Private Terms caps string of five stakes on program

Two weeks ago, Howgreatisnate entered Aqueduct’s Grade 3 Gotham as an unbeaten gelding with potential. He created a stir, but for the wrong reasons, as he unseated jockey J.D. Acosta at the start, then continued riderless through the bulky field.

At Laurel Park on Saturday, Howgreatisnate returns in the $100,000 Private Terms for 3-year-olds at about 1 1/16 miles. The Private Terms is one of five stakes on the program, with the $100,000 Beyond the Wire for 3-year-old fillies at one mile; the $100,000 Harrison E. Johnson Memorial for 4-year-olds and up at a mile; the $75,000 Not For Love for Maryland-bred 4-yearolds and up at six furlongs; and the $75,000 Conniver for statebred fillies and mares at seven furlongs.

Trained by Andy Simoff, Howgreatisnate won all four starts at 2, including the restricted First State Dash on Sept. 29 at Delaware and the Future Stars on Dec. 5 at Parx Racing.

Simoff doesn’t know what to make of the Gotham, a race that saw Howgreatisnate cross the wire second after completing the course without his jockey.

“He showed he’s got desire,” Simoff said. “I didn’t take a lot out of it. A lot of people did. It was all over the internet how great he was. I’m not buying into it.”

Simoff said Howgreatisnate scoped clean and came back sound. That gave him confidence to try the Private Terms on short rest, but he is apprehensive about the extra distance.

Among Howgreatisnate’s opponents on Saturday is Coffeewithchris, who captured Laurel’s Miracle Wood at one mile on Feb. 18 despite causing drama for trainer John Salzman Jr. the morning before the race.

“It was pouring rain and I sent him to the track,” Salzman said. “He took off leaving the track, ran into the barn, threw my rider, and got loose.”

As with Howgreatisnate, Coffeewithchris starts around two turns for the first time, but Salzman is more concerned about the six pounds the gelding picks up from the Miracle Wood and that he breaks from the outside post.

David Donk ships Register from New York after winning a one-turn mile maiden special weight with a 93 Beyer Figure.

“He was very game, very gritty,” Donk said. “He’s a pretty big horse. I thought he would stretch out.”

While Donk is hopeful to develop a “nice horse for the summer,” trainer Kenny McPeek has short-term goals for Triple Crown-nominated Hayes Strike.

“He can punch his ticket on the Triple Crown trail if he can win this and then come back in something like the Blue Grass,” McPeek said.

Twice graded stakes-placed last year, Hayes Strike finished last in his seasonal debut, the Leonatus at Turfway on Jan. 21.

“The ship got complicated because of the traffic, he got in late, and he didn’t handle synthetic,” McPeek said. “In hindsight, we probably should have scratched.”

Brittany Russell saddles Circling the Drain, a two-time course and distance winner adding blinkers after a twolength victory in a first-level allowance Feb. 20.

Beyond the Wire Stakes

Cairo Sugar overcame adversity to upset the Maddie May for New York-breds on Feb. 19 at Aqueduct. She’ll try to duplicate that effort in the Beyond the Wire.

Although Cairo Sugar ran on the lead in both her wins, trainer Alan Bedard told track publicity that the filly is versatile.

“She seems like a tactical, speed-type horse,” Bedard said “We never felt she had to be in front, and I don’t think she’s that type of horse that just wants to run off with speed.”

Trainer Russell sends out Pharoahs Baby Gyal and Cats Inthe Timber. Pharoahs Baby Gyal defeated Cats Inthe Timber by 10 1/2 lengths in their only meeting, a first-level allowance Jan. 13. Pharoahs Baby Gyal won the race, with Cats Inthe Timber third.

Pharoahs Baby Gyal went wire to wire in her two wins and is likely to try the same thing from the rail in the Beyond the Wire.

Cats Inthe Timber returned 15 days after being beaten by her stablemate and displayed courage winning a first-level allowance by a neck.

Lady Lowery, a Munnings filly out of a half-sister to Grade 3 Dwyer winner Speightster from the family of Breeders’ Cup Distaff heroine Dance Smartly, makes her dirt and route debut after scoring a maiden special weight over Turfway’s synthetic on Feb. 15.

Not For Love Stakes

Eastern Bay became a millionaire when he took down the Grade 3 General George at Laurel last month in his 9-yearold debut. He’ll try to pad those earnings for trainer Lynn Cash in the Not For Love.

Cash said the two-week turnaround since Eastern Bay’s most recent start, a fourth-place finish in Aqueduct’s Grade 3 Tom Fool, might be coming back a bit soon, “but it’s a Marylandbred and you got to go.”

Cash also is heartened that Eastern Bay earned a 96 Beyer when running back in 14 days in the Tom Fool.

“I think that race was even tougher than the General George,” Cash said.

Al Loves Josie comes off two allowance victories over the Not For Love course and distance for trainer John Robb. Breezy Gust enters following two 90-Beyer performances at Parx, while Coastal Mission, never off the board from nine starts, seeks his fourth straight victory.

Harrison E. Johnson Stakes

Nimitz Class is unbeaten in his three dirt routes and appears the horse to deny in the Harrison E. Johnson.

A 4-year-old Munnings colt, Nimitz Class earned a 101 Beyer winning Laurel’s John B. Campbell on Feb. 18.

American Patrol is not without a chance. He’s won his last four races on fast dirt by a combined 19 3/4 lengths and has excuses for his most recent start, a last-place finish in the Kris Kringle on Jan. 4. Trainer Cal Lynch said American Patrol grabbed himself, stumbled, and pulled part of his shoe off at the start of the Kris Kringle, run over a sloppy track at Parx.

Ournationonparade, second in the Campbell and on the board in his last eight starts, is a threat. American d’Oro and speedy Hello Hot Rod also deserve consideration.

Conniver Stakes

There’s something for everyone in the Conniver.

Award Wanted is a proven stakes horse, having won the Geisha two back and finishing second in the Nellie Morse last month.

Response Time is the up-and-comer with three wins from her last four starts, all in allowance company.

Street Lute makes her second start after a seven-month layoff. A multiple stakes winner, Street Lute finished fifth in her comeback, a high-level allowance Feb. 4.