Timeless Curls, Isotope get rematch

Between them, Timeless Curls and Isotope have won seven of their last eight starts. The only loss during that period came when Timeless Curls upset Isotope by a head in an optional-claiming race at Laurel Park in November. On Monday, the pair will meet for a second time as the favorites in the $100,000 Maryland Racing Media Stakes.

The nine-race Presidents Day card also includes the finals of the $16,000 winter starter series at Laurel. Each of the four divisions has a purse of $55,000. The Maryland Racing Media is race 5, and the starter handicaps are races 4, 6, 7, and 8.

Timeless Curls and Isotope were never far apart during their first encounter, but Timeless Curls had just a little more in the stretch of the sevenfurlong race and came out on the winning end of a five-horse blanket finish at 10-1. Isotope finished second as the 2-1 favorite.

Isotope carried 124 pounds in that race, six more than Timeless Curls, whose regular rider, Wes Hamilton, was an apprentice at the time. On Monday, they both are assigned 122.

Isotope came back to win the one-mile Thirty Eight Go Go at Laurel on Dec. 29 and enters off a brief freshening for trainer Jeremiah Englehart.

Timeless Curls was entered in the Thirty Eight Go Go, but trainer Dale Capuano scratched her in favor of the 1 1/16-mile Nellie Morse Stakes two weeks later. Timeless Curls improved her record to 9-5-3-1 with a 3 3/4-length score.

Capuano, who has carefully managed Timeless Curls’s campaign, entered her in Saturday’s Grade 3 Barbara Fritchie at seven furlongs but opted for this easier spot going 1 1/16 miles.

Isotope, who will be ridden by Jorge Vargas Jr., will be making her first start around two turns after scoring her three most recent wins at a mile.

Little separates the top pair, and it will be interesting to see who goes favored. Both horses have tactical speed and should be forwardly placed. There is not a true front-runner in the lineup.

Neither Timeless Curls nor Isotope is drawn well in the eight-horse field, which starts close to the first turn. Timeless Curls will break from the outside stall, and Isotope has post 6.

Saint Main Event, Indy’s Lady, and Sweet Maggie Mae also enter off a victory.

Saint Main Event has won back-to-back starts at Parx, both for trainer John Servis, and will be able to save ground from post 1. She is stretching out from 6 1/2 furlongs but did win going a two-turn mile at Parx last summer.

Indy’s Lady, who races for Englehart, is a deep closer and may be at a pace disadvantage.

Sweet Maggie Mae also does her best running late. She scored a sharp statebred allowance victory at Parx in her first start since being claimed by Marcos Zulueta for $25,000.