Maryland Million Day 2026 lands at Laurel Park on Saturday, October 24, and it is the biggest day on the Maryland calendar outside Preakness weekend. The 41st Jim McKay Maryland Million brings eight stakes for horses sired by Maryland stallions, four starter handicaps and $1.12 million in total purses across 12 races. That is the richest Maryland Million card since 2009. First post is a special 11:15 a.m. ET, and you can bet every race on MyWinners.
The fields came out strong. The card drew 150 entries, up 12% on last year’s 134, and eight races drew overflow fields with also eligibles waiting for scratches. Below we run through all eight Maryland Million stakes with the morning line, the key runners and our best bets.
Maryland Million Day 2026 at a Glance
The Maryland Million started in 1986 as the idea of Hall of Fame broadcaster Jim McKay. The concept is simple. Every stakes on the program is restricted to horses by stallions registered with the Maryland Million, so local breeders get a championship day of their own. Five of the 12 races go on the turf, including three of the stakes: the Ladies, the Turf Sprint and the Turf.
Maryland Million Day 2026 Post Times and Purses
The Sprint opens the stakes action in Race 2 at 12:29 p.m. ET. The $150,000 Maryland Million Classic goes as Race 11 at 4:49 p.m. ET, with a closing starter handicap at 5:18 p.m. ET. The full stakes schedule with purses, distances and morning line favorites sits in the table below.
| Race | Post Time (ET) | Stakes | Purse | Distance and Surface | ML Favorite |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 12:29 p.m. | Maryland Million Sprint | $100,000 | 6f dirt | Celtic Contender 3/2 |
| 4 | 1:27 p.m. | Maryland Million Ladies | $125,000 | 1 1/16m turf | Mopo 9/5 |
| 5 | 1:54 p.m. | Maryland Million Lassie | $100,000 | 6f dirt | Olivia’s Legacy 2/1 (main field) |
| 6 | 2:23 p.m. | Maryland Million Turf Sprint | $100,000 | 5 1/2f turf | Witty 9/5 |
| 7 | 2:52 p.m. | Maryland Million Distaff | $100,000 | 7f dirt | Takethemoneyhoney 6/5 |
| 9 | 3:51 p.m. | Maryland Million Nursery | $100,000 | 6f dirt | Walt’s Notion 4/5 |
| 10 | 4:20 p.m. | Maryland Million Turf | $125,000 | 1 1/8m turf | Thundering 4/5 |
| 11 | 4:49 p.m. | Maryland Million Classic | $150,000 | 1 1/8m dirt | Barbadian Runner 2/5 |
Maryland Million Classic: Barbadian Runner Defends His Crown
The headline act is Barbadian Runner, and the morning line says he is close to a lock at 2/5. Henry Walters trains the 4yo son of Barbados, and Forest Boyce rides from post 2. Shamrock Farm bred him, and he sold for just $5,000 as a yearling. He now has 10 wins, 8 seconds and 4 thirds from 26 starts, with eight stakes wins and more than $1 million in earnings.
He crossed the million mark on October 3 when he ran down front runner Cooke Creek to win the $200,000 Battery Park Stakes at Delaware Park by three quarters of a length. Last year he pulled the shock of the day in this race, beating 1/9 favorite Post Time by three quarters of a length. This time he is the one everybody has to beat.
| Post | Horse | Jockey | Trainer | Morning Line |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Market Maven | Mychel Sanchez | Jamie Ness | 6/1 |
| 2 | Barbadian Runner | Forest Boyce | Henry Walters | 2/5 |
| 3 | Goodbye Note | Paco Lopez | Suzanne Stettinius | 15/1 |
| 4 | Omar Comin | Wilfredo Santiago | Wade Sanderson | 20/1 |
| 5 | In the Dance | Jaime Rodriguez | Jamie Ness | 15/1 |
| 6 | Davyjonz | Tais Lyapustina | Robin Graham | 20/1 |
| 7 | Sacred Thunder | Emanuel Rosario | Gary Capuano | 12/1 |
| 8 | Wickeddivine | Jeiron Barbosa | Kenny Cox | 8/1 |
| AE | Derbyness | Sheldon Russell | Brittany Russell | 5/1 |
| AE | Roll On Jesse | Angel Cruz | Kenny Cox | 30/1 |
| AE | Bill of Rights | Raul Mena | Joanne Shankle | 20/1 |
Maryland Million Classic Contenders and Odds
Market Maven is the second choice in the main field at 6/1 and breaks from the rail for Jamie Ness and Mychel Sanchez. The 8yo Super Ninety Nine gelding has history here. He crossed the line first in the 2023 Classic but lost the race in the stewards’ room for bumping, then finished fifth in 2024. He comes in off a wire to wire win in a $25,000 claimer at Parx on October 5, earning an 86 Beyer. Ness won this race in 2022 with Ournationonparade.
