Rymska returns for Brown

The eight-stakes card at Laurel Park on Saturday includes a pair of Grade 3, 1 1/8-mile turf stakes for 3-yearolds, the Commonwealth Derby and Commonwealth Oaks. Formerly the Virginia Derby and Oaks, they were held at now-shuttered Colonial Downs through 2013 and are sponsored by the Virginia Equine Alliance and the Virginia HBPA.

The Virginia organizations also have funded five $60,000 stakes for Virginia-bred or -sired runners at Laurel on Saturday. The featured event of the afternoon is the Grade 2 Baltimore/Washington International Turf Cup, which is paid for by the Laurel Park purse fund.

First post for the 12-race card is earlier than usual, 12:30 p.m. Eastern.

The $200,000 Commonwealth Derby has a competitive field of eight, while favoritism in the 10-horse Oaks will likely come down to Rymska or Taperge, both of whom are trained by Chad Brown.

Rymska is the only graded winner in the field, but will be making her first start since she won the Grade 3 Sweetest Chant at Gulfstream Park close to eight months ago.

Imported from France last year after three starts, she concluded her 2-year-old campaign by finishing second in the Grade 3 Miss Grillo and fifth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf. Both of those races were won by the Browntrained New Money Honey.

In her lone start this season, Rymska finished fast to win the Sweetest Chant by threequarters of a length, going from sixth to first in the final furlong of the one-mile race. She has worked 10 times since July 1.

“She had some minor physical issues,” Brown said. “I think she will give a good performance off the layoff. She’s been training well.”

Taperge, a gray filly by Tapit, returned from a fourmonth break to win a first-level optional-claiming race going 1 3/16 miles at Saratoga. She earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 87, which puts her right in the mix in this group.

“She had a good run up at Saratoga,” Brown said. “I feel she’s earned the right to try a graded stakes.”

Trainer Shug McGaughey and owner and breeder Stuart Janney III will try to win the Oaks for a third straight year with In the Lee after scoring with My Impression in 2016 and Onus in 2015.

In the Lee, who is by Tapit, is 2 for 2 over the Laurel turf, with her only defeat coming in a race switched to the main track at Laurel in August.

Flower Fashion will be making her United States debut and first start for Christophe Clement after winning 2 of 6 starts in France this year. She was trained overseas by Clement’s brother Nicolas.

Voodoo Song goes for five

In the derby, Voodoo Song will attempt to win his fifth straight. Trained by Linda Rice, Voodoo Song won an amazing four races during the 40-day Saratoga meet, the first time a horse is believed to have done that since 1952.

Voodoo Song scored his most important win in the Grade 3 Saranac on Sept. 2. He looks to have the best early speed in this field and will dictate the pace.

Trainer Roger Attfield sends Final Copy in from Woodbine. Final Copy missed by a nose in his last start, the 1 1/2-mile Breeders’ Stakes, third leg of the Canadian Triple Crown. He won the Toronto Cup at 1 1/8 miles on turf in his prior start.

Profiteer, a son of War Front, is 3 for 6 in his career, all for Shug McGaughey. He is the first foal out of three-time graded winner Hit It Rich, whose specialty was turf marathons. He seems to just be hitting his best stride.

Threeohtwocassie was scratched as the morning-line favorite out of the Alphabet Soup Stakes for Pennsylvaniabreds at Parx last Saturday by trainer Anthony Pecoraro to instead try this more difficult spot.