Six champs entered for Maryland Million Day

Three Diamonds Farm’s Bonus Points, whose last stakes victory came in the 2017 Classic, is one of six defending champions and 13 past winners among 224 horses pre-entered in 11 stakes that help comprise the 33rd annual Jim McKay Maryland Million Day program Oct. 20 at Laurel Park. Four of the 12 races on the Maryland Million program, which also attracted seven past Marylandbred champions led by 2017 Horse of the Year Just Howard, are scheduled to be contested over Laurel’s turf course. Entries and post positions will be drawn Wednesday. First race post time on Maryland Million Day is noon. This year’s festivities will include the inaugural Clubhouse Festival featuring Grammy nominated headliners Deadmau5 and Steve Aoki. Trained by seven-time Eclipse Award winner Todd Pletcher, Bonus Points spoiled a bid by Admirals War Chest last year to become just the second three-time Classic winner. Multiple stakes winner John Jones, beaten as the 9-5 favorite last year, is among five horses from last year’s Classic to pre-enter, along with Clubman, Flash McCaul and Legend’s Hope. The richest race on the Maryland Million program at $150,000, the 11⁄ mile Classic for 3-year-olds and up also attracted multiple stakes winners Talk Show Man and Sonny Inspired. Talk Show Man (2014 Turf ) is one of seven past Maryland Million winners pre-entered this year along with My Magician (2014 Lassie), Phlash Phelps (2015, 2016 Turf ), Item (2016 Lassie), Greatbullsoffire (2016 Nursery), Chapel of Chimes (2016 Distaff Starter) and Who Stole My Sock (2016 Starter). Item and My Magician are each among 22 horses pre-entered in the $100,000 Distaff for fillies and mares 3 and up at 7 furlongs including defending champion Crabcakes. Other defending champions preentered are My Sistersledge in the $125,000 Ladies at 11⁄ miles on turf; Spartianos in the $125,000 Turf at 1 mile; Participate in the $60,000 Turf Distaff Starter Handicap; and Helloitsme in the $50,000 Starter Handicap.