LRL: Big Cuddle, Slewperstitus headline Saturday stakes * The Racing Biz

Two of Maryland’s brightest youth stars, Big Cuddle and Slewperstitus, look to add to their growing resumes Saturday in Laurel Park with a Veterans Day weekend ticket highlighted by a pair of $100,000 sprint stakes.

Big Cuddle, an undefeated son of Great Notion, is the frontrunner in the James F. Lewis III Stakes for 2-year-olds at six furlongs. Trained by Gary Capuano for Pocket 3s Racing and ridden by 17-year-old apprentice Yedsit Hazlewood, Big Cuddle stormed home from afar to capture the Maryland Million Nursery on October 11, despite a poor start and a long journey.

“Today was phenomenal,” Capuano said in the winner’s circle. “Coming away so badly and having to overcome. Gets dirt in the face, goes really wide, but was still able to take them down.”

De Lewis will test the undefeated colt against open company including California’s Balboa, stakes-ranked Channel the Music and West Virginia stakes winner Gurney Halleck.

The Lewis is the ninth race of a ten-race program.

One race earlier, in the Smart Halo Stakes for 2-year-old fillies, Slewperstitus, also by Great Notion, steps up after her determined score in the Maryland Million Lassie for trainer Robbie Bailes and owner-breeder Eric Rizer. Her win made jockey Jevian Toledo the all-time winningest rider in Maryland Million history.

“She scared me a little bit because I felt like I was going to pass by so easily,” Toledo said. “When I asked her to be in a role a few times, she picked it up and showed her class.”

Slewperstitus will face an open stakes company for the first time, but her biggest rival is a well-known one. Just Philtored, another daughter of Great Notion, defeated Slewperstitus twice at Colonial Downs, on dirt by a neck in the Keswick and easily on turf in the Dolley Madison. In her most recent start, Mike Trombetta-trained Just Philtored suffered her first defeat, however, finishing fifth by just two lengths and a change in the Grade 3 Matron at Aqueduct.

Also here are Prosecco Rita, a maiden winner by 9 lengths for trainer Brittany Russell, and a pair of Will Walden trainees, including Keeneland maiden winner Beach Heist, who has a cross-entry at Aqueduct on Friday.

Saturday’s 10-race schedule begins at 12:00 PM ET and features two ‘Value Pick 5’ bets with a 12% takeaway. Active duty military, veterans and their families receive a 50% discount on food and drinks with ID.