October 10, 2025
Trainer Jamie Ness enters Maryland Million Day at Laurel Park with a busy schedule, including Classic hopeful Blue Kingdom, who will try his luck against Maryland star Post Time.
But Ness’s best chances at a winner may come earlier on the card, when he sends out two talented fillies in divisional races: Witchyness in the Lassie and Concrete Faze in the Ladies.
Witchyness, a homebred daughter of Golden Lad, is 6-1 on the morning line in the $100,000 Lassie for 2-year-old fillies. She made just one start at Delaware Park in July and surprised everyone with her performance. After breaking badly off the rail and trailing the field early, she unleashed a determined rally to win by three parts of a length in her debut.
“She’s doing great,” Ness said this week. “She’s a homebred. She ran well the first time. She’ll want more distance along the way, but this looks like a wide-open race.”
Recalling her debut, Ness smiled at how unexpectedly the filly came to hand. “She broke terribly out of one hole, dying last. I thought, maybe she’ll keep running and get a piece. She just kept running and kept coming. I was so proud of her.”
Lassie’s favorite is Slewperstitus (9-5) for trainer Robbie Bailes, and Ness’ filly hasn’t raced in three months, which is worrying, but Ness is hoping for another big performance.
In the $100,000 Ladies, Ness will also saddle Concrete Faze, the 8-5 favorite in the morning line in the 1 1/8 mile turf test. The Super Ninety Nine filly has been a revelation since Ness claimed her for $40,000 in February, winning five of 10 starts and thriving on dirt.
The big question on Saturday is the turf. She is winless in five grass attempts, although she has had excuses in several attempts.
“She’s doing well, but we’re not sure if grass is her ideal surface,” Ness said. “But she’s in good shape and she’s qualifying for the race, so we’ll give it a try. Since we got her she’s been really good, but the grass field is obviously unknown.”
Ness claimed Concrete Faze earlier this year with a specific plan in mind.
“She had all her terms, she was born in Maryland and that day she was competing against the boys, so I knew she wasn’t going to win,” he said. “But she was a perfect fit for us.”
Ness has three previous Maryland Million wins, including the 2022 Classic, which he won with the scoop Ournationonparade.
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