Julerette fresh for Nellie Morse Stakes

The stars seem aligned for a good day of racing Saturday at Laurel Park. The afternoon’s four $100,000 stakes will offer some interesting sport, and winter is taking a break with temperatures forecast to be in the upper 50s.

The Native Dancer and Nellie Morse are 1 1/16-mile races for older horses, and the Frank Whiteley Jr. and Marshua are one-turn races for 3-year-olds.

Ben Colebrook is sending two horses in from Keeneland – Julerette for the Nellie Morse and Enrage for the six-furlong Marshua. Both figure prominently.

Just Got Out will likely be favored in the Nellie Morse for trainer Linda Rice off her frontrunning victory last Sunday in the 1 1/8-mile Ladies at Aqueduct. But the quick turnaround and her outside draw in the nine-horse field are cause for concern. There is not much of a run to the first turn in 1 1/16mile races at Laurel.

Julerette, on the other hand, will be making her first start since mid-November and is more than well rested. She was scheduled to run in the Thirty Eight Go Go at Laurel on Dec. 30 but didn’t ship in for the race – which was ultimately canceled due to track conditions – because of a minor shoeing issue.

Colebrook considered sending her to Aqueduct for the Ladies but instead opted for this race.

“She hasn’t run in a while, and the Ladies was 1 1/8 miles,” Colebrook said. “This looks like the right spot.”

Julerette is in the best form of her career as she begins her 5-year-old season. She has won her last three starts, and her initial stakes win looks within reach.

“She’s always worked like a good horse but then never ran to her works,” Colebrook said. “I’ve realized that less is more with her. She puts a lot into her gallops, and I train her lighter now. We’ve also learned she likes to race on a loose rein, so now we just let her do her thing.”

In the Native Dancer, Afleet Willy and John Jones figure to both be well bet. Afleet Willy is coming off a difficult journey in the six-furlong Dave’s Friend on Jan. 8. John Jones scored a repeat win in the Jennings Stakes over Maryland-breds on Dec. 30.

Afleet Willy should regain his best form at this longer distance for trainer Claudio Gonzalez. He was bumped and squeezed back at the start of the Dave’s Friend, made a middle move on the far turn, then weakened to finish eighth. Expect him to relax and then launch a bid Saturday.

John Jones ran a strong race to win the Jennings while making his fourth start following a lengthy layoff. Trained by Lacey Gaudet, he may have a bit more natural speed than Afleet Willy and should be able to work out a smooth trip from post 4.

The seven-horse field also contains the top three finishers from a strong allowance race eight days ago – Final Prospect, River Deep, and Bodhisattva.