homebred for Casey’s Legacy LLC, the 2-5 post-time favorite, now has three wins and nearly $123,000 in earnings from seven career starts.
Dave’s Friends Bet
Petingas Twin earned his first stakes victory in dramatic fashion, beating Prince of Jericho by a nose in the $100,000 Dave’s Friend Stakes. Trained by Anthony Farrior and ridden by rising star Yedsit Hazlewood, the four-year-old gelding went three wide into the stretch after setting a controversial early pace, stopping the clock for six furlongs in 1:12.08. The Prince of Jericho, returning from a nine-month layoff, fought bravely on, but fell just short.
Petingas Twin, who was claimed as a debuting three-year-old by owner Jim Wolf for $20,000, has improved since he was neutered earlier this year, a decision that Farrior says has made him more flexible but also more aggressive in his training. Now a six-time winner with earnings of $288,086, he continues his strong performance for Hazlewood, who praised Farrior as ‘a smart kid’ worthy of an Eclipse Award.
Willa On the Move insert
In the $100,000 Willa On the Move Stakes, Grammy Girl continued her sharp recent form, taking advantage of a ground-saving ride from Mychel Sanchez to edge Takethemoneyhoney ahead. Just nine days after a strong effort for an Aqueduct fee, Saffie Joseph Jr.’s trainee raced. from the pocket as Miss Harriett set fast breaks and then slipped home through the bend to beat stakes winner Takethemoneyhoney and return after six months, in 1:18.56 for 6½ furlongs.
Grammy Girl, a $25,000 yearling purchase by Mastery, whose dam is a half-sister to multiple Grade 1 winner Classic Empire, has revived her form since returning to New York for the fall. The victory gave the 4-year-old her first stakes victory and improved her record to 5-for-18 with earnings of $286,050. Joseph pointed to her family tree and said, “We wanted to see if we could win a stake, and she did.”
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