The Lead:
Since its 1986 inception, the Maryland Million has been the gold standard of state-bred championship racing programs. Saturday's Laurel Park event boasts a dozen races with the Classic for older males the main event in Race 11. First post is an early 11:30 am ET start time with Maryland-breds and Maryland-sired runners the focal point in every race.

​Field Depth:
OURNATIONONPARADE (pictured above) and DOUBLE CROWN are established stakes winners among the main body of the field and consistently have faced the strongest competition among these. AIN'T DA BEER COLD, LOOSE ENDS and MARKET MAVEN are stakes-placed.

Pace:
A mile and one-eighth is a taxing trip for these, so it's about sustaining over the nine furlongs. MARKET MAVEN, DOLICE VITA, OURNATIONONPARADE, ALL THREES and AIN'T DA BEER COLD all are prominently placed in the majority of their starts. DOUBLE CROWN should get a chance from off the pace if he can get the trip.

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

1-MARKET MAVEN: Parx-based 5-year-old makes his Laurel debut for trainer Jamie Ness, who also has defending champ Ournationonparade in the lineup. Third in the Alphabet Soup on the Pennsylvania Derby card three weeks ago, should be able to use some early speed to secure the rail with a short run to the clubhouse turn, an advantage.

2-DOUBLE CROWN: Rolled late to 4-1/2 length win in Pimlico's Polynesian Stakes five weeks ago and is prepped perfectly to extend an additional sixteenth of a mile. Laurel local allowance route winner was runner-up in the Harrison Johnson Memorial over this track in March. One to fear late.

3-DOLICE VITA: Lower-level claiming dominator this time a year ago, his allowance ascension this year for trainer Phil Capuano now brings him to the stakes ranks for the first time in 23 starts. Runner-up in Pimlico allowance in only attempt at the Maryland Million Classic distance.

4-OURNATIONONPARADE: Romping 5-3/4 length winner of this race last year, he's nibbled the big share in 9 starts since with 1 win and 7 second or third-place finishes. Gave way readily last time in Pimlico's Polynesian when beaten 15 lengths by Double Crown, but it's fair to wonder if that had more to do with a new surface that he simply didn't handle.

5-RHUMJAR: Claimed for $20,000 at Monmouth in June, trainer Claudio Gonzalez brings this one back to Laurel for a different Maryland Million assignment after finishing eighth in last year's Turf.

6-ALL THREES: Beaten favorite when an allowance runner-up a length behind Maryland Million Classic rival Double Crown two starts back at Laurel. Steps up into a stakes after 21 allowance/optional claiming appearances for veteran trainer Hamilton Smith, seeking his first Classic score.

7-AIN'T DA BEER COLD: Strong performer last fall and into the winter of 2023, but has gone off form since April and has been beaten double-digit lengths in five straight races. Disappointing eighth in this race last year at 9-2 odds, some 14-3/4 lengths behind Ournationonparade.

8-LOOSE ENDS: Fair Hill-based gelding by Preakness third-place finisher and Laurel's Polynesian Stakes winner Divining Rod. He's been an allowance mainstay at Delaware Park and Parx with 8 superfecta finishes in his last 9 starts. Runner-up in a February 2022 allowance at Laurel in his only local attempt to date.

Also-eligible runners are excluded from the field unless there are fewer than 8 Maryland Million-registered runners to compete. Among those, 3-year-old SUPER ACCELERATE won Laurel's 7-furlong Star De Naskra; FRIGHTLAND would be making his stakes debut off a Colonial allowance win for Brittany Russell; and BIG BLUE LINE could bring Kentucky stakes-placed class from his Churchill Downs home base for Paul McGee.

Most Certain Exotics Contender:
OURNATIONONPARADE is 11-for-11 in the trifecta at Laurel in his career and proven in this race.

Best Longshot Exotics Contender:
LOOSE ENDS is consistent and was solid in his only previous Laurel road trip. Has exotics appeal at 10-1 ML.

Sending it in ($100 bankroll):
$50 exacta part-wheel DOUBLE CROWN over OURNATIONONPARADE and MARKET MAVEN ($100).