Wickeddivine (8/1) is the wild card. Kenny Cox trains the 4yo Divining Rod gelding, who has four wins from 14 starts and ran third in the Frank J. De Francis Memorial Dash on June 27. He has never raced beyond six furlongs, and now he goes nine. Cox won the 2023 Classic with Ain’t Da Beer Cold. Ness also sends In the Dance (15/1), a 5yo with nine wins and more than $340,000 banked.
Three also eligibles wait in the wings: Derbyness (5/1), Roll On Jesse (30/1) and Bill of Rights (20/1). They are Maryland breds but not by Maryland Million stallions, so they only get in if the main field drops below eight. Check scratches on race morning, because Derbyness would change the shape of the race.
Maryland Million Turf: Thundering Returns to the Scene
The $125,000 Maryland Million Turf goes as Race 10 at 1 1/8 miles on the grass, and Thundering is the 4/5 favorite. Derek Ryan trains the 4yo son of Mosler for owner Jal Dastur. He won the $125,000 Japan Racing Association Turf Cup over this exact trip at Laurel on June 27, beating Truly Quality by a length and a half. Paco Lopez picks up the ride from post 7.
Graham Motion sends Alakan (5/1) for Jose Vargas, and Pont Aven (10/1) gives Michael Trombetta a live price. Henry Walters doubles up on the day with Hanksdiviningrod (12/1) under Jevian Toledo. The veterans are here too. Wicked Prankster won this race in 2022 and 2023 and goes off at 30/1 for owner and trainer Sammy Davis, while Crabs N Beer (20/1) returns after four previous runs in this race. Motion’s Hardspun Reason (4/1) is an also eligible and needs a scratch.
Maryland Million Ladies: Mopo Meets Nick’s Notion
The $125,000 Ladies is Race 4 at 1 1/16 miles on turf, and it shapes up as a two horse fight. Mopo is the 9/5 favorite for Phillip Capuano and Paco Lopez. The 4yo Great Notion filly races for Mopo Racing, the stable of TV host Maury Povich. Coming into the summer she had finished out of the top three only once in 10 turf starts, and she won the Jameela Stakes at Laurel in her first stakes try.
Nick’s Notion (2/1) is another Great Notion runner, trained by Robbie Bailes and ridden by Forest Boyce. Lendalfoot (9/2) for Keri Brion and Martin Chuan rounds out the top three in the betting. Precious Avary won this race in 2023 and finished second in 2024, and she is 10/1 for Tim Shaw.
Maryland Million Distaff: Takethemoneyhoney Is the Bar
The $100,000 Distaff goes at seven furlongs on dirt as Race 7. Takethemoneyhoney is the 6/5 favorite for Michael Moore and Eliseo Ruiz, and she arrives as a multiple stakes winner. Divine Seeker (3/1) for Robert Reid Jr. and Mychel Sanchez is the main danger, with Slewperstitus (4/1) next for Robbie Bailes and Jevian Toledo.
Defending champion Onyx Ten sits at 12/1 for Gary Capuano with Paco Lopez up. That is a big price for last year’s winner in a race where the top of the market carries short odds.
Maryland Million Sprint: Celtic Contender vs Haileysfirstnotion
The $100,000 Sprint at six furlongs on dirt kicks off the stakes in Race 2, and it is the tightest betting race on the card. Celtic Contender (3/2) won this race in 2024 for Hamilton Smith and goes again with Forest Boyce. Haileysfirstnotion (8/5) is right behind him in the market for Gary Capuano and Emanuel Rosario.
Band Camp (8/1) finished second to Celtic Contender in this race in 2024 and gets Paco Lopez. Suremeanttoobe (9/2) runs for Michael Maker with Mychel Sanchez. Three also eligibles sit behind the main field of eight, led by Circle P at 15/1.
Maryland Million Turf Sprint: A Three Horse Race
The $100,000 Turf Sprint runs at 5 1/2 furlongs on the grass as Race 6. Witty is the 9/5 favorite for owner, breeder and trainer Elizabeth Merryman, with Jaime Rodriguez riding. The 7yo Great Notion gelding is a half brother to 2022 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint winner Caravel. He won the Ben’s Cat Stakes at Laurel for the second time in June, which was his ninth stakes win and took his earnings past $1 million. Whenigettoheaven (2/1) for Nolan Ramsey gets Paco Lopez, and defending champion Had to Have Him (4/1) returns for John Salzman Jr. with Jevian Toledo, the winningest rider in Maryland Million history.
Those three dominate the betting. Tidewater (12/1) for Forest Boyce is the best of the rest on the morning line.
Maryland Million Nursery and Lassie: The Juvenile Stakes
Maryland Million Nursery
Walt’s Notion is the 4/5 favorite in the $100,000 Nursery at six furlongs for Phillip Capuano and Paco Lopez. The Great Notion gelding has earned $109,000 from three starts. He won his debut, lost the First State Dash at Delaware by a head, then led all the way to take the James F. Lewis III Stakes at Laurel on October 3 by a length and a quarter.
Aruba Ariba (9/2) is the improver. John Robb’s colt ran third on debut behind Monster Mitch (5/1), then won a Laurel maiden on October 9 by nine and three quarter lengths. Eclipseness (15/1) for Jamie Ness won his maiden at Delaware by six lengths. Ness also has Metallican (9/2) as an also eligible.
Maryland Million Lassie
Olivia’s Legacy (2/1) leads the main field in the $100,000 Lassie at six furlongs for Anthony Pecoraro and Paco Lopez. The Blofeld filly has two wins and two seconds from four starts, all at Delaware Park. She lost the Blue Hen and the Small Wonder narrowly, then won a six furlong allowance on September 25 by a length and three quarters.
Just a Smooch (4/1) won her debut at Delaware on October 3 despite a slow start. Talking Foolish (9/2) brings stakes experience after a third in the Smart Halo. Keep an eye on the also eligible list. Whitten Way is 6/5 on the morning line for Gary Capuano but sits outside the main field and needs a scratch to run.
The Big Storylines for Maryland Million Day 2026
Paco Lopez Rides in Every Stakes
Paco Lopez has a mount in all eight Maryland Million stakes. He rides Band Camp, Mopo, Olivia’s Legacy, Whenigettoheaven, Onyx Ten, Walt’s Notion, Thundering and Goodbye Note. Three of those are morning line favorites, so his book will shape a lot of multi race tickets.
Great Notion Keeps the Streak Alive
Great Notion has been Maryland’s leading sire since 2016 and has sired at least one Maryland Million winner for 16 straight years. His runners include favorites Mopo, Walt’s Notion and Witty, plus Haileysfirstnotion and Nick’s Notion near the top of their markets. Streak number 17 looks very likely.
The Capuano Barns and the Record Book
Gary Capuano has Haileysfirstnotion, Onyx Ten, Doc’s Miracle and Sacred Thunder in the stakes, plus Whitten Way on the also eligible list. Phillip Capuano has two favorites in Mopo and Walt’s Notion. Jerry Robb leads all active trainers with 12 Maryland Million wins, three behind all time leader Dale Capuano. Jevian Toledo holds the jockey record with 21 wins.
Our Best Bets for Maryland Million Day 2026
Barbadian Runner is the strongest single on the card. At 2/5 there is little value in a straight win bet, so we use him as the anchor in our multi race bets and look for prices elsewhere. In the Classic exotics, Market Maven at 6/1 is our pick for second off his sharp Parx win.
Thundering gets our vote in the Turf. He won the JRA Turf Cup at this course and distance in June, and Alakan at 5/1 is the exacta partner. In the Ladies we side with Mopo at 9/5 for her consistency on grass. Walt’s Notion at 4/5 is the second single in the Nursery, with Aruba Ariba the one to use underneath.
For a price, look at Band Camp at 8/1 in the Sprint and Had to Have Him at 4/1 in the Turf Sprint. Both have run well in these exact races before. Onyx Ten at 12/1 is the value play in the Distaff.
Bet Maryland Million Day 2026 with MyWinners
Maryland Million Day 2026 is the last big state bred card before Breeders’ Cup week at Keeneland, and it rewards anyone who digs into the local form. Laurel racing is open to all MyWinners customers aged 18 and over. Find more previews on the MyWinners blog, and check the morning scratches before you build your tickets.
Bet online at app.mywinners.com, on the MyWinners: Racing & Sports app on iOS or Android, or go here to find your nearest MyWinners or Winners venue in CT.
Image © Maryland Million
